ontheway
08-19-2004, 11:38 PM
Who here that reads this board or replies to topic has beaten thier OCD
meaning that are able to dismiss an intrusive thoughts , rationalize good, pretty much got it under control as much as u can and now are living a
" normal life " if there is anyone that has done this please share how u did it... was it with therapy ? medicine ? or both together ? and your own will power ? please share with us God bless you guys always (( hugs )) :angel:
meaning that are able to dismiss an intrusive thoughts , rationalize good, pretty much got it under control as much as u can and now are living a
" normal life " if there is anyone that has done this please share how u did it... was it with therapy ? medicine ? or both together ? and your own will power ? please share with us God bless you guys always (( hugs )) :angel:
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Frank168
08-20-2004, 01:23 AM
yep.. check here.
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=181402
I don't know of many others on here that has beaten their ocd but that doesn't mean people can't overcome it. It's just that this board is filled with folks looking for comforting and reassurance thus the same repeating threads about the same thing over and over which stretch all the way back to when the board started. Most folks here if not all are stuck in a vicious cycle of worry/obsessions and reassurance. The key to beating this is to stop coming here to get reassurance and start doing the work required to beat this.
Frank
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=181402
I don't know of many others on here that has beaten their ocd but that doesn't mean people can't overcome it. It's just that this board is filled with folks looking for comforting and reassurance thus the same repeating threads about the same thing over and over which stretch all the way back to when the board started. Most folks here if not all are stuck in a vicious cycle of worry/obsessions and reassurance. The key to beating this is to stop coming here to get reassurance and start doing the work required to beat this.
Frank
ontheway
08-20-2004, 01:54 AM
yep.. check here.
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=181402
I don't know of many others on here that has beaten their ocd but that doesn't mean people can't overcome it. It's just that this board is filled with folks looking for comforting and reassurance thus the same repeating threads about the same thing over and over which stretch all the way back to when the board started. Most folks here if not all are stuck in a vicious cycle of worry/obsessions and reassurance. The key to beating this is to stop coming here to get reassurance and start doing the work required to beat this.
Frank
Frank, Thanks so much for sharing your story, I just read it. I want to put it the work, my big thing in letting the OCD go is the fear and thouhg of what if... It's so hard because I suffer from religious OCD thoughts and I have depression sometimes, I really am not sure if I can beat this I think at times I can but I'm always pulled back into it I'd like to be free and find the real me inside again... I understand I'll never be like I use to be ..but I'll be ok and have good days and thats what I want..I don't want to hurt anymore I'm so scared to let go and not do a ritual because of the thoughts I get.
It seems so easy to think about just letting go, but to do it is much harder then expected. I'm on medicine that has side effects on my body and I know that when I was not taking them properly I had tons and tons of intrusive thoughts I could not sleep the thoughts would not stop... but I'm alot better but I long to one day be better then i am an ok without the medicine or even if i have to take medicine to find one that really controls that part of the brain to where it works right and has less side effects on my body.
I also need to go to therapy I went to therapy for 7 months and it helped alot now im out of therapy and need to go back but having problem finding doctors now beause of my insurance..I'd like to go to therapy and do this, How did you stay so strong to beat this ? I know I'm making excuses and not doing what I'm suppose to be doing, but its extremly hard for me..I respond to the religious intrusive thoughts the wrong way then i feel like I've done wrong I want to be " ontheway" with my life..thanks for replying God bless u always
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=181402
I don't know of many others on here that has beaten their ocd but that doesn't mean people can't overcome it. It's just that this board is filled with folks looking for comforting and reassurance thus the same repeating threads about the same thing over and over which stretch all the way back to when the board started. Most folks here if not all are stuck in a vicious cycle of worry/obsessions and reassurance. The key to beating this is to stop coming here to get reassurance and start doing the work required to beat this.
Frank
Frank, Thanks so much for sharing your story, I just read it. I want to put it the work, my big thing in letting the OCD go is the fear and thouhg of what if... It's so hard because I suffer from religious OCD thoughts and I have depression sometimes, I really am not sure if I can beat this I think at times I can but I'm always pulled back into it I'd like to be free and find the real me inside again... I understand I'll never be like I use to be ..but I'll be ok and have good days and thats what I want..I don't want to hurt anymore I'm so scared to let go and not do a ritual because of the thoughts I get.
It seems so easy to think about just letting go, but to do it is much harder then expected. I'm on medicine that has side effects on my body and I know that when I was not taking them properly I had tons and tons of intrusive thoughts I could not sleep the thoughts would not stop... but I'm alot better but I long to one day be better then i am an ok without the medicine or even if i have to take medicine to find one that really controls that part of the brain to where it works right and has less side effects on my body.
I also need to go to therapy I went to therapy for 7 months and it helped alot now im out of therapy and need to go back but having problem finding doctors now beause of my insurance..I'd like to go to therapy and do this, How did you stay so strong to beat this ? I know I'm making excuses and not doing what I'm suppose to be doing, but its extremly hard for me..I respond to the religious intrusive thoughts the wrong way then i feel like I've done wrong I want to be " ontheway" with my life..thanks for replying God bless u always
Frank168
08-20-2004, 04:04 AM
ontheway,
The only thing I can tell you is to stay strong. Sometimes meds are necessary but depends on how severe your OCD is. I would consider mine to be of a moderate type not severe like those folks who pull out hair or cant go out of the house without checking everything over and over for hours. That wasn't me so I didn't need the meds. Some of the stuff I have posted in the other thread like acceptance and letting go is not something that is easy I know but one day if you persevere you will find that you can. It wasn't easy for me either terrifying in fact but there are 2 choices you can make when faced with fear, fight or flight. Most people have a flight response, cower up in a ball and comfort yourself with compulsions to ease the anxieties and obsessions. That will only reinforce the OCD bully. if you can change that flight response and channel that to a fight response then you will make it out of this for sure. Anyway, you should know that attitude is more important than anything else. If you take the passive attitude with OCD/Anxiety/Depression you will only dig yourself a hole. If you take an active roll and challenge your affliction to accept and make the most of what you were dealt by "God" then you will slowly start making you way out. Remember, God only helps those who help themselves. It's attitude more than anything else that counts. Good luck.
Frank
The only thing I can tell you is to stay strong. Sometimes meds are necessary but depends on how severe your OCD is. I would consider mine to be of a moderate type not severe like those folks who pull out hair or cant go out of the house without checking everything over and over for hours. That wasn't me so I didn't need the meds. Some of the stuff I have posted in the other thread like acceptance and letting go is not something that is easy I know but one day if you persevere you will find that you can. It wasn't easy for me either terrifying in fact but there are 2 choices you can make when faced with fear, fight or flight. Most people have a flight response, cower up in a ball and comfort yourself with compulsions to ease the anxieties and obsessions. That will only reinforce the OCD bully. if you can change that flight response and channel that to a fight response then you will make it out of this for sure. Anyway, you should know that attitude is more important than anything else. If you take the passive attitude with OCD/Anxiety/Depression you will only dig yourself a hole. If you take an active roll and challenge your affliction to accept and make the most of what you were dealt by "God" then you will slowly start making you way out. Remember, God only helps those who help themselves. It's attitude more than anything else that counts. Good luck.
