OCD and anxiety symptoms.

[thegoat123]

Hi guys. basically for the past few years i've been dealing with anxiety. i became agoraphobic after a panic attack, and all this time i thought i was dealing with normal anxiety. Well it turns out ive been dealing with OCD. the OCD was causing the panic for me. i was also experiencing things like derealization, depersonalization. aswell as somatic OCD, where ive been manually breathing for months. i really need some help. anyone got tips?

[Beevee]

Hi. Read Essential Help for your Nerves by Dr Claire Weekes and practice the 4 principles she describes until it becomes second nature by way of being genuinely ok about not feeling ok.

OCD, anxiety and agoraphobia are all the same thing and underpinned by fear or fearing the feelings of fear.

OCD is a way to try to control your anxiety, to stop the feelings you fear i.e. panic. Agoraphobia is not a fear of open spaces. It is a fear of the feelings that might arise if you go outside i.e. panic. Anxiety is exactly the same. Fearing or having an intense dislike to the symptoms.

The book I mentioned explains all of this and was a major help in my recovery.

Once you lose your fear, recovery is just a matter of time.

[TheBreeze]

hey thegoat123, thank you for sharing. I have been agoraphobic as well. As long as I am busy and have a routine, I can be okay. I also don’t drive alone at the moment, which is a giant problem. I have realized that the agoraphobia/ panic/ ocd are bff’s and if one is under control, they typically follow suit. Is there anything you are OCD about, or is it just mainly with breathing?

[thegoat123 in reply to TheBreeze]

Yeah its mainly breathing and just a lot of negative and scary thoughts around my fears, like losing my sanity or derealization.

[TheBreeze in reply to thegoat123]

I get that. It’s hard not to live in your head all the time.

[Kkimm]

Hi I had alot of problems with my breathing and felt constantly out of breath for two years after being diagnosed with General Anxiety. The only way it went was when I was able to genuinely not worry about it so that I no longer focused on and worried about my breathing. That is so much easier said than done however.

I notice someone recommended the Claire Weekes book. I agree that is really helpful in getting you in the right frame if mind not to focus on your symptoms and thus make them worse.

I seem to remember she says: Let time pass. That is all you can do, try to relax, distract yourself from focusing on your problems etc. Some form of talking therapy such as CBT Cain also be helpful if available.

I'm sure you will improve with time as I have done. I'm now 7 years post diagnosis and feel really great. Better than I ever did before I became ill. I've remained on my full dose of antidepressants by the way and don't plan to ever stop if I don't need to.

Very best wishes

Kim

[thegoat123 in reply to Kkimm]

Yes! thats great. I just started buspar 2-3 days ago. Not sure how it'll go but we'll see.

[Kkimm]

HiJust to say incase you are not aware that antidepressants can make you feel a bit worse before you feel better but it is really important to keep on taking them. I found it took around 3 months and two raises in dosage before I started to feel myself again. Then I had about a year of ups and downs then another year or so before my breathing felt back to normal and I started to feel really good. You will improve soon I am sure.

I also tried to do alot of positive thinking and set myself little goals to do such as go out to a park and take photos of flowers there etc as I love photography. I would also celebrate that I had tried difficult things even if I didn't enjoy them at first by perhaps having a coffee and cake or watching a film I wanted to see at home etc.

Very good luck, I'm sure you are well on the road to recovery.

All the best

Kim

[thegoat123 in reply to Kkimm]

i would actually rather die than wait 3 months for anti depressants to work

[Agora1 in reply to thegoat123]

Hi thegoat123, don't go anywhere, stay in the moment please.

Buspar seems to be the drug many doctors are recommending to their

patients today. Within 4-6 weeks you should start feeling a difference.

A little longer if the dosage is raised. Trust in your doctor. Relay to him/her

any concerns you may have, but never never give up.

Don't fight the medication. Believe in that it is working for you.

I can tell you that once you reach full efficacy, life can and will be amazing.

You will be grateful that you didn't give up. My best to you xx

[thegoat123 in reply to Agora1]

Thank you. unfortunately i had to stop it. as my genetics interfere with a lot of medications. i got a genetic test back and i cant take it. unfortunately.

[Agora1 in reply to thegoat123]

I'm sorry thegoat123 that this medication wasn't the one for you.

Medication is but a trial and error process, what works for one doesn't

for another. Never give up, there are plenty roads you can take that

may not even be medication but a therapy or method of sorts.

I personally went down different roads before I came to the conclusion

of what worked and didn't work for me.

I now live a life of accomplishment knowing that I did win this game that

Anxiety had played with my mind.

Trying is winning. Giving up is staying stuck in a never ending cycle.

We're here for you in helping you go forward. xx