Medication

Hi all, my name is Ryan and this is the first post I am sharing on this app. I struggle with a lot of forms of OCD, as I’m sure many of you do as well. My first memory of experiencing OCD symptoms was when I was 2.5 ish. However I did not get formally diagnosed until I was 25 after the OCD becoming debilitating during 2020. I got prescribed medicine then. It helped a bit but while on it I still experience symptoms. I feel like medicine silences the irrationality a bit. But it’s always still there. I’ll be honest I don’t like taking medicine. I don’t like the way it makes me feel, how it numbs some things but intensifies others. When I have gone off my medicine for one reason or another my symptoms definitely intensify. I am currently off and strongly considering starting again because OCD is starting to control my life again. Since I went without medicine for 25 years of life it’s so hard to justify taking it. I sort of feel guilty, like I was able to do it without before. My OCD has gotten worse throughout the years but I also remember some really hard times before I was diagnosed and I got through it. I wish there was a better option. The medicine isn’t perfect but it’s something. It’s a constant struggle for me.

Username: Gwumbo Gwumbo

Date posted: 43w ago

Welcome Ryan! I get what you mean about the medicine, I’m currently debating going back on Zoloft myself and I think I might go through with it. However, medication is not the only option. Depending on how your OCD manifests, there are things you could consider trying before going back to meds, ERP (exposure and response prevention) is definitely a good one to consider trying. CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is another one and you should definitely look into both of these. There are also tons of mindfulness techniques I’ve found that I wasn’t aware of before and they can really help. So if you’re unsure about medication, consider trying some other options first. I’ve also heard some good things about the supplement NAC. I hope this helps, I am not a professional so please discuss this with a psychiatrist or therapist first, and I wish you luck!

Username: ryanniicole ryanniicole

Date posted: 43w ago

@Gwumbo Hi Gwumbo! Thanks for your reply. I have done exposure therapy in the past but I would like to try some others as well. Totally agree on the mindfulness techniques. I personally love yoga, mediation, movement and breath work. I hope you have a smooth transition figuring out whether or not to go back on medicine. It’s not easy but we can get through it!

Username: SukhleenDhillonSukhleenDhillon

Date posted: 43w ago

@ryanniicole Hi Ryan! What was your experience with ERP ?

Username: ryanniicole ryanniicole

Date posted: 43w ago

@SukhleenDhillon Hi! I worked with a therapist during 2020 when my contamination OCD got extremely difficult. I was taking 3 hour long showers at one point. She worked with me in creating a hierarchy and then we would tackle certain things. Like touching a door handle, handing garbage, not wiping things down, etc. I was able to get to the point of not being almost agoraphobic. However I started to have some poor experiences with the therapist. She actually started to trigger my disordered eating thoughts, funny enough. It seemed she might have been struggling with an eating disorder herself and gave me some unhelpful advice. I stopped then to protect myself but then got complacent and never found a new doctor. I felt kind of jaded from the experience. Have you had any yourself?

Username: GayleGermit11GayleGermit11

Date posted: 43w ago

Hey Ryan, it sounds like you've been on quite the journey with your OCD, and it’s really brave of you to open up about your experiences and struggles here. Navigating the ups and downs with medication can be really challenging, and it's okay to have mixed feelings about it. 🌟 I'm no OCD expert, especially with this theme, so I thought I'd share some resources that have been helpful for me, if that's cool with you. You might find the OCD Reddit community a supportive space where you can read about others' experiences and share your own. It's been a helpful spot for many to feel less alone in their struggles. Also, I recently started using this app called "unstuck OCD therapy tools," which my NOCD therapist recommended. It's a new OCD therapy app that offers AI-personalized guidance and exercises exactly when you need them. It’s been a game-changer for me in managing those tough moments. Maybe it could offer you some support too, alongside whatever decision you make about medication. Hang in there, Ryan. You're not alone in this. 🌈

Username: CR

Date posted: 3y ago

im new here! this is the first day ive really started understanding that i may have OCD. and now that i read about it im so off put by the fact that no one around me noticed this is what i have been struggling with. (my family members are in the mental health field of work) i struggle mostly with what i think is rOCD. it’s been debilitating this past week, but i feel okay right now. i think covid and moving out of my childhood home and in with my partner during lockdown combined really inflamed this problem for me. right now im just working on accepting that i may suffer from this and accepting what that might mean for my life in the future. im diagnosed bipolar currently which i have been able to manage un medicated for about a year now. but this feels different, and i hate hate being medicated, but i feel like i may need to be until i learn some coping mechanisms for this particular problem. just a lot to think about. any thoughts on medication and how to get past the thought that you’re changing yourself by taking it? anyway love to you all, we’re gonna be okay 💌🤝

Relationship OCD

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 2y ago

Ocd medication

Anyone on medicine for ocd and what is ur experience? I’m debating it

Username: Resilient_Mom

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y ago

Medications

Hello,I'm so on the fence about starting medications or not. I know its a personal choice but what benefits have you all experianced? I also practice ERP with my therapist so I know that should be helpful with my OCD journey. But what made you decide to start or not start? I've been on Zoloft before but not long enough to feel the effects since I got freaked out about reading about withdrawl symptoms so my OCD messed that up for me.

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