OCD discussion with my doctor

[ERH]

Have you considered seeking cognitive behavioral therapy with a counselor (other than your psych, who is simply managing your medication)?

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by ERH

Have you considered seeking cognitive behavioral therapy with a counselor (other than your psych, who is simply managing your medication)?

This is true, at least where I am. Psychiatrists and psychiatric NPs do med management, and really do not venture into the behavioral end of things. In our case, they do refer jointly to staff therapists for there to be therapy done conjointly with medication. Which is good, because the patient gets 45 min. per session with us, versus the 15 minute in-the-door-out-the-door with meds.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by box*of*rain

I see a psych twice a year to get my meds.
I asked her if she had any suggestion for my OCD with my alarm clock (I check it several/dozens of times before I go to sleep to make sure it's set for the next day). She said I should get a new alarm clock. I found that such strange advice. I've done this with every alarm clock since like high school/college. It's not about the alarm clock. Its some funky **** in my brain that I can't control (I think). How would a new alarm clock do me any good?
It doesn't bother me to the point that I want to see her (or anyone) on a more consistent basis to figure it out. I just found it to be such an odd suggestion. Anyone else or just me?

Also, if you have any personal hints or tricks that help you with OCD stuff like this, I'm interested in hearing it

Saying something out loud sometimes helps. Like "I have checked the alarm clock and it is all set."

I have an obsession with believing I did not unplug my coffeepot. I KNOW I did...but maybe I didn't and the house will burn and my cats will die because of my carelessness. I have been more than halfway the three miles to the train station when the compulsion is so strong that I've turned around and gone home to check. Of course the coffee pot is unplugged, and I have missed my train and am now late. This happened more times than I can count.

I found that saying out loud "I AM UNPLUGGING THE COFFEEPOT" helps me know for sure that I did.

And you need a different therapist who knows about OCD.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by box*of*rain

Makes sense (to most humans ) but that’s just one extra alarm clock for me to check.

Lol, I laughed when I saw the suggestion. Logic has nothing to do with this.

[box*of*rain]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Saying something out loud sometimes helps. Like "I have checked the alarm clock and it is all set

This has actually been working for me. A work in progress 😉. Thank you!

I’ve also driven back home bc I thought I left the stove or my flatiron on. But that is very infrequent. I’m just a checker I guess.