tnman
12-15-2007, 01:30 PM
hey there everyone. I thought I would start a new thread and it is in regards to things like Sweet N Low, Splenda, etc... I had an outbreak of OCD back in 1999, 2000.. If I remember correctly I had been drinking some stuff that had artificial sweeteners in them.. I do remember it..... and I attributed to partly causing my OCD...Does anyone have any ideas if this is a trigger of OCD???? I just know that my OCD went away permanently and stayed gone for 8 years... This past September, October is when I started to drink a lot of tea.. I also drank tea on Thanksgiving, again 3 weeks ago and that night 3 weeks ago.. I had a meltdown...after consuming tea that was terrible but I added about 3-4 packs of sweet n low.. Does anyone know if this is a possible trigger?? I am feeling much better now that I talked to the supervisor at the clinic in regards to If he or anyone was wrried about my HIV test results.. he told me NO...Anyway.. I guess I am just now trying to figure out what set this crap off this time.......... I know it had to be something I done.. to set off OCD once again after 8 years of being dormant.. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
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BadMalibu
12-15-2007, 08:01 PM
Tn-
For me personally I don't think that artificial sweeteners can trigger OCD because I subscribe to the theory that stress, depression, and anxiety all trigger OCD and that OCD is primarily Psychological and not neurological. Anytime I go to my therapist and I'm having a tough time he will pinpoint an exact moment and situation in my life that will trigger my OCD. At first I wanted him to just look at my symptoms and tell me how to get rid of them, but after a couple of months I finally realized that he wanted me to understand the reasons for the OCD, and once I understood why I felt the way I did, the weight was lifted.
It would be nice to say that OCD is 100% neurological, but if that was the case, medications would take away all our symptoms and we'd all be cured. I will say I do believe that OCD is a combination of neurological and Psychological issues, but for most it's not 50/50. Maybe for some the neurological side is 20 and the Psychological side is 80. I think it just depends on the individual.
You're probably still saying to yourself, well that's al fine and good, but I was totally fine until I had something with artificial sweetner in it. Well, there are times where I have no OCD issues at all and then they'll just pop up. It could be when I'm walking down the street, or it could be when I'm typing, but to say that walking or typing causes OCD is a long shot.:D
For me personally I don't think that artificial sweeteners can trigger OCD because I subscribe to the theory that stress, depression, and anxiety all trigger OCD and that OCD is primarily Psychological and not neurological. Anytime I go to my therapist and I'm having a tough time he will pinpoint an exact moment and situation in my life that will trigger my OCD. At first I wanted him to just look at my symptoms and tell me how to get rid of them, but after a couple of months I finally realized that he wanted me to understand the reasons for the OCD, and once I understood why I felt the way I did, the weight was lifted.
It would be nice to say that OCD is 100% neurological, but if that was the case, medications would take away all our symptoms and we'd all be cured. I will say I do believe that OCD is a combination of neurological and Psychological issues, but for most it's not 50/50. Maybe for some the neurological side is 20 and the Psychological side is 80. I think it just depends on the individual.
You're probably still saying to yourself, well that's al fine and good, but I was totally fine until I had something with artificial sweetner in it. Well, there are times where I have no OCD issues at all and then they'll just pop up. It could be when I'm walking down the street, or it could be when I'm typing, but to say that walking or typing causes OCD is a long shot.:D
dksea
12-16-2007, 06:32 AM
Caffeine can make you more anxious and possibly lead to higher susceptibility to OCD but I've never heard of artificial sweeteners contributing to OCD. I have OCD and I don't use artificial sweeteners, i can't stand them.
