I'm 67. My OCD is in my mind. It never leaves. I'm just barely starting this treatment. Hearing about it makes it worse. Talking about it makes it worse. Is there anyone who can relate? Is it helping you? I believe I am too old to to learn this. I believe there is something horribly wrong with my brain.
Susan, I am 68. I began the OCD therapy journey about two years ago. Before then, I saw a number of psychiatrists and psychologists who had no clue about OCD and/or how to treat. It wasn't until I found NOCD and began working with Judy Lair, an experienced, trained OCD therapist who uses ERP therapy, did I begin to recover. It was very hard for awhile, because this OCD malware in my brain was trying to do everything possible to prevent my recovery. This is quite common, because recovery is messy, not linear. Stick with it and you WILL see improvement.
@Steven55! Thank you for sharing this. I’m 38 but I have been suffering since I was a child. I wasn’t diagnosed until last year. I feel the same about my brain. It is trying to do everything it can to stop my recovery. Thank you for being inspirational!
You’re never too old to get support for your mental health! I think starting now is a great time for you.
Hello I am not exactly a spring chicken 🐓 either , LOL . Hang in there . The biggest help for me is the book , Brain Lock by Dr Schwartz.
Brain lock? This was helpful? I
@cherylcsk7 Very much , he outlines 4 steps and 2- sub steps that I apply to many things in real life . I use the book in combination with ERP and other self-help tools and resources.
I am 56 and just started a year ago. You got this !!!
I'm in my middle 50s and have had Scrupulosity since I was 8. I started therapy a little over a month ago. And I believe it is going to help in time. But it's not easy.
I am a year older than you are Susan. I have suffered with what I now know is OCD for 47 years. I recently started work that I hope will help me with my retroactive jealousy. I didn't know that others were affected this way and that it is a form of OCD. I feel so far that the therapy is making it worse. However I believe with the help of my therapist I can eventually make this better. If you read the community comments you will see that there are many people who have these problems. It is said that we all have problems. There is nothing wrong with your brain. Its just part of being human. I don't think that YOU or I are too old for this. Best wishes-
My name is Chrisa. I've suffered with OCD for over 30 years. It's gotten worse lately, especially since my elderly kitty has gotten very sick, plus other stressors. It's never been this bad. My rituals involve numbers, counting, among other things, in response to stress and the thoughts of preventing my cats death and other "bad" things from happening. I know there is no logic in this, it's ridiculous, it makes no sense, yet my brain feels what I call " hijacked". There are few people that know I have OCD. My own husband doesn't know. I've learned how to hide it well over the years after being ridiculed by family members when I was a child with OCD symptoms. I'm in a tremendous amount of distress. No drugs have worked for me, nor has RBT or CBT.
I am 36 years old with no history of mental illness. I had a stressful event at work about 6 months ago and slowly started getting intrusive thoughts about harming myself or my kids, but am at a point where it’s all I can think about. I was diagnosed with OCD officially this week. I’m distraught and finding it hard to cope since. I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before. I just started ERP therapy. I am hoping it helps but am terrified that it won’t. I just want my old self back! Please, if there is anyone out there who has gone through a similar situation, what helped you continue to function? Will I get to a point that I can function without being tormented by my thoughts?
Hi everyone. I have PANS OCD and had it early as a child around 5. It was debilitating I went though counting, contamination OCD even thinking family members were contaminated, hand washing till my hands were raw and more I had a good childhood but it was heavily OCD based which stinks. I am now 25 and have had manageable OCD throughout the last 10 ish years. Up till late last year I got it back again worse than ever.. I am now worried about asbestos and mold and lead and household things we moved into an older home and it’s been awful. I also worry constantly 24/7 about death… also We don’t have any of those materials In our home but my OCD won’t leave me alone. I went into treatment didn’t sleep the 4 days I was there and checked myself out, I instantly regretted it and tried going back but they wouldn’t let me back right away unfortunately. I am seeing my therapist once a week and trying to live life as an adult with OCD it never fully went away but it was so manageable and now I need to learn to live with crippling OCD all over again if anyone has any advice or relates to this please comment so we can talk. Thanks Lydia
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