Frank
Emra
08-21-2004, 04:41 AM
Dear ontheway,
I think you have posed a great question! Can one “beat” OCD? You have a pretty clear definition of what you mean by “beating OCD” (i.e. / dismissing intrusive thoughts, rationalizing irrational thoughts, controlling your OCD, and living a normal life.)
I think to properly answer that question you first have to look at how you view OCD. Most people view OCD as something that is “all in your head” and that with the proper dose of will power this silly condition will magically disappear. The common myth, with both the general public and sufferers, is that all you have to do is stay strong, keep the faith, learn to accept & let go, and that by simply having a good attitude you will be cured.
If you ask me that is a very simplistic, uninformed view.
First of all OCD is an actual disease! It’s not a phantom condition that is made up in one’s mind. Mental illnesses are actually physical illnesses that occur in a very physical organ called The Brain. I’m not sure why that isn’t obvious to most people!?! OCD occurs because of abnormalities of brain structure, brain activity and low levels of serotonin. All the will power and positive thinking in the world is not going to change that! So giving the advice that “it's attitude more than anything else that counts” is not really going to help you with this medical condition.
I find that sort of advice very inept and superficial.
Imagine telling someone with Type I Diabetes that their insufficient production of insulin or abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein is all in their head. And that all they have to do is keep a positive attitude to beat diabetes. That would be absurd! So why is this not the case with OCD?
OCD is a medical condition that requires medical treatments. Typically that includes medication and therapy. In very rare cases a cingulotomy (a type of brain surgery used to improve mental disorders) can be performed. That fact alone should highlight the possible severity of this illness! Unfortunately, even with treatment, OCD usually lasts a lifetime, with cycles of worsening and improving of symptoms.
Personally, I live with OCD but, I no longer suffer from it. I had early onset of OCD, developing the disorder around the age of 7. That is very early for a woman considering the typical age of onset is between 20 and 30. I believe it surfaced because my father passed away from cancer. Initally I had fears of hurting my family. Later my obsessions became inappropriately sexual and aggressive. I was so ashamed to talk about it that I hid my illness from my family and friends. I finally sought help at the age of 22 and was diagnosed with OCD (specifically I suffer from pure-O type OCD.) I suffered from OCD for 15 years before being diagnosed! What is so alarming is that I sought help relatively early considering most people with OCD don’t pursue help until they are 27!
Getting diagnosed changed my life. Suddenly I was no longer some weirdo with racing thoughts. The obsessions were no longer “my fault” and that what I suffered from had an actual name. Plus there were others just like me. But diagnosis also had its down side because I knew the disease would probably never go away and that I could no longer deny that I experienced obsessions.
Diagnosis was my first step (of many) in learning to live with OCD. Unfortunately, I wasn’t magically cured after being diagnosed. My first psychiatrist perscribed Celexa for my OCD but at the time I didn’t want to be dependant on chemical substances. I only took my medication for a few months after I was initally diagnosed. Then I stayed away from medication for almost 2 years. This last Christmas, I had an OCD relasp and started taking my medication again. But even then I was not very assiduous about taking it daily. All of that changed when I ended up in the emergency room having passive suicidal thoughts due to an very serious OCD cycle. I was imediately referred to a psychiatrist who put me back on Celexa (this time I took it religiously and it actually worked!) I was also referred to a cognitive-behavior therapist, who helped redirect my perception of OCD.
I am involved in a long-term relationship and my husband-to-be (we are marrying in two weeks) is extremely supportive, informed and understanding about OCD. That helps as much, if not more, as my daily dose of Celexa! He is often researching the illness, plus he is a very calm person which helps center me. He often reminds me to take my medication if it slips my mind and he can sense if I am about to relapse into an OCD cycle.
My fiancé and I were discussing the initial question you posed, “can you beat OCD?” and he thinks I have. By your definition I would say I have as well. But I also recognize that OCD is a legitimate illness and that I will most likely have it for the rest of my life. OCD is a chronic disease for 85 to 90% of people who suffer from it, with only 10 to 15% of sufferers experiencing full remission of their symptoms. I’m sure that I will take medication indefinitely and see a psychiatrist intermitently for the rest of my life.
Because of therapy; medication; and loving support from my fiancé, family, friends AND myself, I am now able to lead a happy and normal life. But that means that I take care of myself, like a cancer patient or diabetic would. I go to the doctor for check-ups to gauge my mental state, I pay attention to my anxiety level to prevent full blown obsession from occurring, and I take my medication each and EVERY day. I do not have wishful thinking that a good attitude is all I need to beat this illness. It takes a lot of work to get back to normal, but it can be done. Through therapy I’ve learned to dismiss intrusive thoughts when they occur, which is seldom because Celexa controls my OCD very well.
Right now, I am the happiest I’ve every been! I feel even better than I did before the OCD took me on a roller coaster ride.
My parting advice is to get a good team on your side (doctors, therapists, friends, family, etc.) Remember that OCD is an disease and that you are learning to live with it. I think if you can start doing that, who knows, normal just might be around the next corner!
I think you have posed a great question! Can one “beat” OCD? You have a pretty clear definition of what you mean by “beating OCD” (i.e. / dismissing intrusive thoughts, rationalizing irrational thoughts, controlling your OCD, and living a normal life.)
I think to properly answer that question you first have to look at how you view OCD. Most people view OCD as something that is “all in your head” and that with the proper dose of will power this silly condition will magically disappear. The common myth, with both the general public and sufferers, is that all you have to do is stay strong, keep the faith, learn to accept & let go, and that by simply having a good attitude you will be cured.
If you ask me that is a very simplistic, uninformed view.
First of all OCD is an actual disease! It’s not a phantom condition that is made up in one’s mind. Mental illnesses are actually physical illnesses that occur in a very physical organ called The Brain. I’m not sure why that isn’t obvious to most people!?! OCD occurs because of abnormalities of brain structure, brain activity and low levels of serotonin. All the will power and positive thinking in the world is not going to change that! So giving the advice that “it's attitude more than anything else that counts” is not really going to help you with this medical condition.
I find that sort of advice very inept and superficial.
Imagine telling someone with Type I Diabetes that their insufficient production of insulin or abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein is all in their head. And that all they have to do is keep a positive attitude to beat diabetes. That would be absurd! So why is this not the case with OCD?
OCD is a medical condition that requires medical treatments. Typically that includes medication and therapy. In very rare cases a cingulotomy (a type of brain surgery used to improve mental disorders) can be performed. That fact alone should highlight the possible severity of this illness! Unfortunately, even with treatment, OCD usually lasts a lifetime, with cycles of worsening and improving of symptoms.
