5 Ways to Build an OCD Friendly House
Your home is supposed to be a place where you can relax, but as any of you with obsessive compulsive disorder actually know, your home is usually a beacon of your OCD… a place for you to freely project all of your compulsions without the inhibitions that public places always have. If you're reading this and you're thinking about how much this sounds like you, chances are your OCD is out of control, and walking in your house causes people more anxiety than a court date. Here are 5 ways to transform your home from a lighthouse of OCD to something that normal people will not get a panic attack just by being in.
1. Load your fridge with OCD friendly foods
The first and most important thing you must do is to make sure that the food you're eating isn't exacerbating your OCD. A lack of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine can lead to a higher prevalence of obsessive compulsive symptoms, so foods that contain either tryptophan or tyrosine (the amino acids that can be converted to those in your brain) are a must if you ever plan on people feeling comfortable in your house. Foods like chicken, turkey, and tuna and granola are all excellent sources of these amino acids. Be sure to use caffeine and sugary foods in moderation - although the two will prompt your brain to release these chemicals in the short term, but there will be a trough after the spike, causing you to "crash" and possibly relegate you into an OCD panic attack.
2. Get a plugin air freshener
Having a lingering aroma of freshness in your house can trick you into thinking that everything is clean, even if it is not. Fooling yourself into thinking that your home is in pristine condition can help distract you from focusing on the common targets of OCD such as dust and clutter.
3. Get hardwood floors
Although this may seem counter-intuitive, since dirt and dust will be easier to spot on a hardwood floor, it is actually better for two reasons. The first is because it forces you to be exposed to the dust, which over time can help get you desensitized to your nagging compulsions. The second is that it is much easier to distinguish a clean hardwood floor from a clean carpet, giving your OCD visual confirmation.
4. Keep pictures that make you happy around
Now I'm not saying to deck out your home so it looks like the ball box in the back of McDonald's. If you strategically place pictures that make you happy, you not only will distract yourself from other things that could set off your OCD, but it will lessen any anxiety you have, making OCD less likely to surface.
5. Don't have pets
Although pets can potentially ease your anxiety levels, the OCD caused by their dander and messes that they leave behind outweighs any benefit from this. Besides, it's not fair to your dog to have to be around a person with that much anxiety anyways.
1. Load your fridge with OCD friendly foods
The first and most important thing you must do is to make sure that the food you're eating isn't exacerbating your OCD. A lack of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine can lead to a higher prevalence of obsessive compulsive symptoms, so foods that contain either tryptophan or tyrosine (the amino acids that can be converted to those in your brain) are a must if you ever plan on people feeling comfortable in your house. Foods like chicken, turkey, and tuna and granola are all excellent sources of these amino acids. Be sure to use caffeine and sugary foods in moderation - although the two will prompt your brain to release these chemicals in the short term, but there will be a trough after the spike, causing you to "crash" and possibly relegate you into an OCD panic attack.
2. Get a plugin air freshener
Having a lingering aroma of freshness in your house can trick you into thinking that everything is clean, even if it is not. Fooling yourself into thinking that your home is in pristine condition can help distract you from focusing on the common targets of OCD such as dust and clutter.
3. Get hardwood floors
Although this may seem counter-intuitive, since dirt and dust will be easier to spot on a hardwood floor, it is actually better for two reasons. The first is because it forces you to be exposed to the dust, which over time can help get you desensitized to your nagging compulsions. The second is that it is much easier to distinguish a clean hardwood floor from a clean carpet, giving your OCD visual confirmation.
4. Keep pictures that make you happy around
Now I'm not saying to deck out your home so it looks like the ball box in the back of McDonald's. If you strategically place pictures that make you happy, you not only will distract yourself from other things that could set off your OCD, but it will lessen any anxiety you have, making OCD less likely to surface.
5. Don't have pets
Although pets can potentially ease your anxiety levels, the OCD caused by their dander and messes that they leave behind outweighs any benefit from this. Besides, it's not fair to your dog to have to be around a person with that much anxiety anyways.
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