Hello all:
As a long-time sufferer (over 30 years) of OCD, I’d love to connect with others who have this dreadful condition. I have had many periods of “good” and many periods of “bad”. I’m currently in one of the “bad” periods, having lost 20 pounds in a month due to being so nervous and anxious for the past month. I have started back with counseling and medication again. I’d love to meet some friends who understand the struggle and also hopefully be helpful to others who suffer.
Welcome!
Thank you so much! I hope you have a great day!
Thank you!!
Hello there,
I believe I understand your struggle. I was diagnosed with OCD fairly recently in 2022. I believe I first started showing symptoms at the age of around 6, which means I’ve had it for 36 years now. Since my diagnosis it has been really quite bad. I’ve been on meds but am currently off them and trying further therapy. I’m happy to chat and swap thoughts if you’d like to.
Hi Hedge. I replied but not sure if it went thru. I’m sorry you are in a bad period with OCD. hoping for your comfort soon. I’d be happy to chat or lend an ear if you just need to vent. Praying for a speedy recovery to better health ahead and more good times.
hello,
Welcome to the page. I’m sorry to he’s you are going through one of the tougher moments. I am in the same position as you. I was diagnosed at the age of 18, but can recall having it way longer in my childhood and earlier teen years. Since then, I’ve gone though lots of therapy and experience periods of calm and peace and also periods of struggle. I am also currently going through a rougher period where ocd is being loud after a longer period of it being quiet. It’s tough, and there’s hard work to put in, but as we know, if we put in the hard work and stay consistent, we can get to another period where ocd will quiet down and be less bothering. I pray you can reach that period of calm and relaxation soon!
Hi first. Thanks so much for your kind reply. Feel free to reach out anytime. I’m happy to support as I can or just be here to listen. We are all in this together and hopefully we will all recover to live the best life we can without OCD ruling our lives.
Hello all,
In my life, intrusive thoughts, has started very early, when I was in the elementary school. I could have 8 yo. I'm not sure which situation was the first one when I felt my disease. Unfortunately, I have the same OCD bad time right now. Try to focus on other important things than THIS. I always avoid writing on any forums about my OCD. Anyway, awareness there are other people with such problem makes me feel there are people who can fell what I feel. I was diagnosed when I was 24. Ragtime since first sympthoms. Now I am 43. Have betters and worse moments.
Hi Skywalker. I hope you can find relief. I absolutely can feel your struggle. Please feel free to reach out if you’d like. Together we can share each others burdens and hopefully lighten the load for all of us collectively
I am in a similar place. Have had this also about 30 years. Trying so hard to live with it during the very rough times. I looked for a support group but can't find one near me. Sending you best wishes for feeling better soon.
Hi Yoga. Thank you for your kind wishes. I hope for all the best for you. Any luck with any online support groups? Are you currently on meds and/or counseling?
I have tried several different medications. Right now on Pristiq 5050mg. And mirtazapine. I am trying low dose LDN but just started. I have also tried ketamine which does help me but it is strong stuff so I don't do it all the time but take breaks. Thankfully I have a very good therapist. Haven't found an online group yet but I keep searching. I also meditate and have tried acupuncture, which was awesome but my insurance stopped covering. Have you found online support? Thanks for reaching out!
Hi Yoga. I hope your meds help you get better just as quickly as possible! I’m not familiar with your meds. Are you in the US? Of course I’m not familiar with many of the meds used as I’ve only been on Prozac or Zoloft over the years, as well as occasional anti-anxiety meds. I do online therapy sessions thru the Veterans Administration here in the US. have a great counselor for talk therapy but need to incorporate CBT/ERP again. That will probably require going in to the clinic. But I’m going to try to do more intensive outpatient therapy soon. The past few days have been good but have a very anxiety provoking meeting on Wednesday. Depending on how that goes, it could be a fast downhill spiral on this end again. I’m nervous about that.
Whenever a stressful situation is coming it always amps up my anxiety also. Sometimes I'm OK for the actual thing I'm dreading but seem to spiral afterwards. My meds help somewhat but not total relief. Which I'm sure is probably not possible. I am in US. Glad you are able to access options through the VA. Have you done that intensive outpatient before? I have not tried it.
Good morning. I also often am ok doing or going to the anxiety provoking activity and spiral afterward too. That’s actually most common for me. Oftentimes it’s not even conscious when I’m doing something, but weeks, months or even years later I’ll get intense anxiety and/or guilt that I did something wrong and then hurt someone. Usually occurs when I read or hear something that triggers me—then the rapid downhill spiral begins. I’ve never done the intensive outpatient but wish I would have, especially with this past month. This past month was particularly acute and it sucked!
Welcome to you! I am 70 years old and had my first OCD symptoms at age 15. Of course back then no one knew what was wrong with me. Like you, my OCD comes and goes. I’ve had years of peace and years of torture. Like you mentioned when a relapse starts the anxiety is extremely high. I also cannot eat. After 3 months I start to feel better, but it takes many more months before I recover. Medication and therapy help. My last relapse started in April 2024 and I am finally started to feel normal. This last time I also had help from Shannon Shy. He is on Facebook and You Tube. He is a retired marine who suffered severely from OCD and recovered. He works as a peer advocate and has also written some books. You can look him up.
Good luck to you. We are all here for each other.
Thanks so much for the tip on YouTube. I’ll check it out. I’m so sorry to hear you are struggling right now but I’m glad you are starting to recover. This is such a butt kicker of a disease. I get so complacent and then out of nowhere-blammo! Another trigger. Mine has run the gamut and I’m never sure what the next trigger will be-just that there will be one. Thanks so much for your move message. Hugs to you.
I’m sorry you’re suffering and I give you a warm welcome to this group. OCD can be cruel but it can be beat.
Thank you for your kind reply! I hope you are doing well!
welcome!! I think for some of us medication is needed. I believe there is something different about our OCD brains. It is hard to accept that medication is needed for life. The therapy is very helpful as well. I guess we can’t expect to cure it , just manage it .
Good morning Coffee. I hope you are having a great day. Thanks for the warm welcome. I agree the medication can help, I also believe in therapy. Right now I’m in the doubting stage that things can ever get better. I know they can (or hope they can) as I’ve been better in the past, but it always seems yet another thing comes along that kicks me down. I’ve got some big stressors coming up with trying to sell inventory from my business I closed. It’s beyond stressful, especially the financial burden it puts me under. It’s so overwhelming and then when I get overwhelmed, I just shut down. Can’t take any action to move forward. Some days it sure seems so difficult. I hope you are doing well.
Good morning, stress for any chronic heath condition makes it harder. Ocd will get worse when we are under stress. I understand what you mean when you say it is hard to move forward. It does feel like we get paralyzed. Keep pushing forward and don’t let this “bully” of a disease be boss. One day at a time.
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