Hi!

        My parents recall that when I was less than 10 years old, I exhibited various order and checking behaviors, such as arranging my shoes in a specific way and repeatedly asking teachers the same question. I also remember having various superstitions when I was a young child. For example, there was this one time after a baseball practice on a hot day when I vomited from exhaustion. I loved the shirt and shorts I was wearing that day, but I ended up avoiding wearing them because I associated them with throwing up. 
        Throughout my early childhood, I guess I probably had various obsessions, compulsions, and superstitions. However, I started to develop full-blown OCD later on in my childhood. I honestly can't remember exactly when my full-blown OCD began. Everything is kind of a blur. My best estimate is probably around sixth grade when I was around 11. The obsessions and compulsions gradually began to creep up. At first, they were pretty mild. The first compulsion I can recall having was the urge to swallow a specific number of times. I used to try to swallow a multiple of four times. The number four became a significant component of many of my compulsions. When I started developing obsessions and compulsions, I didn’t think much of them. It didn’t bother me much at all. Even when I started to notice it more, I just thought I was crazy, but it still didn't bother me. I thought that I was the only one in the world who thought the thoughts and did the things I was doing. I carried out the compulsions without questioning why I was doing them. I never once thought I had OCD. I also probably didn’t know what OCD was back then. I never told anyone, including my family, about what I was thinking and doing. I used to try to hide it. 
        I was in the middle of my seventh-grade year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It wasn’t until March of my eighth-grade year that I started developing new obsessions and compulsions, all based around germs. This marked a significant worsening of my situation. Before this, I had numerous obsessions and compulsions that consumed a significant portion of my life, but not to the same extent as they did once I developed a fear of germs and contamination. The end of eighth grade was the worst I've ever experienced. I would never touch my face. I would use a full bottle of hand sanitizer every day. I would constantly repeat various things in my head throughout the day, a certain number of times, to ensure I didn't get sick. My parents quickly noticed my compulsive actions and told me that I have OCD. I always resisted their help and refused to go to a psychiatrist for help. I very much regret this, as my recovery from OCD could have been a lot quicker.
        Throughout my time with OCD, I made multiple attempts on my own to stop my obsessions and compulsions, but I was never really successful. However, in the middle of my freshman year of high school, I made a successful attempt to suppress most of my obsessions and compulsions on my own. This was a result of a significant shift in my mindset. I was very strict with myself. It was very difficult, but I’m proud of the progress I made. I was really lucky that I was able to do this on my own. Since then, I have overcome more and more obsessions and compulsions, and now I barely have any obsessions and compulsions. I am still a lot more conscious of germs than I used to be. I still carry a hand sanitizer bottle when I go out in public. I am still more concerned about those around me who may be sick. I still have a couple of random obsessions and compulsions, and occasionally, a new one will arise for a brief time. Moreover, in general, I obsess about things more than I used to do before I developed OCD. However, compared to my behavior at the end of eighth grade, there has been a significant improvement. After overcoming my OCD, I sometimes notice the small things I can do now, such as touching my face or turning off the faucet once rather than multiple times. Defying OCD was the best decision I have ever made.