Has anyone ever taken lithium & haloperidol to treat ANXIETY/OCD. Dr recommended for severe anxiety/OCD..concerned about the side effects!

[Friend8394]

I suffer from severe anxiety coupled with severe germ OCD.. my brain never gives me a break! 😡 all day I worry and I’m in fear of everything that touched me or everything that I may have touched! Unfortunately I feel absolutely hopeless because I have tried most of the SSRIs and none of them have helped me.. about a month and a half ago I went to a new psychiatrist in my area that has a reputation of being on the cutting edge of mental illness but he has absolutely no bedside manner’s.. he is recommending that I take Lithium and haloperidol.. I’m very concerned about this combo of drugs because when I read about lithium it’s uses are for bipolar disorder and I don’t have bipolar disorder.. he does not want me to continue any SSRIs just the lithium & haloperidol.. has anyone ever tried either of these two drugs to help there OCD and has it helped? My everyday life is in turmoil, I’m completely overtaken by OCD and I don’t want this to continue! Has anyone ever taken lithium and did it help the anxiety & ocd?

[Selesnya]

Are you in therapy with an OCD specialist as well? Finding someone to properly do ERP can be life-changing. I got some benefit from medication for OCD, but my biggest gains have been made in therapy. I wouldn't worry about the specifics of the drugs so much as about what you are doing overall for treatment.

[Hidden]

I take Lithium but not for OCD.

It is given as an adjunct with other medications for OCD.

Lithium has not helped with the OCD or anxiety.

I still go through lots of anxiety with severe OCD.

I had the side effect of gaining weight by taking Lithium.

But everybody is different, and some people might not experience the similar side effect.

I am sorry that you are going through a difficult time with OCD.

OCD never quits.

I struggle through obsessional and checking OCD.

I am constantly in the fear of what OCD will fixate on next, and create urges to do compulsions, and start putting doubts in my head.

OCD fixates on different things for everybody.

Try to just sit with anxiety, that comes with the thoughts.

The anxiety will be high in the beginning, but it will slowly lessen.

Try not to rationalize with OCD.

OCD is an irrational disorder, of which we do not have any control.

I hope this helps.

Hoping you fee better soon.

Take Care.