Hello everyone! I am just curious and will ask my doctor this question, as well. Does ocd get worse with age? I've had it since childhood and now I'm 55 years old and have been going through a difficult last two years.
To be honest though I'm an empty nester and fully retired, so my lifestyle has really changed. Me not working and taking care of kids has really slowed me down and I am more idle. But, I still wonder if age can cause this illness to get worse?
Thank you!
I don't know if it gets worse but I think it's harder to get a handle on. I've had since childhood and didn't even realize it until I got older. I find myself doing things that I never considered being OCD behavior. I'm okay with it now because it's just a part of me.
I'm 59 and have had OCD since early childhood. I don't think mine has worsened with age. I do think I have less strength or fight in me to get a grip on it sometimes. It's so ingrained in me.
Im 61 ,,had ocd in various guises over those yrs sometime its a trundling train and other times a walk in the clover, it can be put in its box and shut up[ but then it can hard to catch it in time that's how slippy and unpredictable this thing is ,,but I belive ya get to know it a wee bit better as we get older "when we are not in the throws of a flare up that is "stay true to the kind person under all this shit as I said it don't happen to assholes
Hi. I´m so sorry you have had this battle for so long time. I´m 49, and have had severe OCD for 20 years. I don´t know how it works according to aging - but when I read your lines I think that it´s so important to make a schedule for the days. I haven´t worked for three years, married, but no children - and to me it´s so helpful to make a plan for everyday, including som ERP work on my own, some joy, some exercise, some household work. Without the plan I tend to stay in bed for too long, procrastinate with everything and my OCD gets worse. Just some thoughts from me.
thank you so much for your response
i suppose it is different with everyone; i am 72 & was diagnosed in my 40s; these last couple of years have definitely been worse; i think i am pre-occupied with aging in general, so my health anxiety has really gone over the top; there is a lot of stress in my life and that always intensifies the ocd;
quality of life gets compromised - i wish there was a magic pill!
i try to think of others, try distractions, exercise & deep breathe
As far as I understand, it's impossible to tell, it can get worse, or better, it can change obsessions and conclusions, but having nothing to do will make it more likely that it will find it's way in. Are there online groups or people you can talk to. If you have any hobbies or interests do them find things that you enjoy to fill your time, keep busy that helps.
Thank you for your feedback. Yes I think its best to stay busy. I usually will cycle outdoors 20 miles 4 to 5 times a week. I'm going to start watching my granddaughter on Tues too. I don't have too many friends that live nearby to do things with.
Sounds good, I have heard exercise is a really good thing to mange it, and it is good overall too.
Hi MrsMapdog! This is just MY opinion. I don't believe it gets worse. I believe that what you do with learning skills through your life on dealing with it is the answer to making it better (and the right meds). I went through a very difficult couple of years 2017 and 2018, but then I got on the right meds and am back on track. I've had OCD since childhood and am now 67 and feeling great.
Hi I am also 67 and have had ocd since childhood. It was a lot better when I was first diagnosed at 36. But then it morphed. Medicine has saved my life. I feel it waxes and wanes depending on life stressors. also last year I was on a small dose of paxil and felt better than ever. Then i developed an alergy to it, and I'm very disapointed. so Im back on prozac.
Unfortunately, meds have not worked for me. I was on luvox for a long time and now looking back it didn't help me. I'm on Anafranil right now and I really don't see a difference either so I'm going to tell my Dr i need to know how to wean off. If it's not going to help I want to get off because it gives me an appetite and all I do is eat. I'm trying to lose weight not gain.
Thanks for your feedback!
Trintellix doesn't seem to increase my appetite. I haven't gained weight on it. Prozac either.
I haven't seen a difference being on luvox for close to 20 years and now Anafranil 100 mg. Luvox I believe caused bladder problems and anafranil I see no help but an increased appetite!
I took Prozac for many many years and then it stopped working!!! I had to go on something else so now I'm on Trintellix. It works great but it is very expensive.
thanks for the feedback.
I always stay on low doses to avoid wheight gain, i added 50mg. anafranil to 40 mg. prozac and lost wheight. But i did nt feel any better by adding anafranil
Yea, the dr raised me from 50 mg of Anafranil to 100 mg. That has made me eat too much. I haven't even see a difference
I've had OCD since I was about 6, which was terrorizing... especially since no one in my family knew I had it including myself - and I kept it hidden once I discovered at age 19 what it was. I've gone through many different types of therapy, and YES, it CAN get better with age - with treatment. Not just cognitive therapy, but body based therapies also helped (those of us with OCD tend to be in our heads and not in our bodies, and the more I learned to be "in my body" the more grounded I felt and the more present I became). Also, microdosing has seemed to help shut off that "default mode network" - which after decades and decades of rumination I no longer do! It's truly amazing. I'm 52 btw. I'm not 100% cured (as I'm not sure anyone ever is - with or without OCD people have their issues), and I'm recently noticing I've probably suffered from ROCD for decades without even knowing that was a thing! Good luck MrsMapDog, and don't dispair - it can GET better with AGE and Wisdom!
great answer ,,,holistic ,,is the way to go ,,glad for you mate
Thank you so much for your feedback!
AlmostFreeofOCD May I ask what is body based therapy and microdosing?
There was a great online video discussion today on this topic, it was OCD in Older Adults from Peace of Mind Foundation on Facebook
Body based therapies are "somatic" therapies. There are many ways to get back into our bodies. Through dance (my favorite as my I can lose myself in the music and let my body move in free dance like 5 Rhythms Dance); thru yoga (which never really worked for me as my OCD would take me away to my head as it was too quiet); thru Somatic Therapy (which can be more difficult because it's hard to find a good therapist; thru Cranial Sacral therapy; and any therapies that help you "sense" into your body. I've noticed that when I meditate and "drop" into sensing my body, the thoughts in my mind vanish. And the more I am in my body, and focusing on my breath, the less I pay attention to my "OCD thoughts".
I hope that helps!
"Microdosing" is taking "subperceptual" amount of a psychadelic. You can learn more at thethirdwave.co. Microdosing is in the early stages of being studies for many issues, including depression, anxiety, addiction and OCD. It helped me tremendously when I followed a protocol last year. I may start up again this year. It's legal to do in Oakland, and Santa Cruz, California. Hope that helps!
Thank you for responding. I appreciate your time.
I hope microdosing helps. I know the megadosing I did in my youth definitely didn't!😏
I don't understand these kids and their microdosing. They didn't live through the seventies, and they don't want to learn from us old folk
I'm new to this group, but have had OCD most of my life. I am 55 now and have it now considered to be a Personality Disorder - due to its life-long persistence. I Do take multiple psych meds and therapy, and also work with adolescents (at risk kids) for a career. I teach them SEL Social Emotional Learning as part of their daily lessons. I find talking about it and self disclosure helps me feel better. Though at times I feel "perhaps I've said too much..." My point is talking about it and working to actually USE coping strategies has helped me much.
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