- Date posted
- 5y
- Date posted
- 5y
I’m sorry it takes so long to get help. It might still be good to get on the waitlist, even if you end up finding a private therapist in the meantime. I found this directory too, though not sure it’s any different from the first: https://iocdf.org/ocd-finding-help/find-help/ Best of luck to you in your search! Some self help may also be good in the immediate future: https://ocdla.com/ocdreadings
- Date posted
- 5y
Thanks pureolife really appreciate you taking the time to find these things to help me it means alot to me! I'm still on the waiting list either way but definitely want to find some private therapy whilst waiting. Thank you for that I shall check that out now. It really is very kind of you to share this with me and take the time to help. I'm so greatful for this app and people like you. I'd be lost without it ? I've tried a little bit of self help. Read a book on harm ocd by Jon hershfield, it was a brilliant book already finished it. It was very overwhelming. But anything else I can do to help myself I will try. Thanks again ☺️
- Date posted
- 5y
I know I just have councelling with a lady but she’s not an ocd specialist But what you could do is find someone who does Skype or FaceTime sessions ?? I know it’s a bit weird but you don’t know until you try And it strikes me your not in a position to feel picky
- Date posted
- 5y
- Date posted
- 5y
I did find someone hun she has a bit of experience in ocd but not as much as I would like. I really wanted someone who specialises in ocd. The lady I found has abit of experience with ocd and said she had one client before with harm ocd. And she does online and face to face. I just really wanted someone with more experience in worried it won't work for me. Thinking of having a couple of sessions with her and if she's not for me I can cancel
- Date posted
- 5y
Thanks pureolife I'll have a look at that. ? Been online all day searching for someone
- Date posted
- 5y
I’m not in the UK but I notice some great websites about OCD coming from there. Sorry you’re struggling to find someone! Sometimes people have to find therapists in different countries just to get the right treatment. It’s so sad.
- Date posted
- 5y
If you have a physical problem like a broken leg something you can actually see, it's easy to find treatment. But with mental health its to difficult. I've called different helplines they tell me to go to the emergency department at the hospital. If I were to do that I could end up getting sectioned in a mental health hospital I don't want it too come to that but it makes me think least I'd maybe get the help I need. ?
- Date posted
- 5y
Really difficult here in Ireland too- and so expensive :( best of luck to everyone finding their specialist
- Date posted
- 5y
I'm sorry to hear that ? looks like it's difficult all over the world. I think it has alot to do with people not being able to talk about it and come foward. The other side of ocd is so unknown.! Because so few people talk about it. Almost no one I've spoke too mental health specialists knew what harm ocd was it's a term they don't use. So I just have to say ocd and then explain what my obsessive thoughts are. Good luck to you too!
- Date posted
- 5y
Hiya! I've not got a therapist yet but I believe the most reliable way to find a certified CBT specialist in the UK is to search through the BACBP website... That's how you can find out who is qualified to do that sort of therapy, and from there you might be better able to find a real OCD specialist. I hope that helps a bit... It's true that OCD is often misunderstood, so you should always do your research and be aware that you might end up trying a few therapists before you find the right one for you. Good luck!
- Date posted
- 5y
Hey, thanks for your reply ☺️ I have searched that website so many times and emailed lots of different therapists all with cbt experience and after I've explained my situation to them non of them can help me they don't have the experience of working with my particular theme of ocd (harm ocd) it makes me feel even worse, it's so frustrating. I can't wait for the NHS therapy I'm on a year waiting list. They said because my case is so complex it takes longer to get the help I need. So basically the worse you are the longer it takes. I'm in such a dark place right now can't see a light feel so depressed and disconnected from myself, my life and those I love most. Despite my parents knowing and being very supportive ? aswell as using that site to try and find help I've used another one too and just can't find anyone. I've had so many replies from therapists apologising and saying they can't help me and each time I feel worse and worse. Found two last night who I thought could help so I emailed. I woke up to replies from them saying they can't help me. So I felt even worse ? just don't know how much longer I can cope.
- Date posted
- 5y
I'm not looking forward to it at all despite knowing I need to go, but getting out of the house is such a scary thing right now. I'm suffering severe depression and anxiety which is inevitable with ocd. I'm sorry to hear that ? it's just become that much of a habit now it's hard to break out of. It scares me so much Aha that is so true! ? It seems to me some of them take advantage of the fact they know they're aren't many specialists in the UK and think this means they can charge more and sometimes people are so desperate they pay it. I would if I had the money cos it does seem like a great clinic. Thank you I appreciate that hun. I wish you the best of luck too ☺️❤️
- Date posted
- 5y
Are you from the UK too pureolife?
- Date posted
- 5y
There's a link to a counselling directory I've already used, it's where I found this therapist I mentioned above. I can't seem to find anyone else. I really appreciate you sharing that link though there's some useful information about what to look for in a therapist and questions to ask them so thanks for that ❤️
- Date posted
- 5y
Thank you for doing that I really appreciate it it's very kind of you ☺️❤️ Yes it is, it's a crisis that needs sorting out. Years ago when I had cbt through the NHS just for general depression and anxiety I waited about 2 months maybe not even that long, but because my case is so 'complex' as they put it. It's taking even longer. The worse you are the longer you wait it really annoys me that does!