Personally, I live with OCD but, I no longer suffer from it. I had early onset of OCD, developing the disorder around the age of 7. That is very early for a woman considering the typical age of onset is between 20 and 30. I believe it surfaced because my father passed away from cancer. Initally I had fears of hurting my family. Later my obsessions became inappropriately sexual and aggressive. I was so ashamed to talk about it that I hid my illness from my family and friends. I finally sought help at the age of 22 and was diagnosed with OCD (specifically I suffer from pure-O type OCD.) I suffered from OCD for 15 years before being diagnosed! What is so alarming is that I sought help relatively early considering most people with OCD don’t pursue help until they are 27!
Getting diagnosed changed my life. Suddenly I was no longer some weirdo with racing thoughts. The obsessions were no longer “my fault” and that what I suffered from had an actual name. Plus there were others just like me. But diagnosis also had its down side because I knew the disease would probably never go away and that I could no longer deny that I experienced obsessions.
Diagnosis was my first step (of many) in learning to live with OCD. Unfortunately, I wasn’t magically cured after being diagnosed. My first psychiatrist perscribed Celexa for my OCD but at the time I didn’t want to be dependant on chemical substances. I only took my medication for a few months after I was initally diagnosed. Then I stayed away from medication for almost 2 years. This last Christmas, I had an OCD relasp and started taking my medication again. But even then I was not very assiduous about taking it daily. All of that changed when I ended up in the emergency room having passive suicidal thoughts due to an very serious OCD cycle. I was imediately referred to a psychiatrist who put me back on Celexa (this time I took it religiously and it actually worked!) I was also referred to a cognitive-behavior therapist, who helped redirect my perception of OCD.
I am involved in a long-term relationship and my husband-to-be (we are marrying in two weeks) is extremely supportive, informed and understanding about OCD. That helps as much, if not more, as my daily dose of Celexa! He is often researching the illness, plus he is a very calm person which helps center me. He often reminds me to take my medication if it slips my mind and he can sense if I am about to relapse into an OCD cycle.
My fiancé and I were discussing the initial question you posed, “can you beat OCD?” and he thinks I have. By your definition I would say I have as well. But I also recognize that OCD is a legitimate illness and that I will most likely have it for the rest of my life. OCD is a chronic disease for 85 to 90% of people who suffer from it, with only 10 to 15% of sufferers experiencing full remission of their symptoms. I’m sure that I will take medication indefinitely and see a psychiatrist intermitently for the rest of my life.
Because of therapy; medication; and loving support from my fiancé, family, friends AND myself, I am now able to lead a happy and normal life. But that means that I take care of myself, like a cancer patient or diabetic would. I go to the doctor for check-ups to gauge my mental state, I pay attention to my anxiety level to prevent full blown obsession from occurring, and I take my medication each and EVERY day. I do not have wishful thinking that a good attitude is all I need to beat this illness. It takes a lot of work to get back to normal, but it can be done. Through therapy I’ve learned to dismiss intrusive thoughts when they occur, which is seldom because Celexa controls my OCD very well.
Right now, I am the happiest I’ve every been! I feel even better than I did before the OCD took me on a roller coaster ride.
My parting advice is to get a good team on your side (doctors, therapists, friends, family, etc.) Remember that OCD is an disease and that you are learning to live with it. I think if you can start doing that, who knows, normal just might be around the next corner!
Frank168
08-21-2004, 06:43 AM
Emra,
Believe it or not I have had full blown obsessional ocd which lasted for years. Those years were filled with you name it I had it obsessions ranging from violent obsessions, to obsessions about numbers, to hocd. I would not consider myself to be a severe case however and I did beat it without ANY meds whatsoever. For me the cause of my chemical imbalance was due to the extream stress of a new life and an uncertain future. Eventually I learned about the correct attitude and approach to coping with my new life and learned to use cbt techniques to challenge my fears and obsessions. Once I showed mastery of my fears, the disease of chemical imbalance eventually balanced itself out which resulted in the remission of ocd thoughts. Today 5 yrs after my first onset of ocd and depression I can say I am 90% free of my ocd because the thoughts if they do come up no longer have the same effect. One major component which contributed to my success WAS attitude, not meds or doctors. I don't know of anyone who can endure the rigorous exposure therapy of cbt without a good attitude, faith, and a positive outlook that it’ll work. What you said about this illness being all chemical and the sufferer, no matter what attitude they have, is never gonna help because having OCD is like being a diabetic is misleading. It makes the sufferer adopt a passive roll. If I really believed what you said I'd be saying to myself, oh well nothing I can do about it but get myself a decent psychiatrist and hope that the next med I get from him is going to be the magic bullet. To me this is playing a passive roll in your recovery, and is the wrong attitude to approach this illness. What if I’m one of those many who are non responsive to meds? What will I have to go on if the meds not only don’t work but make me worse? What will I be left with if the one medication that worked eventually lost it’s effectiveness a few years from now? Being proactive in your treatment and having faith that you will overcome is the right attitude to have if you want to really beat it. I agree that OCD is a disease but it certainly isn't something that requires meds to recover from. CBT has shown just as much efficiency if not more so than ssri's in improving OCD symptoms. From your description of your onset of your OCD it was a long standing chemical imbalance which you had since childhood where as my OCD was a late onset type which occured in adulthood due to a crisis life situation and me having poor coping mechanism and poor outlook on life that precipitated my downward spiral into depression and eventually OCD. For me correct attitude, cbt to challenge and face down my fears, and a refusal to submit to my affliction was what got those chemicals balanced and got me on my road to recovery and I'm sure for many out there the strength to face themselves is what will get them free of anxiety, depression, and OCD not their doctors or their ssri's. I've beaten this thing because I've gotten to the root of the thinking errors which propelled me into all of this in the first place. For some maybe there is no "root" and all chemical as in your case, so there is no recovery without meds but from reading the many stories on this board I'd venture to say most folks here do not have a long standing childhood form of OCD and can do with a good dose of positive and proactive attitude.
Frank
Believe it or not I have had full blown obsessional ocd which lasted for years. Those years were filled with you name it I had it obsessions ranging from violent obsessions, to obsessions about numbers, to hocd. I would not consider myself to be a severe case however and I did beat it without ANY meds whatsoever. For me the cause of my chemical imbalance was due to the extream stress of a new life and an uncertain future. Eventually I learned about the correct attitude and approach to coping with my new life and learned to use cbt techniques to challenge my fears and obsessions. Once I showed mastery of my fears, the disease of chemical imbalance eventually balanced itself out which resulted in the remission of ocd thoughts. Today 5 yrs after my first onset of ocd and depression I can say I am 90% free of my ocd because the thoughts if they do come up no longer have the same effect. One major component which contributed to my success WAS attitude, not meds or doctors. I don't know of anyone who can endure the rigorous exposure therapy of cbt without a good attitude, faith, and a positive outlook that it’ll work. What you said about this illness being all chemical and the sufferer, no matter what attitude they have, is never gonna help because having OCD is like being a diabetic is misleading. It makes the sufferer adopt a passive roll. If I really believed what you said I'd be saying to myself, oh well nothing I can do about it but get myself a decent psychiatrist and hope that the next med I get from him is going to be the magic bullet. To me this is playing a passive roll in your recovery, and is the wrong attitude to approach this illness. What if I’m one of those many who are non responsive to meds? What will I have to go on if the meds not only don’t work but make me worse? What will I be left with if the one medication that worked eventually lost it’s effectiveness a few years from now? Being proactive in your treatment and having faith that you will overcome is the right attitude to have if you want to really beat it. I agree that OCD is a disease but it certainly isn't something that requires meds to recover from. CBT has shown just as much efficiency if not more so than ssri's in improving OCD symptoms. From your description of your onset of your OCD it was a long standing chemical imbalance which you had since childhood where as my OCD was a late onset type which occured in adulthood due to a crisis life situation and me having poor coping mechanism and poor outlook on life that precipitated my downward spiral into depression and eventually OCD. For me correct attitude, cbt to challenge and face down my fears, and a refusal to submit to my affliction was what got those chemicals balanced and got me on my road to recovery and I'm sure for many out there the strength to face themselves is what will get them free of anxiety, depression, and OCD not their doctors or their ssri's. I've beaten this thing because I've gotten to the root of the thinking errors which propelled me into all of this in the first place. For some maybe there is no "root" and all chemical as in your case, so there is no recovery without meds but from reading the many stories on this board I'd venture to say most folks here do not have a long standing childhood form of OCD and can do with a good dose of positive and proactive attitude.
