To all who have had a breakthrough - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Message Board

lbreeze · 12-23-2007, 12:37 AM

I'm sure there are those here who have seen great improvement in their condition. I know it doesn't happen over night but was there a moment that it sorta clicked and you were no longer fearful or anxious? Was there a moment where you began to see the world differently?

purplegirl1 · 12-23-2007, 12:41 AM

Yes. For me it was after many years of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Meds.. (which still continues) and when my husband got a wonderful job, my job was wonderful, we were going to get pregnant bc everythign was going well and boom...out of no where, my job was going to close, I may not have had a job, had to reinterview for the company taking over, etc.....I finally realized that no matter how much or how hard I worried about money (big obsession for me)...some things are just unforseen and out of my control. I realized that unless I lived in a bubble, I have no way to control everything!!!!!

lbreeze · 12-24-2007, 03:30 PM

Thanks for replying purplegirl. That's interesting. I feel sometimes I'm on the verge of a breakthrough but it's usually short lived. One day, I'll see things with clarity and feel as if my thoughts will never affect me so deeply again. Then the next day, some new, unforseen thought pops up and I break down. It's almost like the ocd sees me gain strength and in turn, reinforces itself and plans another attack!

dksea · 12-27-2007, 04:54 PM

I don't know if i've had a clear "AHAH" moment, usually because the return to normal is kinda gradual for me. Its not til i look back on the last week or month that I really notice the change.

nikki16 · 12-28-2007, 03:40 PM

dksea, that's how it goes for me too..gradual. I guess the defining moment for me was when I realized I wasn't going to wake up one day and it would all be over and I'd be back to "old self" again. Once I accepted the fact that recovery is a process and every good moment is a milestone, I was on my way. I would say I'm about 80% back to how I was pre-OCD. Nights are still sometimes hard for me because that's when I was getting the panic attacks and I also have a habit of ruminating before I fall asleep, so I kinda go into a fog in the evenings (depersonalization).