Young Ambassador Natasha

Hi my name is Natasha and I'm 18 years old.

I have had OCD all my life but my OCD became severe a few years ago when I was 15. My OCD rituals and routines had become out of hand and it took me nearly all day checking to stop the anxiety and thoughts in my brain.

It all started at Christmas time, I used to wait until I had all my presents and then open them all together it became a routine and sometimes I wouldn’t open them until a week after Christmas Day! But when I had them all opened I would put them in a box and take them up to my room but one year the rituals had become so big that when I had put the box of presents in my bedroom I couldn’t take them all out and put them away where they would go so they stayed in the box in my bedroom for ages. I then wouldn’t even want to go into my bedroom for any reason apart from sleeping and one day that even got too much of an issue so I decided I would sleep downstairs on the sofa.

It all went downhill from there and I couldn’t even go upstairs to the toilet as the thought of me or anyone going in my bedroom scared me. It eventually got so bad that I couldn’t leave the front room where I was sleeping on the sofa. Over 4 months later and I was still stuck in the front room not able to leave.

This is when CAMHS got involved and I also started taking medication and that’s when it started looking better for me. I managed to leave the house for the first time in over 4 months and I felt free but soon I got trapped again and this time it was in the dining room for over 6 months. All my day consisted of was sitting at the table all day it was horrible.

After a lot of upsetting times and hard work I managed to break free and now I am back in my bedroom and have a better life without OCD controlling me as much. Its taken 3 years of my life battling OCD but I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t fight it like I did. Every day is still a struggle for me but I’m not at my lowest anymore and with a bit of hard work and determination you can beat OCD and have a better life.

I am still living with OCD and struggle on a daily basis but I want to show people that even if it is hard you can do it and you will do it!

Thank you for reading about my struggle with OCD I hope this blog helps anyone it can!

After a lot of upsetting times and hard work I managed to break free.Natasha