Frank
Emra
08-21-2004, 05:49 PM
Frank,
Some of what you have stated I can agree with. But some of it is questionable.
First of all, you state that you have a mild case of OCD, which is plausible considering your history and symptoms. The cause of your OCD, based on your understanding, stems from psychosocial stressors. And you maintain that you are 90% OCD free because of your attitude.
Yet, you have sought medical/professional help because you cite Cognitive Behavior Therapy as one of the methods you used to conquer your OCD.
I agree with you that attitude is extremely important. Diagnosis and treatment can be a very grueling process. But attitude ALONE is truly not going to help OCD and the research backs that statement.
I do not advocate being passive with the illness. I certainly have not adopted a passive role in dealing with my OCD. I have sought help and will do so again, if need be.
The research shows that the most effective treatment for OCD is behavior therapy combined with medication. Cognitive Behavior Therapy alone has not been proven to be as effect as medication and therapy together. At best CBT by itself will reduce but not eliminate symptoms. Research on medication makes no differentiation between treatment of early onset OCD and adult OCD, even though you suggest that medication is only needed for people suffering from early onset. The age of onset does not dictate whether the disease will be mild or severe.
Your parting advice that “most folks here . . . can do with a good dose of positive and proactive attitude” is still too disillusioned and “feel-good” to be grounded, factual advice.
I’m glad you were fortunate to have conquered a mild case of OCD based on a positive and proactive attitude. We should all be so lucky.
Some of what you have stated I can agree with. But some of it is questionable.
First of all, you state that you have a mild case of OCD, which is plausible considering your history and symptoms. The cause of your OCD, based on your understanding, stems from psychosocial stressors. And you maintain that you are 90% OCD free because of your attitude.
Yet, you have sought medical/professional help because you cite Cognitive Behavior Therapy as one of the methods you used to conquer your OCD.
I agree with you that attitude is extremely important. Diagnosis and treatment can be a very grueling process. But attitude ALONE is truly not going to help OCD and the research backs that statement.
I do not advocate being passive with the illness. I certainly have not adopted a passive role in dealing with my OCD. I have sought help and will do so again, if need be.
The research shows that the most effective treatment for OCD is behavior therapy combined with medication. Cognitive Behavior Therapy alone has not been proven to be as effect as medication and therapy together. At best CBT by itself will reduce but not eliminate symptoms. Research on medication makes no differentiation between treatment of early onset OCD and adult OCD, even though you suggest that medication is only needed for people suffering from early onset. The age of onset does not dictate whether the disease will be mild or severe.
Your parting advice that “most folks here . . . can do with a good dose of positive and proactive attitude” is still too disillusioned and “feel-good” to be grounded, factual advice.
I’m glad you were fortunate to have conquered a mild case of OCD based on a positive and proactive attitude. We should all be so lucky.
Frank168
08-21-2004, 06:52 PM
My suggestions regarding using other methods other than medication should be at least a first step in facing this illness and I truely believe in that. Your suggestions that OCD cannot be helped without the use of medications falsely misleads others to believe that there is no other way because it's like diabetes. To me medication should be a last resort even the therapists who I dealt with have given me this advice. I cannot put myself in your situation and I wont pretend to know what you have to deal with throughout your life but please do not assume what I dealt with is no less severe than what you had to go through because you do not know. There are folks who have dealt with this any variety of ways all of whom have differing severity of symptoms. Only thing I can say is to do all you can for yourself first before looking for outside help. I was tempted so many times to break down and take the ssri's the doctor prescribed to me but chose not to in order to see if I can do this on my own. Maybe if I did take the medication I would have recovered faster or maybe not. Fact is I chose the non med route and came away all the stronger because of my choice and I think if others would dig deeper into themselves before jumping right to meds like so many medical doctors seem to want them to do they'll come away the better for it as well. As with anything however results will vary from individual to individual we can only offer the advice from our own perspectives the others will have to take from it what they can. My advice to be proactive and keep a good attitude may be disillusional and "feel-good" an advice to you but I find your advice of everyone probably needs to adopt medication because its all a chemical imbalance due to their OCD frankly quite dangerous.
Frank
Frank
sanrun
08-21-2004, 07:43 PM
Right on Frank! I'm all for CBT and exposure therapy. That's what has worked best for me. I did try Zoloft for 6 months and it did absolutly nothing except make me sick. I have battled OCD on my own by using self-help books. I did have problems with OCD when I was younger. All worrying stuff with mental compulsions. So, my parents really didn't have a clue. They knew I was depressed when I was in high school, but the connetion to OCD was never made. Anyway, I don't know how I compare to anyone else as far as how bad I was. I just know that last four years were really tough for me. I'm a lot better and have more and more good days.
Also, I used my athletic drive to my advantage. I'm a runner and have ran many marathons, so I tried to take my determination and use it for my battle with OCD. Self-pep talks and such, just like I would do the last few miles of a marathon. Two voices going at it sometimes! I'm tired I want a quit! You can do it! My legs are sore! You can tough it out! No, I can't! You'll be mad if you quit and you will obsess consantly about why you failed, do want to do that? Well, no. Suck it up and do what you have to do to get across that finish line. Right. What do I have do to do to beat OCD, find out and then do it!
sanrun
:bouncing:
Also, I used my athletic drive to my advantage. I'm a runner and have ran many marathons, so I tried to take my determination and use it for my battle with OCD. Self-pep talks and such, just like I would do the last few miles of a marathon. Two voices going at it sometimes! I'm tired I want a quit! You can do it! My legs are sore! You can tough it out! No, I can't! You'll be mad if you quit and you will obsess consantly about why you failed, do want to do that? Well, no. Suck it up and do what you have to do to get across that finish line. Right. What do I have do to do to beat OCD, find out and then do it!
sanrun
:bouncing:
Frank168
08-22-2004, 02:11 AM
Good for you Sanrun, this is what I'm talking about when I talk about keeping a good attitude. A strong, determined and positive attitude goes a long way with any serious medical problem. When you attack your OCD head on this way you start taking charge of your own life instead of surrendering it over to the doctors to help you. You don't want to make a victim of yourself by thinking its all out of your control due to your faulty brain chemistry. I know there are lots of folks that can't cope without medication but at the same time there are many of us who can if we really try hard and not victimize ourselves. For lots of folks meds have little to no effect and many others get on meds and have a bad time coming off of them if they ever have to. There's also no telling what kind of long term effect these psychotropic drugs will have on someone in the long run. If there ARE alternatives to medications then I think it is in our best interests to persue them all as far as we are able and if we can't then the drugs will always be there waiting for us at our next doctors visit.
