When I was in the shower the other day, I was having a serious anxiety problem. I thought that getting a shower chair would alieviate this, but it hasn't seemed to help very much. Anyway, I started to count from one to seven, over and over again, and it actually helped me finish my shower.
I never knew that repetitive counting could be part of ocd until I saw a commercial for the program 'obsessed'. I have always counted at certain times, like when walking, I count steps, or if I am doing something else that is repetative. I never thought much about it till the shower episode, if anything I attributed it to my music education that emphasized counting the rythmn.
Then tonight, right after eating I was having a 'vacant' sensation in my chest(I have had these on and off for a while, as well as irregular heart beats) and started to panic, quietly. I expected to start having palpitations, and sort of curled up on the chair, closed my eyes, and started my "heart Mantra". It took a while, and I did have a slight irregularity, but the mantra did help.
Maybe that sort of counting or using a mantra is a way for us with these disorders to quiet that crazy part of our minds that keep telling us we are in that flight or fight mode when we really aren't.
Well, it is getting late, and I need to get to bed. My son is going to need my car for most of next week, so the only thing I can think to do about working is to go to the shop really early and get home around noon for him to have the car. I can deal with being at home alone, but have been having real trouble at the shop especially if I don't have the car.
I would be interested to hear if anyone else can relate to any of this.