- Date posted
- 5y
When you say ocd people just assume it's about cleaning and germs, which obviously yes some ocd is probably a huge part of it and that is a problem but there are so many themes of ocd that no one knows about, until I found out about harm ocd i didn't know about all the other themes and it absolutely blew my mind when I realised just how many themes there were it really opened my eyes to it. I think more sufferers need to open up about it although it's very difficult, maybe then mental health professionals would have better training and a better understanding of it. When I'm feeling better it's something I want to be a part of, helping others who suffer the way I and so many others do.
- Date posted
- 5y
Oh crikey that sounds like a real nightmare!! Are there any therapists you could find online who might do skype or similar? You'd have to be careful with that though. I've not got a therapist either, because of how aware I am of the crisis in mental health services in the UK... It really puts me off, and it's awful for people in situations like yours where it all seems really difficult. Do you have a counsellor or some support person who could help you to look?
- Date posted
- 5y
Hi spiral.. ☺️ It really is a nightmare. I've just been left to get worse and worse and the NHS don't see me as a priority. Luckily I've found a couple of private therapists who say they have experience working with people who suffer the same as me (harm ocd) I also found a specialist clinic but it was too expensive. I'm sorry to hear that ? I'm not surprised it puts you off but you still should seek help.! I have family around that want to support me and show me alot of love but unfortunately my stupid harm ocd is thoughts around hurting them. So I did the worse thing possible and isolated myself from them? I live with my dad so I do see and speak to him often but everyone else I've just shut out. I've got a free 30 minute consultation with a therapist soon to discuss my situation and how she might be able to help me. And I'm also seeing a psychiatrist on Tuesday but that's more to discuss meds. I'm absolutely dreading it I can't even leave the house now I've gotta travel to see him ?
- Date posted
- 5y
Aw dear... I really hope your consultation will go well. It'll be good for you to get out of the house too! And do your best to ease yourself out of isolation. I isolated myself from my family too at first, but I did manage to get past it somehow. And yep, it's annoying that specialists charge such high prices. We can't help having OCD, why should we bankrupt ourselves for it? ? I wish you so much good luck..! Fingers crossed things will start getting better for you in a while ❤
Related posts
- Date posted
- 10w
Hello! What a journey this ocd thing is! After 17 years with one therapist, I knew I was no longer making progress, so I changed to a new therapist. After just 6 months with her, she suggested I might have ocd and to look into getting diagnosed. She was right and I was diagnosed with ocd last summer. Meds are making a big difference but I still have lots of unlearning and re-learning to do. I’ve been struggling with whether or not to switch to a therapist who specializes in ocd. I have no issues with my current therapist, but she doesn’t specialize in ocd and I sometimes think I need someone who does specialize in it. But of course, I have Pure O, so I can think myself in circles til the cows come home. Can anyone share experience about switching to a therapist who specializes in ocd?
- Date posted
- 8w
This app is too flooded with posts and not enough people returning help. I really need it like. I’m sorry to be a nuisance but literally nobody else understands OCD & how debilitating it is. I’m so tired. So so tired.
- Date posted
- 28d
I’ve recently been struggling a lot with OCD. I have had OCD for a long time I just didn’t realize it until more recently. About seven months ago I developed panic attacks one day randomly at work. I thought I was having a heart attack and went to the hospital where they told me it was just a panic attack and I assumed I would snap out and be better within a few days. However it didn’t. Here’s where it gets scary, I was staying at my then boyfriends house while dealing with blurry vision, anxiety attacks everyday, and more (unsure of what was going on). But at some point I saw my bfs (pew pew 🔫) on his table and it sent me into an anxiety attack after sudden thoughts that I was going to hurt myself with it. I begged him to put it away when I’m not looking so I didn’t know where he put it. He did. These thoughts lasted for about four days but began to go away. (I thought that was it and I would be back to normal). Unfortunately though I ended up moving back in with my family when we couldn’t get my panic attacks under control in time for me to get back to work and pay bills. However, coming home brought up a lot of trauma from when I was kid. My anxiety got worse but I didn’t have those thoughts again. About two and half months ago though, I got sick and went to the hospital where they gave me steroid pills and a steroid shot but sent me into some kind of psychiatric event. Ever since then though, I have been suffering from harm OCD, I have had moments of intense anger that I usually have to completely walk away and go on my own because of how intense they are, and it feels like it’s getting worse. Today I felt fine until about and hour and half ago where I started to dwell on the fact that my suicidal thought was influenced by my OCD and at the moment my OCD is at the worst it’s been. This caused me to get suddenly really depressed and I started crying thinking about how I can’t handle this. I then saw a post talking about how suicide rates are high for people with this form of OCD and it made me question if I am mentally strong enough to pull through this. I fear that at times I’m getting worse. I have good days but I have a lot of bad days. Unfortunately this sent me into such a bad panic attack I went over to my nanas crying about how I can’t deal with this. I took a 0.25 mg Xanax which helped calm down the panic attack portion of it but my brain is still uncomfortably active. I guess I just need hope. I’m so saddened by this. It’s like my life took a total 360 in 10 months and got even worse since the steroid shot. Idk what to do about it. I can’t stop the spiral. I talk to two different therapist weekly and start more next week, making it 5 times a week. I feel no improvements…
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