Spiel

Hi... I just wanted to say that I have a new(ish) blog about my experiences with OCD, called "In My Head". Check it out under the blogger feed portion of our website. <http://twaarp.wix.com/twaarp#!blogger-feed/ch99>  have been feeling really out of it and alone lately. Once again I am telling myself that I will post more, I hope people actually read about my experiences and don't feel alone. I feel like I say that a lot, but it's basically my life mission now. So if you want to talk with someone who gets it. I'm here and I care about you.

Just know, you're really important. YOU. ARE. IMPORTANT. I feel (personally) that I was put through my struggle so that I could educate others about it. Lots of people are afraid to tell anyone about their own battle and that's okay. I just want to let those people know there is a whole community of people just like you. We need to support one another, and if you don't have a mental illness, please stay informed and be there for those who need a helping hand.

So that's my spiel. Sorry to go off into a rant.

....

Wait a minute. I'm not sorry. That's OCD trying to make me apologize for something stupid.

So yeah. Thanks.

Chelsea

You are not alone.

You are strong. You aren't weird or crazy, you have a disease. It may be debilitating, but you can overcome it! It's just a speck in the painting that is your life. You are the painter. You control your life. Not OCD. And you are never alone. 

Stay Strong

With school, work, friends and family, life can get difficult. And on top of it OCD and anxiety make it even harder  I know sometimes you just want to give up, but you can't! And you won't! You are strong! 

Weakness

Depression, anxiety and panic attacks are NOT a sign of weakness. They are signs of having tried to remain strong for way too long.

Ability

The problem Is not the person's disability...The problem Is society's view of the persons ability's.

Stones

People will always throw stones in your path. It depends on you what you make with them, a wall or a bridge? Remember you are the architect in your life. Build something worthwhile!

@TWAARP

We are now on Twitter! Follow @TWAARP today! :)

Truth Be Told

It's Always Hard

Don't fool yourself. It's hard. Fighting all day and through the evening is exhausting, but you can do it! Although OCD will seem like he's holding you hostage, pointing a gun to your head, he has no bullets. It's an act. So no matter how terrified you are push though! Sometimes you'll have to go through the dark to get to a light.

Contamination ERP

Ever done anything completely gross? For those of us with OCD that mainly consists of touching handrails and picking objects off a dirty floor. Today our TWAARP group went to an interactive lecture called "Mudpies: The Fear of Contamination". Mud. Mudpies. Right? We can handle that! Wrong. Not mud. Carpet. Some of us in the group, have a huge fear of sitting on unfamiliar carpet. We started with every person sitting on the carpeted floor. Proceeding to touch the floor with our hands. Next, the therapist dumped a box of Tic Tacs on the floor and told us to eat one. Ew! Why? To face our fear. To prove we could do something completely out of our comfort zone. Afterwards, he brought  out ABC gum... (I thought I was going to die.) Almost all of the people in he room ate a piece. None in our TWAARP group could. Instead we touched the gum and licked our fingers. Absolutely horrifying. Not gonna lie, but we did it. AND LIVED! We even held the ABC gum! Although the experience was gross, minty, and filled with tears, but we have grown stronger from it. So next time you think you cannot do something think about us a TWAARP touching ABC gum then licking our fingers. Yep whatever your worried about probably won't kill you even though your terrified. Face it! So stay strong! Post your successes here!! 

Dealing with Perfectionism

Do you aim to succeed or are you afraid of failing? Seriously. Think about it. I know we are. Perfectionism is just a habit. So what if you're a try hard perfectionist? Trying harder isn't helping you. Its happened to all of us! You try something very hard and it leads to failure and then you beat yourself up. Then after beating yourself up you try harder. Guess what? It's a cycle. Work up the courage to try something way different from perfection!! You can guarantee it will be better but it's worth a try! Don't lose your life to trying to be perfect! It's impossible. 

OCD is like a Horror Movie

Sounds bad right? The first few times you watch it, you feel so scared you could die. But if you force yourself to watch it over and over again, it's less scary. You know the twists and turns of the movie and are prepared for what's about to happen. So stay strong! Remember that the thoughts in your head are just a TV screen, NOT YOU! :)

Perfect

While at the International OCD Conference, we at TWAARP listened to a  lecture given by Dr. Patrick B. McGrath. During the lecture he said "Practice makes perfect right? Wrong! Practice does not make perfect. There is no such thing as perfect. Perfect is an opinion. Practice makes routine. Routines can be modified. Some work for you and some do not. The goal of therapy is to modify the ones that aren't working for you. Meaning if you are not perfect you will succeed!" 

OCD Conference

This weekend our TWAARP group is visiting the International OCD Convention in Atlanta, GA!! Wow who knew there were so many stress balls?! If your here give us a shout out here on our blog or on our website: wix.twaarp.com 

Stay Strong

Keep pushing. Things will get better soon!

Keep Going

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” 

 - Winston Churchill

You Are Strong

You are strong. Keep fighting. Things will get better! <3

Bravery in the Face of Fear

It's hard. I know that. We sometimes have to do things that scare us. The only way to beat OCD is to keep going. Don't stop. Don't look back. As long as we stay strong it cannot hurt us. No matter how hard it tries we will win. It will take time and hardship, but we will win. We will.

Anticipation Through Management

Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.
Lao Tzu

Freedom

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.

Nelson Mandela