Re: Cognitive therapy and medication - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Message Board

dannic1 · 08-21-2007, 08:25 PM

Hi all,

Well, I'm glad to report that I've been feeling a lot better lately. I truly feel a great majority of my problem is anxiety and just not being able to manage it/relax fully. Seems like when I can truly relax both my mind and body, the swallowing obsession goes away. I've been able to sort of push it away like I did before and just tell myself not to worry about it anymore. I also believe in the healing power of prayers. : ) Anyway, with that said, I had to cancel therapy for tomorrow due to heavy work demands, but how long should someone give cognitive behavior therapy to work? I have been told six months. For those of you who have gone through any type of ERP or cognitive therapy for OCD, how long before you started really feeling/seeing some results from it? Also, for those of you on medication, was it worth going on the medication? Did it greatly improve your world? In what way did it help you i.e. stopped the obssesions or helped you to put them in the back of your mind more, etc.? Just curious. I'm feeling a lot better right now - I think between my strong faith in God to deliver me from all of this and from being so busy at work (finally!) with detailed tasks, I am starting to focus attention off of my physical body or how anxious I may or may not be feeling. My therapist isn't diagnosing me necessarily with OCD - just thinks I'm suffering from anxiety and says that the "label" itself doesn't really matter. I guess she wants to get to the "root" of the problem.

Anyway, would love others to share their experiences with me as far as therapy done and medications taken. It's nice to get other perspectives on things. Also, do you think OCD people definitely do lack serotonin and when given an SSRI, that it immediately will help them to function better?

danni

seriousperson · 08-21-2007, 10:42 PM

I went through a number of SSRIs before finding one that helped. I take it in combination with an anti-anxiety drug. I don't know that I'd describe it as putting the obsession in the "background." It's more like turning down the intensity so I can pull myself out of it more quickly.

dannic1 · 08-23-2007, 07:59 PM

Seriousperson -

Thanks for the post. Do you regret going on the medication or do you feel like it helped you to function a whole lot better? I've read where OCD people might have a shortage of serotonin in our brains, so I'm wondering if uping the serotonin would help get rid of the obsessive type thinking? I get frustrated, too, because I've become a little bit paranoid that people are noticing my anxiety. I NEVER used to be this way, prior to this episode of OCD/anxiety or whatever it is. Is it normal to have somewhat paranoid feelings with bouts of OCD? I mean, I'm "normal" acting, but I'm just so worried about what others think of me and I never used to care as much or at least care on what I would call a more "normal" level. That's why I'm wondering if there is a chemical imbalance in the brain that goes hand in hand with anxiety or OCD, which I know is an anxiety disorder.

danni