Intro and About me. Looking for Help!

[JediAlchemy]

I'm new to this forum and have not posted an introduction yet but I was having a Panic attack about a half an hour ago. now I'm at work and have a bit of time to post. I've struggled with OCD and Anxiety for 15 years now and I feel like I'm starting to see the light finally. For years when it first started I fought with the idea of getting help saying, "it wasent going to work" or "I had too severe OCD or anxiety to meditate or use relaxation exercises" with a therapists help and through my own rationalization I'm learning that these thoughts are a byproduct of my Obsessions themselves and irrational so I should not try to arguing with it or try to make sense of it. This is of course a coping technique I learned. So anyways, my OCD is the rumination and checking/counting types mixed into one. I also have alot of physical sensations that are with me most of the day like losing my balance all the time and lightheadedness, headaches, eye strain, excessive blinking tic, feeling like I'm choking, feeling my heartbeat in my chest and getting scared. Overthinking. I fear for my health and wellbeing because I've had this chronic stress eating away at me for over a decade! I also have this thing with touching where I feel like I'm not putting things down right or touching things the right way and I get alot of anxiety when this is happening. I'm seeing a therapist and started taking meds about 2 and a half weeks ago again in addition to going to NA meetings for my alcohol abuse. I'm also really excited to be on this website and Support group. I'm trying to find a many of these as I can as well as group therapy. Anyways, writing this at work has been stressful 😓. Does anyone have any tips or coping strategies to deal with the touching and ordering OCD and any ways to mitigate the anxiety while it is happening? Also, how to stop these physical sensations I'm getting? I really need help and I really would appreciate any advice. That's all I got thank you! 👌

[JediAlchemy]

And thanks for reading that much. it's long haha

[LuvSun]

Welcome

[HannahMae]

Hi there,

I can totally relate to you and when you said about physical sensations I know EXACTLY what your talking about. I hate feeling anything in my body and am so scared even to the point of just my stomach hurting for a few minutes. The anxiety kicks in and then the thoughts start spiraling even deeper into more possibilities and I get so freaked out it's like I just want to throw my hands up and say "I quit." To have suffered with his horrible illness for 15 YEARS is insane, and I am truly feeling for you. That's so good to hear you are seeing a therapist right now and trying out a medication. I personally haven't had much success with medication but honestly you may just find that you get some support from it! Give yourself a pat on the back for still fighting this thing and don't lose hope. I wanted to ask you, how do you find that you are able to work even with OCD? I'm sure it must be challenging, I stopped working about a year ago because it got so bad.