 Inspired by author and depression and anxiety survivor Matt Haig, I'm sharing a list of things that can spike or worsen my OCD, rumination, anxiety and stress. And a list of things that have supported my recovery from 19 years of OCD, that make me feel happy in my soul and which help to quiet my mind. Things that make me worse Poor sleep Staying up too late Doing too much Not resting enough Caffeine Not eating enough protein (meats, fish, eggs) Crowded, busy cities (if I’m there too long)  Welcome to the seventh article in The OCD series. I’m Francesca, a Nutritionist who has lived with OCD since I was 10. At age 15 and then again at age 29, I hit rock bottom with OCD – it was so distressing and debilitating that it left me feeling suicidal and at one point, partially housebound. Now, after investing time, money and effort in creating a mental health tool box and fighting for my health and happiness, I have been living largely free of OCD since 2012. And I’m sharing everything I’ve learned to support people with OCD who want to get their lives back.
The first article in The OCD series looked at a key nutritional tool that supports your nervous system and mental health. More recently, we've looked at the role of trauma in OCD and anxiety, and what my experience of OCD relapse was like. This article returns the focus to nutritional biochemistry, and discusses stress-driven and genetic factors that can play a role in OCD and other mental health conditions, such as generalized anxiety, ADHD, childhood behavioural problems, tics, Bipolar Disorder, all types of depression and schizophrenia.  When a picture doesn't say a thousand words....this photo was taken December 2014, as I was plunging into an OCD relapse. Welcome to The OCD series. I’m Francesca, a Nutritionist who has lived with OCD since I was 10. In my teens and late 20s, I hit rock bottom with OCD – it was so distressing and debilitating that it left me feeling suicidal and as it worsened, partially housebound. Now, after investing time, money and effort in creating a mental health tool box, I've been living largely OCD-free since 2012. I now offer support to people suffering from OCD who want to get their lives back.
If you've landed on this page and would like to go to the beginning of The OCD Series, where I'm discussing nutrition for OCD, click here. A client recently asked about my experience of relapse, and our conversation reminded me I’ve been meaning to write about this.  Herbal tea - a far better friend to your nervous system than coffee or tea. Welcome to The OCD series. I’m Francesca, a Nutritionist who has lived with OCD since I was 10. In my teens and late 20s, I hit rock bottom with OCD – it was so distressing and debilitating that it left me feeling suicidal and at one stage, partially housebound. Now, after investing time, money and effort in creating a mental health tool box, I am thriving. And I offer support to people suffering from OCD who want to get their lives back. If you've landed on this page and would like to go to the beginning of The OCD Series, where I begin with discussing nutrition for OCD, click here. This article discusses a nutrition and lifestyle change that my clients routinely report leads to reduced frequency, intensity and duration of their OCD spikes: taking a break from caffeinated drinks. You’ll learn how caffeine impacts your nervous system. And I’ll share why I went cold turkey on caffeinated drinks for 6 years (yup!), after 19 years of suffering with OCD, and the changes I experienced as a result. |