tnman
12-16-2007, 01:00 PM
well, something had to set it off... I am saying I have had not had one OCD occurrance since 1999. I am still suspecting some sort of artificial sweetener, additive or something. My brain is now better than it was.. but now I am having brain fog.... It is like things are changing within my brain.. I Have read everywhere on the internet about these artificial sweeteners and there is case after case of then causing mental problems in people.. My main problem at this time is... that the part of my brain that is responsible for reasoning is the part that is screwed up.. I am sure you people have read my post below...and know what my problems are.. Anyway, I can sit and talk to my mother about this and it all makes perfect sense and she puts it all in to perspective for me... It makes perfect sense at the time.. but then my brain soon forgets it and I worry again.. If anyone has any more ideas, I would greatly appreciate it... I guess what my main worry is now... is "what did the people at the clinic think about me?" "Did they think I had it or something?" "What did the clinic tech think?" and then another part of me says... hmmm.. what does it really matter? It was the test results that were important... and they were all negative...that is all that matters... and then if I really look at this logically... The very first test result that week was just fine... NEGATIVE.. , so I really brought all of this on to myself by going back and testing over and over.. No one at that clinic ever told me to come back again... ad they have repeatedly told me I was NEGATIVE.. and I also called the clinic supervisor back on Friday and just bluntly asked him.. "were you all ever concerned about my test results?" He replied NO NO NO NO NO.... So, here I am. still stuck.... why is it that I always worry about what other people think? Does it matter? Anyway, any of your insight would be so helpful for me.. Thanks!
LaFin
12-16-2007, 05:11 PM
Are you allergic to artificial sweeteners? Sometimes when I have allergic reactions I get intrusive thoughts related to them, although I don't think it's the reaction or the sweetener itself that causes the intrusive thoughts.
BadMalibu
12-16-2007, 07:31 PM
Tn-
I highly doubt that artificial sweetners cause OCD because if that was the case, most Americans would be walking around with OCD considering they put it into all sorts of diet products. I do agree very much with Dk, becuase I notice that caffeine will sometimes set off my OCD considering it's a very powerful stimulant. I try to stay away from caffeine as much as I can, but they pretty much put that into darn near everything also.
You say that you were fine until you had something with an artificial sweetner in it, and that nothing else was going on, but clearly something had to happen to trigger your OCD. Maybe it's this whole thing with the HIV test that's stressing you out and causing you to obsess over it even more.
With OCD you have to dig deeper, so my question to you is, do you have contamination fears of HIV normally with your OCD, or did you have sexual contact with someone unprotected? If you did have sexual contact with someone unprotected, I can pretty much say that's most likely why your OCD is going crazy.:D
I highly doubt that artificial sweetners cause OCD because if that was the case, most Americans would be walking around with OCD considering they put it into all sorts of diet products. I do agree very much with Dk, becuase I notice that caffeine will sometimes set off my OCD considering it's a very powerful stimulant. I try to stay away from caffeine as much as I can, but they pretty much put that into darn near everything also.
You say that you were fine until you had something with an artificial sweetner in it, and that nothing else was going on, but clearly something had to happen to trigger your OCD. Maybe it's this whole thing with the HIV test that's stressing you out and causing you to obsess over it even more.
With OCD you have to dig deeper, so my question to you is, do you have contamination fears of HIV normally with your OCD, or did you have sexual contact with someone unprotected? If you did have sexual contact with someone unprotected, I can pretty much say that's most likely why your OCD is going crazy.:D
tnman
12-16-2007, 08:43 PM
yes, I did have unprotected sex and the last time was aroundthe first of January..I am happy with my negative test results and I do believe them... I guess what is bothering me the most, is the very thing of..... what did the lady clinic tech think? What was going on in her mind.. Did she think there was something wrong with the test? Was she having second thoughts about the test? I have always been a worrier of what people think about me... Anyway, that is the only thing bothering me.. is .. what was she thinking? I have no fears about actually having HIV.. If I had only not had an image of the test scanned, then none of this would have happened... everything would have been fine... I know I have done every bit of this to myself.. HOW DO I UNDO IT??? I know I do not have HIV...... It has been nearly a year since I had sex. the waiting period is only 3 months... I was tested at 3 months and was negative then... I just went back at 11 months to put finality to it..I am just worried about what the clinic people thought....
The only reason I wetn back to test this time in November was because the same lady tech did my last test in March.. on that day she didn't allow the alcohol to dry on finger before she did the blood draw and some of the alcohol mixed with my blood sample.. I didn't give it much thought that day because I was just happy with the negative result... The fear of HIV or anything related to HIV never crossed my mind until I starting to think about the alcohol possibly affecting the test result.. Anyway, that was why I went back in November to test again... So, No. I have not really had any fears of HIV again.. I just know that I wanted to give it one more shot and test out as far as 11 months..I guess it is kind of a trust issue... I am just a very diligent person when it comes to medical procedures... THINGS SHOULD BE DONE WITH ACCURACY... and rules MUST BE FOLLOWED...
