EvolutionHealth.care

Home
Main Forum
Anxiety
Health Educator´s Corner
Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Advanced Search Form

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 23

Thank you Tiana for the clarification.

Davit your response gave me chills. I know you meant well, but funny how it is conversations like this that gives me anxiety and it is these things that cause me to think about anxiety and why people think in such a way. It is reading things of this sort that cause me to go in that spiral way and makes me have anxiety. I don't know but when I read things like this about people who have thoughts or attempted to commit suicide or who want to hurt themselves this is when I go in that spiral mode. These are thoughts and concepts I dislike very much and when I have thoughts of this sort this is when I get really disturbed by them which is when I start to obsess over why I would have such thoughts and then start to think to myself that if I start to think more about it then I will commit it. I dislike it very much and these thoughts make me have anxiety. Basically these conversations or concepts is what cause me to have anxiety. I am also thinking what I would do if I ever was in that position - which is what I obsess over. I guess my anxiety over reading these things is what I have to get over.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 653

Hi Dawaud,

Most people with OCD have an obsessive thought which causes anxiety. They then reduce the anxiety by performing some compulsive behaviour (washing, checking, arranging, praying or mentally "undoing"). The compulsion works until the next time they have the obsessive thought.  Then they have to engage in the compulsive behaviour all over again.

People with OCD and people without OCD have the same kinds of thoughts. It's what the thought "means" to you that is important. Psychologists say that you are winning against OCD when you recognize an obsessive thought as "just an obsessive thought."  Attempts to hold back the disturbing thought only make it seem more "important."

For example: try to not think of a "white bear." The more you try not to think about it the more you can't stop thinking about it.  The similarly here is trying not to think about disturbing thoughts only makes them seem more "important."

In general, one component of treatment for OCD involves getting people to gradually reduce their compulsive behaviour and "exposing" themselves to the discomfort (anxiety) created by not performing the compulsion. The second main component for treatment of OCD involves getting people to do exposure work in which they "expose" themselves to their disturbing thoughts. A third component of treatment for OCD involves getting people to use 'thought records' to challenge what the disturbing thoughts "mean," including, for example, their sense of responsibility for bad things happening to other people.

For more information about OCD, I recommend you check out the homepage of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation.

Tiana, Health Educator

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

dawuad10

I spent a lot of time in hospital with Staph infection in my spine, It caused a disc to push on my spinal cord causing pain that nothing could control except laying in one position (for four months) I begged to die. It was a long battle and eventually I had to go home, I had to re enter the world I had virtually left. It was good to be home but I could not get the thought out of my mind that the staph might come back again and I'd have to go through all that pain again. Of course I made it worse in my mind. The therapist arranged a rest for me in the the psych ward but they don't do antibiotics there so I had to finish my coarse in a general word on suicide watch. Finally when the tests looked good I was shipped back to psych till I could convince them I was okay to go home again. It actually was a pleasant place to be, not like you would think it would be like. I talked to failed suicides there, they all had two things in common They said at the time it seemed like a good idea, and the other one was that they were glad they failed. Some were on medication some were handling it with just the realization that they have a lot to live for. Right now you are talking about your worry, if it gets past that point please get help because no matter how bad life gets the alternative is permanent.

I have to see my therapist (the same one that had me committed who I thank for doing it) on the 29th. I don't need to see her I just do about every three weeks. If there is any thing you would like me to ask her I will, I will be asking about OCD as part of my continuing education anyway but since I don't (I don't think) have it I don't know what to ask other than general things. I do know people with OCD but like panic there are so many different ways it shows itself. But panic has one simple cure no matter what form it takes. I want to know if OCD does also. What does your therapist say? There are times when panic has a very compulsive side.