Frank
Frank
Emra
08-22-2004, 05:13 AM
Dear Frank,
I do not believe that medication is dangerous and I certainly have not stated that all people should be on medication. I have simply stated that research shows the most effective treatment for OCD is behavior therapy combined with medication.
My comparison with diabetes was to illustrate that OCD is a disease, with actual physical origins, and that it should be treated as such. Medication is not the only method used for controlling a disease; often a complete change of lifestyle is required. I simply used diabetes to parallel the similarities between the two diseases to eschew the stigma that OCD is “simply a figment of ones imagination.”
I agree that I do not know what you have gone through. As someone who also experiences OCD I can say that I empathize a great deal with you. We have more in common with OCD than not. This illness isolates us enough so I apologize for not extending solidarity to you.
I do not believe that medication is dangerous and I certainly have not stated that all people should be on medication. I have simply stated that research shows the most effective treatment for OCD is behavior therapy combined with medication.
My comparison with diabetes was to illustrate that OCD is a disease, with actual physical origins, and that it should be treated as such. Medication is not the only method used for controlling a disease; often a complete change of lifestyle is required. I simply used diabetes to parallel the similarities between the two diseases to eschew the stigma that OCD is “simply a figment of ones imagination.”
I agree that I do not know what you have gone through. As someone who also experiences OCD I can say that I empathize a great deal with you. We have more in common with OCD than not. This illness isolates us enough so I apologize for not extending solidarity to you.
Frank168
08-22-2004, 06:59 PM
Emra,
I am glad that the medication works for you but for many it doesn't. With ssri’s and OCD usually even higher doses of drugs are required than for depression. You say it's not dangerous, well maybe but they just don't know enough right now especially with regard to long term effects. What I called dangerous in my post was not the medication per se, but in your initial post you were telling people like in diabetes, that chemistry is the origin and chemistry is the way out for OCD. What I was saying that non med treatments like challenging the thoughts with techniques such as CBT and keeping a positive attitude should be something that be used as a coping method before resorting to medication. I have used non pharmacutical methods to help me recover from OCD and it has worked great for me. It is my belief that our bodies have an inherent ability to balance itself out and fix what's wrong with it given the right conditions. For mental emotional problems those right conditions may simply be adjusting of ones belief system and keeping a positive outlook in order to give the body and mind time to adjust and restore it's balance and sometimes that's all it takes to get things back in order again. Without a change in the way we think and how we tackle the systems however the same distorted thoughts and beliefs will make them fall deeper and deeper until the mind/body maladapts into a bad disfunctional coping pattern that's hard to break and with cases like that maybe drugs are the only way out. It's my advice to others to learn to cope using non pharmacutical methods before it gets too bad because logically the best way to start instead of jumping into psychotropic drugs which are not as helpful to many as maybe to you.
The view that OCD is like diabetes because it has to do with a physical chemical imbalance is not entirely accurate. I've had my doctor try to sell me that idea using that angle but they are actually 2 different things. Diabetes can be measured very accurately with blood sugar tests. You can see easily and simply at home with glucose tests, measure how much your blood sugar is imbalanced at various times of the day. Serotonin however there is no such test for. If you don't know how much something is imbalanced how do you know how much to give? Not only that but how do we know it's necessarily serotonin that's imbalanced? We don't. It may be serotonin, norepinepherin or dopamine or maybe some other chemicals undiscovered by science as of yet. Yet they just give out these drugs to anyone complaining of mood disorder without knowing how much to give to treat what kind of imbalance. I personally see that as dangerous especially when it comes to our brains. I wouldn’t have nearly as much apprehension if they did have some brain scanning machine that we can use at home at various times of the day like home blood glucose meters and blood pressure machines, but I have a feeling something like that might be beyond our lifetimes. SSRI's treated mood disorder by raising serotonin levels but just recently they discovered that the main reason for the decreasing of symptoms is not necessarily due to the flood of extra serotonin into the brain but that this extra flood of serotonin over the course of months induces neurogenesis a growth of new neurons in the brain that increases mood. This means that all these years the drugs were doing something different than what they were designed to do. Now that they know this, research can begin on how to promote neurogenesis more directly. In any case basically the various psychotropic drugs out there today are hit and miss with many folks. Just ask around here and on the depression boards. You say that studies show that CBT and medication is the most effective method of recovery but there are also studies that show many of these psychotropics have about the same efficiency as a placebo sugar pill. Isn’t there some lawsuit going on right now demanding that drug companies release the many internal studies done which show’s the drugs dangers? I did not go the med route simply because it is my opinion that the medications today are not refined enough and the docs simply don't know enough to balance out what is wrong in me. Maybe in 50 yrs they'll be better but I wouldn't want to go on them if I didn't need to. Kind of reminds me of when my computer conked out on me and I let my friend fix it. The hard drive stopped spinning and he didn't know what was wrong with it so he hit it a few times with a screw driver end and it started up again. Sure it got it working again but does he know exactly what he did to get it working? Well yeah, he hit it, but what was wrong? I dunno, he said, something was stuck inside. What? I asked. The needle arm or something I guess he said. As long as it works for now that’s fine and I took all my data off and got myself a new drive. That's what's taking these meds are like right now but we don’t know exactly how they work. Nobody can say exactly what is off or unbalanced and anyone who tells you they know is lying. With mood disorders I’m pretty sure that it’s our genetic inheritance that’s the root but, is it our genetics and inherent chemical imbalance that is CAUSING the disease, or is that chemical unbalance a result of something else? I feel that folks like ourselves with mood disorder may have a predisposition towards unbalance and things such as attitude, belief system, environment, and diet all have a big role to play in triggering a greater unbalance in sensitive folks like us that propels us to depression, anxiety or ocd.
All that brings me back to why I said your view that OCD should be seen in a chemical manner and typically requires therapy along with medication as a bit dangerous. Not knowing exactly why a person has an imbalance and telling them it's basically the chemistry and not encouraging fixing of the contributing factors that influence this unbalance is dangerous. That attitude robs folks of helping themselves if they could and makes them out to be victims of chemistry and genetics. It may mislead some to think nothing they can do for themselves is gonna help because it's all physical and therefore they must rely on the medical community to get better. I really disagree with that and it's dangerous to me because you don’t really know of the various degree's of severity of many folks here, and there are different contributing factors which probably caused this unbalance for different people on the boards. I know you meant well as you spoke from your perspective and how it worked out for you but it may not be what’s necessary for many folks who may be able to cope without medication. All I’m saying is that I'm comfortable in giving advice that has to do with increasing positivity in attitude, promoting non pharmacutical methods, to take responsibility for themselves, and attack this illness head on with all they’ve got. If people cannot do the things I have done to help themselves, then fine, I don't think anyone really needs to tell them what else to do next, I’m sure they'll make their way to the doctor for their meds like everyone else. I am putting up a fuss because I was attacked for telling someone to hang in there and staying strong. I only want to put out what I know has helped me given what I know, and hope they can get something positive from it but at the same time I'm sure you meant nothing less with your own advice.
