Life Style Changes

Of course! You need to make lifestyle changes to see continual improvement. Some things will work and other things will not, but here’s a list: -Drink more water/stay hydrated, -Cut back and eventually all the at once mental compulsions, -Minimum 7 hours of sleep per night, -Get on a daily and nightly routine (as in you have a schedule and you go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time unless you’re sick or on holiday), -Cut back on sugar and carbs and focus more on protein, healthy fats, and veggies, -Go outside for at least 30 minutes a day, -Exercise every day or every other day. This includes weight lifting, cardio, and stretching, -Pick up a hobby or two (or more!) that can be done with others and by yourself, -Check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube for free yoga content, -Check out either the Calm app or Insight Timer app for meditations (20 minutes per day as the end goal but start with 5 minutes and work your way up. It WILL take time), -Practice mindfulness all day, every day. And this is a life long process, -Seek out therapy (also for life), -Medication if it works for you, -Look into grounding techniques for when things get hard, -Spend more time with loved ones (it does not have to be blood related if you have abusive family members).

Exercise has helped me a huge amount. Particularly running, and it’s something I incorporate into my daily life as much as I can. I have also cut back on eating processed food/ eating out as much. I think that’s also helped keep the OCD at bay. A huge triggering factor for me was caffeine, I don’t drink coffee at all now. I just drink tea

Ones that helped me in the past were morning and night routines. Going to the gym, not to get big or fit but to be healthy. Coming up with ways to manage stressors a bit more tactfully rather than trying to do them in my spare time. If I do that, I have no spare time 😅

I quit drinking alcohol… it made the world of difference!