When you just can not stop the trigger from repeating itself over and over. There is also an obsessive side when you can not stop thinking about having a panic attack even when there is no reason too. These can be broken with CBT, but it seems OCD is stronger. I'd like to know what the root of it is. Where does it come from and why? Is it related to or controlled by core beliefs? If so then it can be changed. The people I know with it don't seem to be bothered by it like panic does. As for thoughts of suicide (mostly when I'm in a lot of pain from over working) I accept that they are there and annoying but tell myself there is no way I will do it, life is to precious. Not only to me but to those I share it with. Do what ever you have to do including taking medication till you or your therapist can come up with something to stop this. In the mean time work on the anxiety aspect because as you said yourself the OCD is not interfering with your life, It is more like my arthritis, just some thing I have to live with.

Here for you

Davit.

Ps My staph came back and is now considered Chronic, I'm determined to find a cure and unlike the thoughts that caused the worry that sent me to the psych ward, I'm using finding a cure as a focus to keep panic at bay. I'm hoping you can do the same with OCD.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 23

Any suggestions with helping with OCD? Any websites, books, or other resources that you can suggest. I believe that CBT has really helped me with my anxiety, now my therapist informs me of OCD. I question whether I truely have OCD. I think about anxiety and the panic symptoms. Meaning that my mind goes back at times to the times I have had anxiety. I think about how others have anxiety. I come to this website to read more about panic and anxiety. I don't think nor does my wife think that it interferes with my life - it is just that I do think about this for a while. It sometimes gives me more anxiety or at times makes me sad. It is like something sweet that my mind likes to think of. I guess the more I write on this post, the more it seems that it probably is OCD. Any suggestions? I also at times become anxious when I have thoughts of causing harm to myself. Any resources like this website would be a great help.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Ashley at what point does obsession and compulsion become a disorder. Most of us have some obsessions and compulsions. Little things we don't let bother us but we do. Like dishes that all have to match, things on the counter that have to be in the same place. Flower beds that have to be symmetrical. Boots lined up just right, towels on the rack in just such a way. Some of these things border on perfectionism. The fear of hurting oneself is not that far from the fear of heights.

Perfectionism and agoraphobia can be cured with a change of thought pattern. It would be interesting to know if OCD could be also. Definitely something to talk to my therapist about. This is not something I am familiar with, but I wonder how many of us have mild forms of OCD that we just don't notice.

Davit.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11216

Hi Dawuad,

Have you asked your therapist what some possible next steps are?

I am not quite sure how the Panic Center program can be applied to OCD. This might be a great question to ask your therapist or to Ask the Expert.

Members, what are your thoughts?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 23

This may be a very late response, but I did not feel the need to create a new thread. Finally I found a therapist who informed me that I have OCD. I don't have any compulsions that I know of but I do have persistent and uncontrollable thoughts. I am just happy to know what the problem is and what it is. Now on to the next steps. Could someone please point me to the right direction as to what I should do next. I have read this program and do as much as possible and also do exposure work - for example if I am holding a pen and a thought such as me poking my eye out. This thought then makes me obsess over it that I will do something to harm myself and this creates anxiety for me. I hold on to the pen longer so that eventually my anxiety suppresses. One thing I have noticed is that if I begin writing, then I want to continue thinking about it - basically I become obsessed about it and think different thoughts. Any suggestions on what else I should do or any other suggestions about OCD.

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11216

Members,

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) occurs when anxiety manifests itself through persistent and uncontrollable thoughts (obsessions) or by the compelling need to perform one or more actions repeatedly (compulsion). Compulsions are usually related to the obsessive thoughts that individuals possess.

Obsessions tend to focus on:
- Fears (such as being contaminated by germs)
- Doubts (such as forgetting to lock the door)
- Impulses (such as hurting oneself or others).

Compulsions consist of actions such as:
- Cleaning
- Checking
- Actions that prevent impulses from occurring

Do you have any questions about OCD or similar behaviour patterns? Please ask, share your experiences or comment.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

Reading this thread:

today's top discussions:

This Month’s Leaders:

Most Supportive

Most Active

Most Loved

Obsessive-compulsive disorder