PLEASE HELP ME OUT... I know someone has the answer. Thanks a lot!
Oh and yes, I drank lots of caffeine back in the month of September and October..... so caffeine could have set me off as well... TONS OF TEA.... just about everyday...I also continued drinking tea thru most of the month of November... The last tea I drank was Dec 1.. it was terrible tea and I added about 4 packs of some kind of sweetener to it...Anyway, I just know this crap reared it's ugly head back in 1999.. That time the obssessions were about the fear of causing harm to loved ones, such as by knives and guns... I did see a psychiatrist, it helped some I guess... she wanted me to be on medication and I refused... after about 6 visits.. the obssessions just went away... one day and I discontinued therapy. I have been fine ever since.
The only reason I wetn back to test this time in November was because the same lady tech did my last test in March.. on that day she didn't allow the alcohol to dry on finger before she did the blood draw and some of the alcohol mixed with my blood sample.. I didn't give it much thought that day because I was just happy with the negative result... The fear of HIV or anything related to HIV never crossed my mind until I starting to think about the alcohol possibly affecting the test result.. Anyway, that was why I went back in November to test again... So, No. I have not really had any fears of HIV again.. I just know that I wanted to give it one more shot and test out as far as 11 months..I guess it is kind of a trust issue... I am just a very diligent person when it comes to medical procedures... THINGS SHOULD BE DONE WITH ACCURACY... and rules MUST BE FOLLOWED...
PLEASE HELP ME OUT... I know someone has the answer. Thanks a lot!
Oh and yes, I drank lots of caffeine back in the month of September and October..... so caffeine could have set me off as well... TONS OF TEA.... just about everyday...I also continued drinking tea thru most of the month of November... The last tea I drank was Dec 1.. it was terrible tea and I added about 4 packs of some kind of sweetener to it...Anyway, I just know this crap reared it's ugly head back in 1999.. That time the obssessions were about the fear of causing harm to loved ones, such as by knives and guns... I did see a psychiatrist, it helped some I guess... she wanted me to be on medication and I refused... after about 6 visits.. the obssessions just went away... one day and I discontinued therapy. I have been fine ever since.
BadMalibu
12-16-2007, 11:23 PM
I guess what is bothering me the most, is the very thing of..... what did the lady clinic tech think?...
Tn-
I don't think it really matters what she thinks because your test was negative, so regardless of what anyone thinks, it's still going to be negative.
If I had only not had an image of the test scanned, then none of this would have happened...
It doesn't matter how the test was done because your OCD most likely would have flared up regardless.
... I know someone has the answer.
I think the answer is you need to stop obsessing about the test becuase the more you obsess about it, the more you're going to continue to obsess abot it. People want to know why they have OCD, where it comes from, so forth and so on, but unfortunately for advanced as the field of medicine is, no one can really tell us where OCD comes from.
If you're not already in therapy, I would recommend seeing a good therapist in your area. You're probably thinking, why should I go see one since this is the first time it's popped up in awhile, but OCD comes and goes as anyone here will tell you. It's best to have therapy done so when the OCD does come, you know how to deal with it.:D
Tn-
I don't think it really matters what she thinks because your test was negative, so regardless of what anyone thinks, it's still going to be negative.
If I had only not had an image of the test scanned, then none of this would have happened...
It doesn't matter how the test was done because your OCD most likely would have flared up regardless.
... I know someone has the answer.
I think the answer is you need to stop obsessing about the test becuase the more you obsess about it, the more you're going to continue to obsess abot it. People want to know why they have OCD, where it comes from, so forth and so on, but unfortunately for advanced as the field of medicine is, no one can really tell us where OCD comes from.
If you're not already in therapy, I would recommend seeing a good therapist in your area. You're probably thinking, why should I go see one since this is the first time it's popped up in awhile, but OCD comes and goes as anyone here will tell you. It's best to have therapy done so when the OCD does come, you know how to deal with it.:D
dksea
12-17-2007, 02:43 AM
Well, if that was the cause and you don't have them now that you aren't using artificial sweeteners you are a lucky lucky person! Just keep in mind something us mathematicians have to remind people of all the time, correlation does not equal causation.