Take care.
Frank
I am glad that the medication works for you but for many it doesn't. With ssri’s and OCD usually even higher doses of drugs are required than for depression. You say it's not dangerous, well maybe but they just don't know enough right now especially with regard to long term effects. What I called dangerous in my post was not the medication per se, but in your initial post you were telling people like in diabetes, that chemistry is the origin and chemistry is the way out for OCD. What I was saying that non med treatments like challenging the thoughts with techniques such as CBT and keeping a positive attitude should be something that be used as a coping method before resorting to medication. I have used non pharmacutical methods to help me recover from OCD and it has worked great for me. It is my belief that our bodies have an inherent ability to balance itself out and fix what's wrong with it given the right conditions. For mental emotional problems those right conditions may simply be adjusting of ones belief system and keeping a positive outlook in order to give the body and mind time to adjust and restore it's balance and sometimes that's all it takes to get things back in order again. Without a change in the way we think and how we tackle the systems however the same distorted thoughts and beliefs will make them fall deeper and deeper until the mind/body maladapts into a bad disfunctional coping pattern that's hard to break and with cases like that maybe drugs are the only way out. It's my advice to others to learn to cope using non pharmacutical methods before it gets too bad because logically the best way to start instead of jumping into psychotropic drugs which are not as helpful to many as maybe to you.
The view that OCD is like diabetes because it has to do with a physical chemical imbalance is not entirely accurate. I've had my doctor try to sell me that idea using that angle but they are actually 2 different things. Diabetes can be measured very accurately with blood sugar tests. You can see easily and simply at home with glucose tests, measure how much your blood sugar is imbalanced at various times of the day. Serotonin however there is no such test for. If you don't know how much something is imbalanced how do you know how much to give? Not only that but how do we know it's necessarily serotonin that's imbalanced? We don't. It may be serotonin, norepinepherin or dopamine or maybe some other chemicals undiscovered by science as of yet. Yet they just give out these drugs to anyone complaining of mood disorder without knowing how much to give to treat what kind of imbalance. I personally see that as dangerous especially when it comes to our brains. I wouldn’t have nearly as much apprehension if they did have some brain scanning machine that we can use at home at various times of the day like home blood glucose meters and blood pressure machines, but I have a feeling something like that might be beyond our lifetimes. SSRI's treated mood disorder by raising serotonin levels but just recently they discovered that the main reason for the decreasing of symptoms is not necessarily due to the flood of extra serotonin into the brain but that this extra flood of serotonin over the course of months induces neurogenesis a growth of new neurons in the brain that increases mood. This means that all these years the drugs were doing something different than what they were designed to do. Now that they know this, research can begin on how to promote neurogenesis more directly. In any case basically the various psychotropic drugs out there today are hit and miss with many folks. Just ask around here and on the depression boards. You say that studies show that CBT and medication is the most effective method of recovery but there are also studies that show many of these psychotropics have about the same efficiency as a placebo sugar pill. Isn’t there some lawsuit going on right now demanding that drug companies release the many internal studies done which show’s the drugs dangers? I did not go the med route simply because it is my opinion that the medications today are not refined enough and the docs simply don't know enough to balance out what is wrong in me. Maybe in 50 yrs they'll be better but I wouldn't want to go on them if I didn't need to. Kind of reminds me of when my computer conked out on me and I let my friend fix it. The hard drive stopped spinning and he didn't know what was wrong with it so he hit it a few times with a screw driver end and it started up again. Sure it got it working again but does he know exactly what he did to get it working? Well yeah, he hit it, but what was wrong? I dunno, he said, something was stuck inside. What? I asked. The needle arm or something I guess he said. As long as it works for now that’s fine and I took all my data off and got myself a new drive. That's what's taking these meds are like right now but we don’t know exactly how they work. Nobody can say exactly what is off or unbalanced and anyone who tells you they know is lying. With mood disorders I’m pretty sure that it’s our genetic inheritance that’s the root but, is it our genetics and inherent chemical imbalance that is CAUSING the disease, or is that chemical unbalance a result of something else? I feel that folks like ourselves with mood disorder may have a predisposition towards unbalance and things such as attitude, belief system, environment, and diet all have a big role to play in triggering a greater unbalance in sensitive folks like us that propels us to depression, anxiety or ocd.
All that brings me back to why I said your view that OCD should be seen in a chemical manner and typically requires therapy along with medication as a bit dangerous. Not knowing exactly why a person has an imbalance and telling them it's basically the chemistry and not encouraging fixing of the contributing factors that influence this unbalance is dangerous. That attitude robs folks of helping themselves if they could and makes them out to be victims of chemistry and genetics. It may mislead some to think nothing they can do for themselves is gonna help because it's all physical and therefore they must rely on the medical community to get better. I really disagree with that and it's dangerous to me because you don’t really know of the various degree's of severity of many folks here, and there are different contributing factors which probably caused this unbalance for different people on the boards. I know you meant well as you spoke from your perspective and how it worked out for you but it may not be what’s necessary for many folks who may be able to cope without medication. All I’m saying is that I'm comfortable in giving advice that has to do with increasing positivity in attitude, promoting non pharmacutical methods, to take responsibility for themselves, and attack this illness head on with all they’ve got. If people cannot do the things I have done to help themselves, then fine, I don't think anyone really needs to tell them what else to do next, I’m sure they'll make their way to the doctor for their meds like everyone else. I am putting up a fuss because I was attacked for telling someone to hang in there and staying strong. I only want to put out what I know has helped me given what I know, and hope they can get something positive from it but at the same time I'm sure you meant nothing less with your own advice.
Take care.
Frank
zonkay
08-22-2004, 10:33 PM
I had tiny outbursts of OCD, but I diagnosed myself... Like, I have little rituals. I pretty much stopped most of them by forcing myself, or not allowing myself to do them. Usually, if I step over a person, I have to step back... Today, my girlfriend and I were playing around in a park, and I stood on a bench, and she grabbed my legs and I sorta jumped over her... I had to get back over her, but then told myself that I couldn't, and after a few minutes, the urge went away.
That's how I overcome most of it.
But I still have one left. I have to do a certain thing a certain number of times or I'm convinced that something bad will happen. And if I screw up I have to do it again. Sometimes I convince myself that it's stupid, but other times, it doesn't work. I'll get rid of that, I know. But it might take a while.
That's how I overcome most of it.
