Do I have to take medication to get treatment for OCD?

Matthew, please, if you feel you need to be, be! You know yourself best! Medication makes all other steps and approaches easier or like in my case possible at all. I hate it for side effects, but the way they help me has saved my life. No exaggeration. Hadn't I re-started taking them again last October, I wouldn't be here today. OCD was utterly exhausting me to death. You are in my thoughts and we'll wishes. Big hug.

@NODA Thank you for your comment NODA. Could you tell me the medication you take and the side effects?? I understand that everyone reacts differently but I am considering medication and would like to hear peoples opinions

@RandomOCDGuy Hi, RandomOCDGuy . I am on serotonin Asentra. It is just the European name for Zoloft. The side effects are: (keep in mind that some of mine usually don't happen with most of the people, it should be the opposite): a significant weight gain, insomnia (now I manage to sleep 5-6 hours a night, but for 2 months this year, February and March and half of April, I didn't sleep at all or just 2 hours from 6 or 7 a. m. till 8 or 9h a.m. I was a living zombie. Exhausted. It wasn't so much not being able to sleep or fall asleep, but to actually move myself to get ready to sleep. I would be awake for nights. Just couldn't get myself to go to bed. I would lay on the couch, read or watch sth, I saw what time it was, but just had no energy or willpower to get up and get myself to bed.). The next side effects were and still are a terrible rash on my face (I didn't even have pimples when I was a teenager), brain fog, being tired, super hard to motivate myself to do anything, and of course depression. Neither depression, nor weight gain nor exhaustion are the usual side effects. I am just one of those lucky exceptions. My psychiatrist is considering changing to Paroxat or fuvoxatine/mine (I don't remember), but she would like to keep me on "Zoloft" as long as possible since my anxiety went down from 10000000% to 20-30% and my obsessions and compulsions still exist, but are much less hard to cope with than before. Yesterday I posted a link to a yt video in which all ocd medications (SSRI) are presented, also their side effects. Might help you to check it out. If I can help some more, feel free to ask. Wishing you all the best.

@NODA Where in Europe, if you don’t mind.

@RandomOCDGuy I’m on the gold standard for OCD, Clomiphramine.

@NODA Thank you so much. Yes, medication is needed, for me. I really don’t notice side affects, other than my appetite changes.

@Matthew L. Can you tell me more about your medication?

@RandomOCDGuy I take Clomiphramine for OCD, Seroquel for depression, Ritalin as a stimulant. Diazepam for anxiety.

@Matthew L. Matthew L., hi. Clomiphramine is in a group of medications called tricyclic antidepressants, so why do you need Seroquel for depression? Isn't Clomiphramine as an antidepressant supposed to treat depression as well? I am asking, because Zoloft (Asentra) is supposed to do that as well +stimulate +help lessen anxiety and yet I have developed depression, am super tired and unmotivated, everything feels so hard to do,... But for anxiety and ocd it does help. How is it to be taking 4 different meds? I have trouble sticking to the schedule with 1 pill, let alone 4. I am usually very organized and precise, but with my pills, I am just not myself: yesterday I took the pill at 10 p. m., the day before at 8 p.m., a nd today ar 1 a.m. I know I am making mistakes but I just forget. You said you don't notice side effects other than your appetite changes. How exactly did tat change? I have gained weight. Due to sleep loss, insomnia, I 've been very tired for months now, and of course, when you are exhausted, you eat unhealthy or too much and that brings along other problems. Hypertension, cholesterol, insulin resistance, depression, and not being happy with yourself. I used to walk 8.000- 10.000 steps 2 to 3 times a week, swam,...now I just don't have the energy to do it. No energy, no motivation. Pardon my French: Crap. You've asked me where I am from. Check the Wikipedia for the USA's last ex 1st lady. Where she comes from originally. That's it. 😀.

@NODA Clomiphramine is top med for OCD, they say. Seroquel is for depression. I’m not sure if Clomiphramine helps with depression too. I took Zoloft years ago. I’ve been on many meds. I’m actually on more than 4, you have to count cholesterol and diabetes meds. I take many pills. I try to counteract my eating with going to the gym, doing treadmill. I’ve been through lack of energy and motivation, but I’ve gotten better. You’re from Slovenia 🇸🇮.

