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Question & Answer with 'Nowhere Near Normal' Author Traci Foust!

Question & Answer with 'Nowhere Near Normal' Author Traci Foust!

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Using Your Cell Phone Camera for OCD Treatment

Using Your Cell Phone Camera for OCD Treatment

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Reduce Anxiety using Kava Root

Reduce Anxiety using Kava Root

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Psychedelic Mushrooms: The Cure to OCD?

Psychedelic Mushrooms: The Cure to OCD?

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The Difference Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder?

The Difference Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder?

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Write in a Journal to Track OCD!

From Keep a Journal to Track Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder | myOCD,

One of the hardest things about OCD is the feeling of helplessness.  One of my favorite methods of coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder is keeping a journal of my disorder.  Although many people seem to have a strong aversion to the idea of keeping a “diary”, keeping a journal is one of the best things you can do for your OCD.  This is not a typical day-by-day journal.  Instead, the way I have mine set up is so that I write whenever I have an obsessive thought or compulsion.  In the journal, I write what obsession and/or compulsion I have, when I have them, my thoughts at the time, and the actions taken to reduce anxiety.  This way, it is easy to keep track of what has worked, and what hasn’t.

So, how should you set up your journal?  This is how I have chosen to set up mine:

[DATE]

Obsession:  _____________

Compulsion:  ______________

~[SPECIFICS/SOLUTIONS]

Although this is just preference, I only write on one side of the page.  To me, it makes things a little more organized, as well as frees up space for hobbies, such as creative writing or drawing.

What kind of notebook should I use?

This comes down to personal preference, but I have always found myself drawn to the Moleskine Ruled Notebook Large, or one of its many knock-offs.  The size is the main factor for me, because I’d rather not carry around an 8.5″ x 11″ spiral notebook around with me everywhere I go.  At the same time, however, I want something big enough that I can write a substantial amount on one sheet. Combine that with the fact that Moleskine notebooks are generally very sturdy, and you have the perfect notebook!

What about Blogging?

Most of us spend most of our time on the Internet anyways, so why not use a blog in place of a standard journal?  You can easily use WordPress.com, Blogger, or one of the numerous other blogging platforms for your journal entry.  I have decided to have mine at multiple places, with headquarters being myOCD at Posterous, which gets many of its posts from our very own myOCD. Through Posterous, I can upload to other platforms, as well, including Twitter and Facebook.

Do you have any other suggestions for tracking OCD, or maybe some journal tips and tricks?  Leave them in the comments!

Read more at myOCD.net!