But I still have one left. I have to do a certain thing a certain number of times or I'm convinced that something bad will happen. And if I screw up I have to do it again. Sometimes I convince myself that it's stupid, but other times, it doesn't work. I'll get rid of that, I know. But it might take a while.
Frank168
08-22-2004, 11:20 PM
I had tiny outbursts of OCD, but I diagnosed myself... Like, I have little rituals. I pretty much stopped most of them by forcing myself, or not allowing myself to do them. Usually, if I step over a person, I have to step back... Today, my girlfriend and I were playing around in a park, and I stood on a bench, and she grabbed my legs and I sorta jumped over her... I had to get back over her, but then told myself that I couldn't, and after a few minutes, the urge went away.
That's how I overcome most of it.
But I still have one left. I have to do a certain thing a certain number of times or I'm convinced that something bad will happen. And if I screw up I have to do it again. Sometimes I convince myself that it's stupid, but other times, it doesn't work. I'll get rid of that, I know. But it might take a while.
Zonkay
That's how I had to do it for some of my symptoms. I started noticing I had to do something like crack my knuckles or it wouldn't feel right, or I'd have to make my other joints feel a certain way or else I'd be all nervous and restless. There are other times when I felt I had to walk a certain pattern. Like you I forced myself not to and just kept going even if I had the urge. Like you eventually the urge went away. Willpower does play a role.
Frank
That's how I overcome most of it.
But I still have one left. I have to do a certain thing a certain number of times or I'm convinced that something bad will happen. And if I screw up I have to do it again. Sometimes I convince myself that it's stupid, but other times, it doesn't work. I'll get rid of that, I know. But it might take a while.
Zonkay
That's how I had to do it for some of my symptoms. I started noticing I had to do something like crack my knuckles or it wouldn't feel right, or I'd have to make my other joints feel a certain way or else I'd be all nervous and restless. There are other times when I felt I had to walk a certain pattern. Like you I forced myself not to and just kept going even if I had the urge. Like you eventually the urge went away. Willpower does play a role.
Frank
zonkay
08-23-2004, 12:49 AM
Zonkay
That's how I had to do it for some of my symptoms. I started noticing I had to do something like crack my knuckles or it wouldn't feel right, or I'd have to make my other joints feel a certain way or else I'd be all nervous and restless. There are other times when I felt I had to walk a certain pattern. Like you I forced myself not to and just kept going even if I had the urge. Like you eventually the urge went away. Willpower does play a role.
Frank
Yes, it does :).
That's how I had to do it for some of my symptoms. I started noticing I had to do something like crack my knuckles or it wouldn't feel right, or I'd have to make my other joints feel a certain way or else I'd be all nervous and restless. There are other times when I felt I had to walk a certain pattern. Like you I forced myself not to and just kept going even if I had the urge. Like you eventually the urge went away. Willpower does play a role.
Frank
Yes, it does :).
BostonGirl44
08-24-2004, 04:54 PM
I've been suffering from ocd for 13 years. I mainly check, check, check, check EVERYTHING in my house. It drives me up a wall but I couldn't stop. I'd check 40-50 times a day and that was on a good day. Slowly, I've worked my way down and I only check once a day. I still have uncontrollable urges but I don't let them get the best of me. I wouldn't say I've beaten my ocd, but I don't let it control me anymore.
Chrissi
08-24-2004, 06:59 PM
i dont think anyone totally rids themselves of ocd, but i think it can be managed a great deal.
i used to be terrible.
it started when my daughter was born....i kept thinking of all the bad things out there that could hurt her.....kidnappers, viruses, bacterias, chemicals, lead.
this all controlled me.
i started to see a psycologist and it helped some....but not really.
i started taking paxil at 25mgs....it really helped alot.
but i just couldnt stand the thought of having to take a pill everyday just to function...i quit taking them.
i lost it, i had to go back on them .
yet still i knew someday somehow i would stop taking them and be okay.
shortly after all this i started going to church, i was saved. and every time i would have a scary thought i would just pray...."God please help me through this" and he would....
i still have scary thoughts all the time everyday but i just say that prayer and God helps me.
That has been the best therapy for me, just realizing that i have no power over life and death, that is is God's decisions as to who goes and who stays.
so i thank him as much as i can for giving me my daughter and i just try to love her and stop worring about the bad things.
and when the "what if" monster pops up i just fire back with "who cares"
ohh and by the way i have been paxil free for about a month now....i guess i was strong enough after all!
goodluck to everyone.
i used to be terrible.
it started when my daughter was born....i kept thinking of all the bad things out there that could hurt her.....kidnappers, viruses, bacterias, chemicals, lead.
this all controlled me.
i started to see a psycologist and it helped some....but not really.
i started taking paxil at 25mgs....it really helped alot.
but i just couldnt stand the thought of having to take a pill everyday just to function...i quit taking them.
i lost it, i had to go back on them .
yet still i knew someday somehow i would stop taking them and be okay.
shortly after all this i started going to church, i was saved. and every time i would have a scary thought i would just pray...."God please help me through this" and he would....
i still have scary thoughts all the time everyday but i just say that prayer and God helps me.
That has been the best therapy for me, just realizing that i have no power over life and death, that is is God's decisions as to who goes and who stays.
so i thank him as much as i can for giving me my daughter and i just try to love her and stop worring about the bad things.
and when the "what if" monster pops up i just fire back with "who cares"
ohh and by the way i have been paxil free for about a month now....i guess i was strong enough after all!
goodluck to everyone.
cotterpin
08-24-2004, 08:44 PM
It's funny, because I recently found myself asking myself this question: did I beat it? And then, maddeningly enough, THAT became a big obsession. The mental dialogue went something like: "oh, i feel tons better and can control my obsessions." "wait, what if this is just a good blip but things get bad again?" "what if it was never OCD to begin with? what if I was misdiagnosed? what if i'm really legitimately insane?"
But, aside from that, I feel like I can safely say I have survived the absolute worst that OCD can get, and now I know that if I do relapse, I will at least have a context for how to get better-- unlike this first time around, when it took tons of independent research and heartache and madness because I absolutely couldn't find anyone whose story matched my own (I'm a textbook pure O, but that's not something you ever hear about in pop psychology and common conversation).
Interestingly enough, when I look back at the past year, I realize that it was when I got OFF meds that I really started to improve. However, I believe the meds (risperdal and lexapro) were necessary for my recovery because I was not mentally stable enough in the first months to process what was going on, research, or have any kind of perspective on my situation. I was simply hysterical all the time (like many pure-O's, my OCD came on literally overnight in a HUGE way), and the medication helped me for those 6 months because really the best thing I could do was just be drugged, work as much as I could, and very very slowly gain the confidence that I was not losing my mind. Then, when I had enough of that confidence to get off the meds, I found that the clarity and the feeling more "honest" (rather than just in a mental haze) that came with being med-free allowed me to examine my situation in a very personal way.
