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Who knows? The video was taken some time ago, so hopefully he's better than then. OCD impulses will invariably wax and wane, and the obsession will often morph. It's all the same inane painful stupid debilitating disorder though.
I think that for people suffering from OCD trying to attribute some significance to the thoughts can sometimes be the antithesis of therapeutic - since the mind can often generate useless noise, and that OCD obsessions will invariably morph. OCD, though it might look like it as first glance (and it will do its damndest to convince you that it is), isn't a thought disorder, it's an anxiety disorder.
Right.
I have OCD tendencies, but I am not a person who is prone to anxiety. So - these OCD rituals or thought processes only become disruptive if I am under a great deal of stress. (yeah - gee, thanks for that added stress - LOL!)
Generally speaking, I like my OCD tendencies - I LIKE an extremely neat house, I LIKE my attention to detail and my organizational strengths, generally speaking. It's like these are the flip side, the positive side to a trait that can become disruptive when I'm under a lot of stress.
Actually, my doctor told me that when these OCD symptoms surface (for instance, I find that I can't read anything because I have to read EVERYTHING - every word in a room, which can be overwhelming - think of trying to go grocery shopping in that state of mind!), I am actually experiencing depression, which is manifesting itself in OCD behaviors. It's an attempt to control a part in my life that I feel is spiraling out of control, and I can see that because the more stressed out I become, or the more something in my life feels out of control, the more determined I am to have everything in my house or my life ORGANIZED. Just throw some stress my way and watch me start cleaning out drawers and closets!
Now that I realize what's going on, I can control it better. I can say to myself, "OK, I can't control what my ex husband does, but I CAN have a very neat closet!" I realize that my naturally optimistic personality is trying to accomplish something positive and fulfilling during a stressful time, and now I can channel that energy and that need for positive change into things like volunteer work or creative projects rather than endlessly cleaning out my kitchen drawers.
Generally speaking, I like my OCD tendencies - I LIKE an extremely neat house, I LIKE my attention to detail and my organizational strengths, generally speaking. It's like these are the flip side, the positive side to a trait that can become disruptive when I'm under a lot of stress.
This doesn't sound like OCD at all. Your coping mechanism is to try to control the things you can control like cleaning and organizing.
People with real OCD are compulsive. They have to do the behaviors.
Unfortunately, our cultural has started throwing around the term "OCD' too casually.
I have problems leaving my house without re-checking things like: lights, faucets, oven, doors, etc. Does anyone else have this problem?
Going on just what you put in your post I wouldn't worry about having OCD. Remember that the "D" stands for "Disorder." And mental conditions,or obsessiveness, is only a disorder if it is interfering with your quality of life. For example, if you're leaving home and going to work or somewhere, but feel compelled to go back home, and more than once or twice a day, they yeah, you might have a condition to think about. But from your provided information I would say that you could just be considered at this point to be cautious. Maybe even a bit overly-cautious, but I wouldn't go looking for a shrink just yet.
I am of the opinion that many so-called mental disorders these days are over-diagnosed. It's mostly from Big Pharma, who wants to sell their product. OCD is one of those over-diagnosed conditions. Another one is Bipolar Disorder. And yet another id ADD/ADHD for kids. Kids penalized for just being kids, fer cryin' out loud.
More good news: if you ARE OCD then that condition has been very often cured with simple SSRI anti-depressants, which are easy to come by, relatively cheap, and have far fewer side-effects than many other (most!) psychotropic medications.
I get what you're saying but in an earlier post I explained why my doctor determined that I have OCD and that it only becomes debilitating when I am very stressed out.
This isn't a contest. Some can have OCD to some degree, and I can also have OCD to some degree, and the effects won't be exactly the same in either person because both people are very different.
From the article you posted:
Quote:
You know its about maddening thoughts in your head, bouts of high anxiety, feelings of depression, and performing compulsions that, in the end, do no good.
Yep - been there, done that. No, I don't deal with this on a daily basis. Or even on a yearly basis. But off and on throughout my life, during extremely stressful, tense, or very sad times, I've struggled with this. It is horrible, it is maddening, it is embarrassing, it is sad, it is frustrating, and it is demoralizing.
I actually went on meds for my OCD at one time in my life when I was extremely stressed out and the OCD was totally disrupting my life and driving me even more bonkers. The meds really helped. After the stressful time passed, I was able to slowly get off the meds and regain control over the symptoms, which under "normal" circumstances retreat to the extremely mild tendencies that I described in the post you responded to.
This is the drug that is effective for me - like I said, I don't have to take it all the time, so I don't - but it's been effective for me in the past and if I need it again I can assure you I will take it again.
Under great stress, my OCD traits can overtake my life, and definitely fall into the category of "OCD" - though as my doctor explained (and I explained in an earlier post) they are actually directly tied to anxiety. It's just that when I am "depressed" or overwhelmed by something, instead of crawling into bed, crying, feeling distraught or hopeless or incredibly blue or lifeless, I become very obsessive/compulsive. I believe it is a subconscious attempt to control my life when I feel it is spiraling out of control.
I am a very energetic, upbeat person and not cyclical in the least - meaning that my "highs" are not alternating with "lows." I don't have "lows." What I do have, when I am upset or feel a lot of stress, is an inordinate amount of useless energy which sometimes channels itself into OCD behaviors. Like I said, now that I realize it, and know what meds to take if these tendencies get out of control, I don't worry about it and instead I focus on the positives, which are the tendencies that are still present in me when I am at my best or in a very healthy emotional place in my life - but which give me that little edge that I not only have come to appreciate, but which I feel are an integral part of my basic personality.
I struggled with OCD for several years - it manifested after an extremely traumatic event in my teens and interfered significantly with my life (along with other anxiety issues) for about five years. I managed without meds but with counseling to get a grip on it for awhile (this was before a lot was known about OCD and my therapist focused on my anxiety issues, which was still very helpful). But several years later I experienced another very traumatic and heartbreaking event and my OCD symptoms spiraled completely out of control. I simply could not stop reading. By that I mean, if there was a word anywhere in a room, I had to read it. You have no idea how many words are around us till you feel the compulsion to read every single one of them. As you can imagine, getting through the grocery store was absolutely awful, for instance. I could barely do it, because every fiber of my being wanted to read every label, every sign, every word. Of course that is impossible.
I am an avid reader, so this snuck up on me. Soon though, I realized that I couldn't really absorb anything I was reading. It was like my whole head was filled with words words words words words wrods wdors dwors srowd sdwor...you get the picture. First I couldn't finish a chapter. Then I couldn't finish a paragraph. Then I would read the same sentence over and over again without it sinking in.
I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop reading. My house is full of books, and I buy books constantly, several a week, even when I am 100 percent functional (which is the vast majority of the time). I read about 700 words a minute so no problem, right? Except when I'm reading 1000 or more words a minute - but they're the same 1000 words over and over again and I'm at 5 percent comprehension.
It is like my brain can't turn off.
I put myself through several years of therapy - a lot of it behavioral in nature. I don't like taking drugs - I didn't like the "flat" effect of Luvox, though it was certainly very helpful when it came to the OCD symptoms. But I didn't like the side effects, so I was very determined to control as much of this as I could without meds. The key for me has been minimizing things in my life that trigger anxiety. Also, when I am feeling anxious - since life itself can sometimes bring anxiety that's not even particularly related to our own actions or behaviors - I now recognize the early symptoms of OC behaviors and part of being able to control them is recognizing them for what they are.
Right now, I've been stressed out lately. I won't bore you with the details but the stress is real and significant. What did I do? Started buying books like crazy and immersing myself in them. But now I know where that tipping point is and where the healthy escape turns into a nightmare. Knowing that I have that propensity gives me the insight to say, "Hey. Stop." And I have to divert my attention elsewhere.
Like I have said, I don't have SEVERE OCD. I don't have depression that amplifies it. But I know it's in there and I keep a close eye on it.
Meanwhile - I see the benefits of some of the tendencies. I don't apologize for that. I am what I am and one thing that I am is a very productive person. I think that the edge of OC behaviors is just part of who I am and I'm OK with that.
Last edited by KathrynAragon; 08-25-2015 at 05:07 PM..
I get what you're saying but in an earlier post I explained why my doctor determined that I have OCD and that it only becomes debilitating when I am very stressed out.
<snipped>
I actually went on meds for my OCD at one time in my life when I was extremely stressed out and the OCD was totally disrupting my life and driving me even more bonkers. The meds really helped. After the stressful time passed, I was able to slowly get off the meds and regain control over the symptoms, which under "normal" circumstances retreat to the extremely mild tendencies that I described in the post you responded to.
This is the drug that is effective for me - like I said, I don't have to take it all the time, so I don't - but it's been effective for me in the past and if I need it again I can assure you I will take it again.
Under great stress, my OCD traits can overtake my life, and definitely fall into the category of "OCD" - though as my doctor explained (and I explained in an earlier post) they are actually directly tied to anxiety. It's just that when I am "depressed" or overwhelmed by something, instead of crawling into bed, crying, feeling distraught or hopeless or incredibly blue or lifeless, I become very obsessive/compulsive. I believe it is a subconscious attempt to control my life when I feel it is spiraling out of control.
I am a very energetic, upbeat person and not cyclical in the least - meaning that my "highs" are not alternating with "lows." I don't have "lows." What I do have, when I am upset or feel a lot of stress, is an inordinate amount of useless energy which sometimes channels itself into OCD behaviors. Like I said, now that I realize it, and know what meds to take if these tendencies get out of control, I don't worry about it and instead I focus on the positives, which are the tendencies that are still present in me when I am at my best or in a very healthy emotional place in my life - but which give me that little edge that I not only have come to appreciate, but which I feel are an integral part of my basic personality.
I struggled with OCD for several years - it manifested after an extremely traumatic event in my teens and
I put myself through several years of therapy - a lot of it behavioral in nature. I don't like taking drugs - I didn't like the "flat" effect of Luvox, though it was certainly very helpful when it came to the OCD symptoms. But I didn't like the side effects, so I was very determined to control as much of this as I could without meds. .
I was on Luvox for seven years. It's not a commonly-known SSRI, but it was actually in use in Europe before Prozac. It seems to work especially well for OCD.
I didn't like the flat effect of Luvox, and I felt as though it stifled my creativity. But for the time when I was taking it, while I was going through Big Life Changes and learning to manage the OCD with therapy, it made life easier to live. Sometimes I miss it. For example, I wake up every morning, and have since I was about six years old, and my very first thought of the day is of my death. I'm in a dark, intensely anxious mindframe for that first minute or two of wakefulness, stuck on wondering if this is the day that I will die. I was in my forties before it occurred to me that not everyone might start their day that way.
On Luvox, it went away. I woke up and just woke up. No fright, no bad thoughts, no ominous sense of impending doom. Sometimes I think I would like to wake up and feel that way again.
I was on Luvox for seven years. It's not a commonly-known SSRI, but it was actually in use in Europe before Prozac. It seems to work especially well for OCD.
I didn't like the flat effect of Luvox, and I felt as though it stifled my creativity. But for the time when I was taking it, while I was going through Big Life Changes and learning to manage the OCD with therapy, it made life easier to live. Sometimes I miss it. For example, I wake up every morning, and have since I was about six years old, and my very first thought of the day is of my death. I'm in a dark, intensely anxious mindframe for that first minute or two of wakefulness, stuck on wondering if this is the day that I will die. I was in my forties before it occurred to me that not everyone might start their day that way.
On Luvox, it went away. I woke up and just woke up. No fright, no bad thoughts, no ominous sense of impending doom. Sometimes I think I would like to wake up and feel that way again.
I can totally relate!
I am going through a very stressful time in my life right now. I've got a much better grip on everything than I did when I was in my twenties and thirties and so I haven't slipped into OCD behavior to any great extent at this point, but like you, I have noticed recently that EVERY SINGLE MORNING the very first thought in my head is "OMG, my poor mother in law." (She is in the last horrible stages of Alzheimer's and the past several months have been horrible - my FIL died a few weeks ago, for instance, and not only was that very difficult, we haven't even been able to tell my MIL because she is so sick herself). I immediately start thinking about her situation, death, growing old, etc. Like you, these are my very first thoughts of every single day - and that was one of the issues with OCD before when I was so full of anxiety.
Also, due I'm sure to all the death and sickness that has enveloped my life for the past six months or more, I also think EVERY SINGLE DAY - multiple times in fact - about growing very old, my end days, death, etc.
I'm sure I could get on Luvox and get a handle on these thoughts - but then, I am not sure I don't have a handle on them. I mean, a lot of this is, I think, a normal response to situations that NORMALLY cause anxiety. Some anxiety, some grief, some anger, some negative emotions are healthy responses to situations.
It's not my goal in life to avoid all painful or sad experiences - in order to that, I'd have to forego many pleasant and happy experiences. To me, that's what Luvox does - it takes away some of the anxiety, but it also takes away some of the capacity for joy.
My goal is to control the symptoms of anxiety so that my life is not interrupted or dysfunctional. So far so good.
It doesn't surprise me that you can understand this, by the way! Thanks for the feedback.
I am going through a very stressful time in my life right now. I've got a much better grip on everything than I did when I was in my twenties and thirties and so I haven't slipped into OCD behavior to any great extent at this point, but like you, I have noticed recently that EVERY SINGLE MORNING the very first thought in my head is "OMG, my poor mother in law." (She is in the last horrible stages of Alzheimer's and the past several months have been horrible - my FIL died a few weeks ago, for instance, and not only was that very difficult, we haven't even been able to tell my MIL because she is so sick herself). I immediately start thinking about her situation, death, growing old, etc. Like you, these are my very first thoughts of every single day - and that was one of the issues with OCD before when I was so full of anxiety.
Also, due I'm sure to all the death and sickness that has enveloped my life for the past six months or more, I also think EVERY SINGLE DAY - multiple times in fact - about growing very old, my end days, death, etc.
I'm sure I could get on Luvox and get a handle on these thoughts - but then, I am not sure I don't have a handle on them. I mean, a lot of this is, I think, a normal response to situations that NORMALLY cause anxiety. Some anxiety, some grief, some anger, some negative emotions are healthy responses to situations.
It's not my goal in life to avoid all painful or sad experiences - in order to that, I'd have to forego many pleasant and happy experiences. To me, that's what Luvox does - it takes away some of the anxiety, but it also takes away some of the capacity for joy.
My goal is to control the symptoms of anxiety so that my life is not interrupted or dysfunctional. So far so good.
It doesn't surprise me that you can understand this, by the way! Thanks for the feedback.
Bingo. I like to write, and when it's flowing out of me, it's almost as though I can hear music that isn't there--I get in this place where the words are coming from somewhere else and I've gone back and read things and thought, "I wrote that?"
On Luvox, I wouldn't get to that place. I could write competently, but whatever that thing is that makes it flow was stifled.
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