Step 1: Wash hands.
Step 2: Turn on cold
water in kitchen sink.
Step 3: Wash hands.
Step 4: Fill kettle,
place on stove, and turn on burner.
Step 5: Wash hands.
Step 6: Open
dishwasher with right hand. Pull out
coffee mug and spoon with right hand.
Close dishwasher.
Step 7: Wash hands.
Step 8: Scoop
spoonful of coffee into cup. Open refrigerator
door with left pinky finger. Pull out
creamer and add to cup. Open
refrigerator door with left pinky finger.
Put creamer back in fridge.
Step 9: Wash hands.
Step 10: Wait for
water to boil.
Step 11: Wash hands.
Step 12: Pour boiling
water in mug. Turn off stove.
Step 13: Wash hands.
Step 14: Stir coffee
with spoon.
Step 15: Wash hands.
Step 16: Grab mug by
handle and enjoy.
Not so simple, right?
With today being World Mental Health Day, I wanted to give you a glimpse
of what it’s like to really, truly have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. I start every morning with these 16
steps. Every. Single. Morning. Every. Single. Step.
When I do it perfectly, it brings me great satisfaction,
calming my mind so I can focus on my day.
When I don’t, my mind is plunged into a chaos of anxiety and fear, and it
takes an enormous amount of energy to find order in that mess and re-right the
ship of my day.
The ritual keeps the monster of mental illness away, a
monster of overloaded circuits and being so unable to think that I can’t drive,
work, or be functional in any way, shape, or form. It’s a battle I fight every single day, and
no, it’s not as simple as “mind over matter.”
Trying to force my mind to be “normal” ends up causing physical issues,
like insomnia or digestive issues. Mental
illness is truly illness.
This year has taken a toll on so many people’s mental health. The pandemic, the lockdowns, the protests,
the election have been so stressful, so traumatic, that anger and sadness fill
our world. Please take some time to
listen, to learn, to grow, and to truly understand what it is like to live with
mental illness. Pledge to stop joking
about “being OCD” because you want everything neat and clean and organized. (It’s really, really not funny or cute or
true. OCD is a very complicated
diagnosis where your brain is just not wired like everyone else’s.) Commit to listening to others talk about
their issues without feeling the need to give advice, because “what you would
do” probably won’t work for someone else.
We still have a long way to go before this chapter of
history ends, and we can only thrive if we face it with compassion and empathy
for each other. World Mental Health Day seems
like a good place to start with a simple cup of OCD coffee.
3 comments:
Ma'am, I was diagnosed with OCD over a decade ago. I appreciate the way it can make life awful. I just want to say that things can get better. Am I 100% clear of it? No, but as my Dr said years ago when I finished some treatment, 'better' is not the absence of the condition but being able to deal with it. By that I mean it doesn't intrude, not that you avoid it. Things can seem very dark and isolating, but many know what you are going through and have reached the other side. One day your coffee routine may be much, much shorter!
Thank you! I really appreciate you reading and kind comments—having OCD could find this triggering. As annoying as this process is, every time I’ve gotten screwed over or failed...it’s because I got lax about these processes and procedures. They keep me focused and accomplishing instead of escaping. Its all about figuring out a life that works for my brain; I’ve been fighting my head (with great damage) for most of my life. Once I’m not putting huge energy on the “lost in translation” stuff, I’ll be able to tackle this. Thanks again!
I loved how you blended the "recipe" with what it lead later. Kind of like a mystery. Likes the writing style. And yes the year took a toll on many. Hope it brings any ease to those in need. Thanks for sharing xx
Isa A. Blogger
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