@NODA NODA you said you take your meds inconsistently. I wonder if this can effect your body and make it difficult for your body to adjust which causes depression and feelings of tiredness/ being unmotivated.

@RandomOCDGuy I’m not a physiatrist but these seems plausible. It is also recommended that you take your meds at the same time everyday so your body is well adjusted to it

@RandomOCDGuy Hi. Thank you very much. I sort of knew that, I just needed someone else to tell me and put me on the right track. Thanks. 😊

@RandomOCDGuy Speaking from experience, yes, not taking meds consistently can have effects on your mind and body.

@Matthew L. Matthew thank you. Is it important to take them exactly at the same time every day, like 8p.m, or is it still OK of sometimes I take them 15 - 30 later? Is 60 min later already a big disruption on mind and body?

@Matthew L. Hi, Matthew. Origin: That's right You got it! 👏👍😄. Meds: Ok. Now we are talking. I would appreciate it if you shared some more experiences with your meds. I know it's different for every person, but still. What were your experiences with Zoloft? Why did you change it? Are you happy with Clomiphramine? And now: I have been told I will most probably be put on meds for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and meds for insuline resistence to prevent diabetes, since I have been diagnosed pre-diabetic ( I thing the last one is Metformine:Aglurab). How did you beat the lack of energy and motivation? With Seroquel? How did you find the motivation to start going to the gym? I am a quite healthy eater. By default. But since on Zoloft I eat so much unhealthy food because I am down, tired, demotivated and don't see a way out. I have gained so much weight in 6 months. I hate myself this way. I went from size S-M to XL ( sometimes even XXL) in 6 months. Since I started with Zoloft. I hate it. I detest myself. I should be taking care of my health, well-being, and I wish to, but in all this time I have asked my psychiatrist and personal doctor for help again and again, didn't get any, except the prescription for Zoloft, so I just kind of gave up on me lgetting better ever. And since I can't do it on my own and my doctors don't help, I feel I am a lost cause and I gave up fighting. All the way from July last year till a month ago, I felt like a bully or a nut for constantly telling the doctors my troubles, but never getting an answer or if any, not a helpful one. I don't know what to do. I see my psychiatrist 1x in a month or 1,5 months. In beetwen I just waste my life away, coping with problems and looking for reasons to keep going. I truly have no idea what was the point of me being born. Whatever I try to do for myself, life throws obstacles at me. When I was completely down, wasn't in touch with anyone, stayed at home for months at a time, I was told to go out and find help. I did eventually. And since then, 11 months ago, I have been fighting and begging for medical help, for someone to fix my low iron, insulin resistance, PCOS, high blood pressure and cholesterol and anxiety and ocd, but I get no cooperation or help. My psychiatrist knows about my weight gain and skin problems (my facial skin was clear even through teenage years, now I am scared I will have scars), feeling low, tired,.. but she still won't do anything about it. We have talked about changing meds. She talks, but doesn't do anything. I am just scared, that one day, I will get so tired of not getting the help they were supposed to give me or any other person with problems, that I will put an end to this so called life of mine. I do not want to. I want to live. I want to be happy, to be able to work. But I am not. What more can I do but to ask for help? I guess I am at the end of all roads. All I can do now is stay still and observe my life passing by. Matthew, I wanted to say to you that you are a great son and brother, you love and care for your parents, you show your devotion by helping them, taking them where they need to go, getting their meds, bringing your brother home and back,... I am sure your parents love you so much and appreciate you and all you do and I bet they feel relieved and happy that they can financially help you. I know it feels bad on your part, but try to accept it as a sort of a blessing that was meant to be. You have to suffer with medical problems. And as a sort of an apology to you from your destiny you are lucky enough you do not need to worry about how you will survive and live as far as money goes. I see you as a wonderful son, brother, person. And if you ever feel down and need someone to remind you of that, I will gladly tell you you are great. Hugs 🤗.