Since about April, I feel almost entirely like my old self again, with a very occasional OCD-related panic attack. But when those attacks come, I know now that it really is best to just move on from it as quickly as possible-- whereas, in the beginning, I perceived panic attacks as some kind of "more honest" version of my brain-- that the panic attack was my brain telling me "this is really important and you have to figure it out right now!!!" So I would literally almost purposely prolong the panic attack because I believed it was some kind of window to the truth. Now, I know it is just a mental "flare-up" much like a person gets a rash from exposure to poison ivy. I get a mental flare-up when I'm exposed to the specific things that stress my OCD. And indulging in the panic attack as something to figure out right this minute, thus prolonging it, is much like scratching your poison ivy. It makes it both more uncomfortable and longer-lasting.
Boy, it feels good to write this! Back in the winter I dreamed of this day, no kidding...
But, aside from that, I feel like I can safely say I have survived the absolute worst that OCD can get, and now I know that if I do relapse, I will at least have a context for how to get better-- unlike this first time around, when it took tons of independent research and heartache and madness because I absolutely couldn't find anyone whose story matched my own (I'm a textbook pure O, but that's not something you ever hear about in pop psychology and common conversation).
Interestingly enough, when I look back at the past year, I realize that it was when I got OFF meds that I really started to improve. However, I believe the meds (risperdal and lexapro) were necessary for my recovery because I was not mentally stable enough in the first months to process what was going on, research, or have any kind of perspective on my situation. I was simply hysterical all the time (like many pure-O's, my OCD came on literally overnight in a HUGE way), and the medication helped me for those 6 months because really the best thing I could do was just be drugged, work as much as I could, and very very slowly gain the confidence that I was not losing my mind. Then, when I had enough of that confidence to get off the meds, I found that the clarity and the feeling more "honest" (rather than just in a mental haze) that came with being med-free allowed me to examine my situation in a very personal way.
Since about April, I feel almost entirely like my old self again, with a very occasional OCD-related panic attack. But when those attacks come, I know now that it really is best to just move on from it as quickly as possible-- whereas, in the beginning, I perceived panic attacks as some kind of "more honest" version of my brain-- that the panic attack was my brain telling me "this is really important and you have to figure it out right now!!!" So I would literally almost purposely prolong the panic attack because I believed it was some kind of window to the truth. Now, I know it is just a mental "flare-up" much like a person gets a rash from exposure to poison ivy. I get a mental flare-up when I'm exposed to the specific things that stress my OCD. And indulging in the panic attack as something to figure out right this minute, thus prolonging it, is much like scratching your poison ivy. It makes it both more uncomfortable and longer-lasting.
Boy, it feels good to write this! Back in the winter I dreamed of this day, no kidding...
ontheway
08-25-2004, 08:18 PM
thanks everyone to all who replied
no need to fight about it,I understand y'all have different opinons because OCD effetcs us differently sometimes Everyone is different with OCD some can have severe OCD others can have mild.. OCD effects everyone differently and how we respond to it, is different for some therapy and a positive outlook helps them thru but for people such as me with a bad case of OCD dealing with it all my life from sense i was a little kid now im 23 it only got worst over the years being put on medication has helped me have little more sanity i can sure tell the difference from when im not on the medicine.. but I also understand that a pill is not going to take away all these negative thouhgts so i should have a positive out look and do therapy i think for most its best with medicine and therapy but if your able to get OCD under control without medication thats a true blessing..
I think it takes determination, positive outlook on things, therapy,work,medicine ( for some )
My worst problems are the religious thoughts, and thoughts of other people
I'ts hard to read Jesus word and not have OCD make it effect me in a negative because that is not what the word is for.. Jesus is savior and most people can turn to Christ for help and feel his love and help...but my problems focus around good and evil and very disturbing and hard to let the thoughts go..its very hard to feel God when i feel negative about it because of the religious OCD thoughts..but I know God is with me..I can't even hear anything that deals with evil because it sets me off with bad intrusive thoughts i get so scared some scriptures of God are really good that i read it I talked with my boyfriend and I've decide if im going to get better i need to work on it because its clear its not just going to go away on its on.. so im going to try n be positive, rational, Jesus is my help so is my boyfriend and mom.. I think i can do this if i honestly try but i know its going to be painful
For so long I have been doing these mental rituals and its sorta like habits its hard to break please pray for me you guys, I really need it.. because this war inside me is hard to end, but I want to come out witht he victory and not on the other end of it..OCD is killing me slowly inside and I dont want to die, I want to live, I want to experience the meaning of happiness within please pray that Jesus wilkl give me the strength the beat this i know it can be done i just have to have a lot of determination and I do
It's taken away from my life for many,many years..and my image with the medication such has weight gain and other problems..but I dont want to feel this pain in me anymore I'd like to feel thr Joy of life and I know that does not come easy to us with OCD but i know i can work for it and i'll reach it if I dont give up, I expect setbacks, weak moments, I'll probably be posting when I feel bad..but I'm going to give this a shot many shots Thanks everyone (( hugs )) and May God Bless You All
Love ur friend
ontheway :angel: :cool:
no need to fight about it,I understand y'all have different opinons because OCD effetcs us differently sometimes Everyone is different with OCD some can have severe OCD others can have mild.. OCD effects everyone differently and how we respond to it, is different for some therapy and a positive outlook helps them thru but for people such as me with a bad case of OCD dealing with it all my life from sense i was a little kid now im 23 it only got worst over the years being put on medication has helped me have little more sanity i can sure tell the difference from when im not on the medicine.. but I also understand that a pill is not going to take away all these negative thouhgts so i should have a positive out look and do therapy i think for most its best with medicine and therapy but if your able to get OCD under control without medication thats a true blessing..
I think it takes determination, positive outlook on things, therapy,work,medicine ( for some )
My worst problems are the religious thoughts, and thoughts of other people
I'ts hard to read Jesus word and not have OCD make it effect me in a negative because that is not what the word is for.. Jesus is savior and most people can turn to Christ for help and feel his love and help...but my problems focus around good and evil and very disturbing and hard to let the thoughts go..its very hard to feel God when i feel negative about it because of the religious OCD thoughts..but I know God is with me..I can't even hear anything that deals with evil because it sets me off with bad intrusive thoughts i get so scared some scriptures of God are really good that i read it I talked with my boyfriend and I've decide if im going to get better i need to work on it because its clear its not just going to go away on its on.. so im going to try n be positive, rational, Jesus is my help so is my boyfriend and mom.. I think i can do this if i honestly try but i know its going to be painful
For so long I have been doing these mental rituals and its sorta like habits its hard to break please pray for me you guys, I really need it.. because this war inside me is hard to end, but I want to come out witht he victory and not on the other end of it..OCD is killing me slowly inside and I dont want to die, I want to live, I want to experience the meaning of happiness within please pray that Jesus wilkl give me the strength the beat this i know it can be done i just have to have a lot of determination and I do
It's taken away from my life for many,many years..and my image with the medication such has weight gain and other problems..but I dont want to feel this pain in me anymore I'd like to feel thr Joy of life and I know that does not come easy to us with OCD but i know i can work for it and i'll reach it if I dont give up, I expect setbacks, weak moments, I'll probably be posting when I feel bad..but I'm going to give this a shot many shots Thanks everyone (( hugs )) and May God Bless You All
Love ur friend
ontheway :angel: :cool: