Working with OCD

   First things first I need to set something straight, OCD isn't all compulsively washing your hands every few minutes like a lot of people seem to think. There's a lot of different types of OCD and hoarding is even one of them. 
   I have 2 different types of OCD and that is checking and numbers. I also deal with the organizing type but it's not so "there" like the other two are. 
   Checking OCD is practically just checking to make sure things are done over and over and over again. For example, before leaving my house I go to each room several times to make sure all the lights are out, there's no candles burning, there's nothing plugged in that I think could cause a fire, the oven is off and no elements are on, the fridge and freezer doors are completely shut I'll push on the doors a few times just to make sure some days when my OCD is bad I'll open and close the doors to make sure nothing fell that could open the doors after I leave, the TV is off, etc. Some days I run really late for work because of it. It's normal to check these things once or twice but I do it a lot. I will even leave my house and come back just to check these things again. Days where I'm running late because of it, I won't turn around to check again and I'll get really bad anxiety until I know my boyfriend is home and everything is ok. 
   Numbers OCD is really bad for me. I get really fixated on a certain number and I have to do things with that number or I notice that number a lot more and talk about it for awhile until that person gets annoyed. You might have noticed that my second post to this blog was called "333" that is my main number I'm always seeing. I notice it EVERYWHERE. On license plates (even in the movie "Ponyo"), sides of cabs, phone numbers, prices at grocery stores, clocks, etc. I'm usually with Nick so I always bring it up to him. I think he gets annoyed with it but when I see it I feel as if I HAVE to say something about it, I HAVE to give it recognition. I've been dealing with this number since 2008 and no matter what I do I can't not see it. It really drives me crazy to the point where I google it and read the same articles over and over again on how it's an angel giving you signs and what not. I mean, it could be I guess, I like to think that anyway. It haunts me though for sure. My other numbers are 3 (in general but I usually connect it with 333), 4, 7 , 13, and 14. I usually do things in 4's. Whether it's checking things or whatever I'm doing. I have a lock at work for my locker and I grab the top and bottom of it and squish it together to make sure it's locked. I press it together 14 times and I repeat that step 4 times. 7 I find very lucky and when I see a 7 or do things in 7's I feel happy like it's my lucky day or something. 13 isn't so lucky for me, I always have something bad happen to me on Friday the 13th's whether it's a death or something small like my favourite pants rip or something. I always give these numbers major recognition to the point where it drives myself crazy. I've tried to just walk away from it but I feel as if I HAVE to do it no matter what it is even if it makes me late for work I don't care. 
   OCD is nothing to laugh about even though I'm guilty of it myself, hell, I joke about it sometimes I'll say to somebody "holy fuck you're so OCD!" but in reality it's actually a pretty horrible thing to deal with. 
  Working with OCD is practically the same as being a regular person at work. The only difference is that it takes me an extra few minutes to actually get to work from my locker, when I'm working and I see something that needs to do "fixed" aka moved slightly so it makes my mind more comfortable, counting the tills to end the shift takes me a little longer because sometimes I'll be counting the coins and I'll say one of my numbers in my head then I have to recount because my mind wanders a little with the number in mind, changing the mop water in the mop room takes me an extra minute because I have to tell myself a few times that the light is off, the water is off, and the door is closed. There's some other things too but in general, working with OCD is the same as working without it except you spend a few extra minutes each shift doing OCD type things. It's not all that noticeable to other people but dealing with it I can tell. 
   I tried yoga the other night because apparently exercise helps with OCD and it did for the next day I wasn't feeling so anxious when I left the house for work which was a big deal because my OCD that week was really really bad. Some days it's worse than others but it's always a little bit there. It's not for me though at all, I really suck at yoga. I'm sure it gets easier but I'm going to find something else to do that's a little easier. Downward dog then walking my feet up to my hands was crazy hard lol. 
   I was thinking about using the voice memo on my phone to record myself telling myself that my check things are done that way when I'm on my way to work or I'm at work I can turn it on and listen to it but I always forget to do it but it's probably a really good idea if I started it and turned it in to one of my routines. 
   One little story before I post this, make 1 more quick post so I have more than 13 posts, then get ready for work.... About a month ago I had just got to work for an 8 hour shift. Worrying about germs isn't really my thing but this guy came in with his little boy and the second I seen the kids face I backed away a little bit. His eyes were full of puss it looked like and his nose was running and crusty at the same time and he had his mouth open like "uhhhhhh I'm so sick" this kid should've been home eating soup not at A&W with his dad eating hamburgers. Made me sick like how can you take your child out when they're that ill?! Well, for some reason that experience really set off some sort of OCD that's deep within myself and the second I gave him his change I told the other girls to take the rest of the orders. I practically ran to the back sink got paper towel and picked my nose with it until I felt like there was no sickness germs in there then I washed my hands, then washed my face, then washed my hands again. Even after doing that I felt like the kids sickness was on my uniform and I still had 7 hours of work left. I kept washing my hands and face almost the whole time I was there I could not shake the feeling that I was gonna get sick with what that kid had. I wanted to go home and shower and wash my uniform in hot water instead of cold. So please please please don't go in public if you're sick or your kid is sick because that's how things spread and there's people like me who will freak out the rest of the day because of it.