OCD & Hope:
There is hope when you are living with obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD can be exhausting both mentally and physically. I know first hand how difficult it can be to live with OCD. However with proper care I have learned to manage my illness and now I make it my life mission to help others with OCD/mental illness. That doesn’t mean that I don’t struggle or have hard days, in fact, I still go to therapy on a regular basis. What it means is that I am working to continue to manage my illness so that I have control over my OCD versus my OCD having control over me. Remember that you are not alone in your struggles and with the right resources and treatment you can get control of your OCD. -Elizabeth McIngvale
Dear fellow travelers on the Road to OCD Recovery:
I am grateful to Liz McIngvale and Peace of Mind for this opportunity to share with you a few words of encouragement, as we journey together through and beyond what I’ve come to call “the shadow of doubt.”
The first thing I want you to know is this: you are NOT alone. We are walking side by side, supporting one another, lending each other belief in what’s possible, as I think you will see in this “We Believe” video, created some years ago as a starting point for anyone beginning down the road to recovery.
Our journey is not an easy one. I know that firsthand. But we are extremely fortunate to have phenomenal resources available to us: proven treatments, skilled therapists, brilliant researchers, and incredible nonprofit organizations such as the International OCD Foundation and Peace of Mind.
With these resources and the support of our loved ones and the OCD community, we CAN learn to live—even thrive—with OCD. Again, I know this firsthand. But there is one caveat I’m also compelled to share. Only YOU can move your feet forward on this path, and doing so takes commitment, determination, and most of all, motivation.
So then… allow me to share a secret with you about staying motivated: You will help yourself by helping others! I call this notion “Greater Good motivation,” and you can learn more about it in this Peace of Mind video and this Psychology Today blog. I’ve also built a nonprofit organization on this premise. It’s called the Adversity 2 Advocacy Alliance, and you’ll find lots of inspiring stories in the A2A OCD Advocacy Resource Center.
As for opportunities to help others, I think you’ll find that they are everywhere. (If you want a starting point, check out Project Hope Exchange!)
Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. I look forward to seeing you on the Road to OCD Recovery. Know that I am walking beside you, cheering you on!
Gratefully,
Founder, The A2A Alliance
Author, Rewind, Replay, Repeat & When in Doubt, Make Belief
Additional Resources:
Live with Liz Project Hope Exchange
Not Alone Notes Share Your Story
Great Good Motivation:
Learn more about how to focus on a greater purpose motivator (purpose and service) with Jeff Bell’s “Greater Good Perspective Shift” by downloading the overview and worksheet. This tool will help you start shifting your framework from the Default to the Greater Good Framework. Watch the “Greater Purpose Motivation” by Jeff Bell below.
If this is an emergency or you are ever feeling suicidal or unsafe please go to your local emergency room, call 911 or call the suicide prevention hotline at 800-273-8255.