Compulsive Staring

[guardian003]

Well, I'm starting a new thread for compulsive staring. I'll start with my symptoms. Around junior year of high school, I started to stare at private parts of both men and female. I'm sure this has to everything with OCD. I don't feel any pleasure from doing it...it is sort of now automatic. It has ruined so many relationships...I don't have any friends because of it. I've been to a psychiatrist which prescribed Lexapro, Zoloft, Risperidone...none have helped. I don't know how to stop it. My mind  is so ****** up now. I have become suicidal and hopeless. I try not to leave the house. Sometimes it's better sometimes its worse.
Any of you with this? Have you found something that works. How did yours start? I'd like to hear your stories.By the way I'm 100% sure I'm straight, but this **** makes me look as if I'm gay. Oh how I hope I can get rid of this disease.  

[JGF25]

Hi there.  So refresh my memory.  You said you had been to therapy before and tried meds...how long ago was that and are you currently seeing anybody?  Also, since your posts at the beginning of July...did you get any relief or has it been the same for you?  Did you try the breathing technique?  

[guardian003]

Don't feel like living anymore...can't live like this. This is not who I am

[guardian003]

Anyone else with some suggestions?

[JGF25]

You will make it because YOU will make it work. Think positive. And if you do need to seek out the counselor, do so sooner rather than later. You will do great!

[guardian003]

Planning on going to college soon...hope I can make it :/

[nottripping]

Glad to find this website and the comments from others,this issue has reared its ugly head recently in my life and makes me feel helpless,isolated.Will try the breathing and find a therapist,and keep watching this thread for support.

[guardian003]

Thanks JG25, I'll sure give this a try

[JGF25]

I wrote a post and it disappeared...how annoying.  And thank you for starting a new thread.  

Anyway, what I said was to try to concentrate on a facial feature or something behind the person while you are talking to them.  It is kind of like the blue elephant.  If I told you not think of one, that is the first thing you will think of.  So the reality is you are talking to someone and you are so scared and thinking about it, that you end up looking where you don't want to.  It is almost like an argument with yourself.  Anyway, try to concentrate on a facial feature when you are talking and at the same time trying this controlled breathing technique.  Take a deep breath in through your nose and hold it for a few seconds and then let it all out through your nose.  Normally I say to hold it for 5 seconds and count this out in your head and then let it all out through your mouth but since you are holding a conversation then this isn't practical.  Practice the breathing alone.  You will notice that nobody will even know you are doing it even if you are exaggerating your stomach coming out while you breathe.  I think that this will help calm you down while you are talking and at the same time allow you to concentrate more on the facial feature than you would be able to if you were a ball of anxiety.  

[lily168]

Hey there

Sounds like you've been having a very hard time.

I haven't had this kind of OCD - although I remember as a child I was worried if I noticed a woman's boobs or something, and then of course the more you worry about noticing boobs the more you will actually notice boobs. I don't think it was a staring thing, moreso that I just noticed it. How did this all start? I wonder did you chat much with the psychiatrist or just get meds? a therapist might be able to help you change your thoughts and behaviours here. Please don't think about hurting yourself, others just can''t understand mental health so well, but believe me things do get better so its worth fighting the OCD :)