My name is Katisha and I have OCD

It's been a while since I updated this blog. Apologies for those of you who have been waiting with baited breath. If you follow my other blogs you'll know that I have been receiving Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for the last seven months or so. In that time I have been provided with a number of 'Books on Prescription' (a terrific scheme, many thanks to my local authority, and libraries department in particular!). One of these was:

Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
by David Veale and Rob Willson.

It was brought to my attention that I have a degree of OCD by a wonderful psychiatrist whom I met through my being off work ill with depression. The above mentioned book confirmed this for me when I read the following:

"Compulsive hoarding has been defined as the acquisition and failure to discard a large number of possessions...that appear to be either useless or of limited value. These objects may be acquired by excessive or impulsive shopping, or by collecting free items such as newspapers or promotional giveaways, or objects that have been discarded by others."

(Veale and Willson, p24)

When my psychiatrist suggested I had symptoms of OCD I was unsure, as I don't have other of the classic symptoms for this disorder, but by this definition I AM, clearly, a compulsive hoarder.

Veale and Willson (p24) go on to say this:

"...the clutter resulting from this accumulation of objects also causes significant distress or a reduced ability to function. When severe, clutter may prevent cooking, cleaning, moving freely through the house, or even sleeping. It may give rise to poor sanitation and pose a risk of fire or falls..."

This too applies to my situation. I am going to write an extended version of this post on my other blog, 'Ramblings of a Mad Woman', so go take a look if you want to know more about OCD Hoarding and its treatment via CBT counselling.
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