Misdiagnosed

I was recently diagnosed with OCD last month, and my new psychiatrist started me on two new medications. I have not been put in any therapies yet, (talk therapy has always proved ineffective for me) but I am open to it in the future.) For the past 16 years, I’ve been living my life diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. My new psychiatrist has “undiagnosed” me with those two disorders, and diagnosed me with OCD. She said my “anxiety” has actually been caused by severe untreated OCD. I particularly struggle with suicidal thoughts/ideation and have been hospitalized multiple times for severe depression episodes; including Catatonia and Existential Crises. Being treated for those other disorders my entire life (starting age 12) many of the medications they put me on always made my symptoms worse. This new revelation has caused me to experience feelings of confusion and loss of self-identity. This new diagnosis is scary to me, even if it makes so much sense. I’d appreciate any advice on navigating this time in my life. I appreciate this app finding its way to me in this time. ❤️

Username: LynetteKLynetteK

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 25w ago

OCD isn’t easy to diagnose especially when it doesn’t fall into the stereotypical categories. Find a different doctor, sometimes there are multiple conditions. It’s truly hard to say, I would get another opinion until you find the help that you need. There is hope!

Username: PinkKittenPinkKitten

Date posted: 25w ago

I am definitely not a therapist im just going to give my POV.. I feel like you need a new psych because they clearly aren’t doing their job well and the treatments don’t work because you don’t have those disorders. I feel like you need to find a psychiatrist/psychologist that is best suitable for you..I believe in you ❤️

Username: StormyWonderStormyWonder

Date posted: 25w ago

@tradgoth My new psychiatrist is the one who diagnosed me with OCD. I’ve only been seeing her for a few months but she has absolutely changed my life. The new medications I’m taking have shown extreme improvement in the past month. Previously, I had seen the same psychiatrist since I was 12 and he was the one who misdiagnosed me and put me on a revolving door of medications for over a decade. Thanks for your support ❤️

Username: Mel3Mel3

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 25w ago

I was misdiagnosed too, then found the right psychiatrist to help me. I have ocd anxiety and depression, I know what you’re going through. I’m glad you’re on the right path to getting better and managing the ocd. OCD is a monster to live with but it’s manageable!

Username: siamesedreamsiamesedream

Date posted: 19w ago

Hey there I just wanted you to know that I was also misdiagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and just Severe Anxiety Disorder. I quit taking medication for years because of how adverse my reactions were. They were definitely the wrong medicine for me, since my OCD diagnosis I have been put on a different medication that I actually have noticed a positive difference with. How are your new medications going?

Username: Courtney

Date posted: 4y ago

This is long but I’m hurting and need practical advice on what to do. My OCD is convincing me I’m psychotic. It doesn’t help that I was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and had an ill informed therapist tell me for 8 months that my intrusive thoughts were hallucinations and delusions. I just quit lithium a week ago after being on it for 4 months after a psychiatric nurse who I no longer am seeing told me it was safe to do so. I don’t exactly trust her though since she accused me of being a liar, impulsive, having a personality disorder, and told me I had to take antipsychotics or she would walk away, when I had legitimate questions about the bipolar diagnosis (hence no longer being in her care). My anxiety and intrusive thoughts are spiking worse than ever. My main theme is harm so I’m terrified of becoming manic and psychotic and believing my intrusive thoughts are correct, even though my non-OCD self is positive I’m not bipolar. I’m starting to doubt I have OCD and am asking myself what if I am actually delusional and in denial about my situation and am actually a danger to myself and others. I got approved for a PHP in the OCD and anxiety disorder program at Rogers but I don’t start for another 3 weeks. Has anyone been through anything like this (misdiagnosis, wrong medication making you worse, lithium withdrawal, questioning if your OCD is actually psychosis, etc) and has some advice with how to deal with this? I’m feeling so hopeless and dejected after being tossed around the mental health field like this only to find out I have OCD and could have started treatment 8 months ago and not gotten to this point if my doctors were more aware of this condition

Harm OCD

Username: BlueGemini

Date posted: 3y ago

When and how did you first discover you may have OCD? I'm beginning to think OCD is one of the most understudied, misunderstood mental health issues ever. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder about 6 years ago after I started suffering from panic attacks, but only just recently discovered my condition could be much more specific than that. I've been suffering from intrusive thoughts and complusions since I was a teenager with a variety of themes. And honestly this app and amazing community has opened my eyes to it. I'm curious if anyone else has had an experience like mine where they were just thrown into the general diagnosis category of just having anxiety and/or depression and is only just now coming to terms with having OCD? What has been your experience with the therapists on this app? I'm using another popular, pricey app for talk therapy at the moment, but so far 4 therapists have ghosted me on it so my confidence is feeling pretty shot. Has talk therapy and working with a therapist on here been successful for you?

Username: cloudy1409

Date posted: 2y ago

new diagnosis

Last night I had the worst panic attack I have ever experienced and was having some very graphic intrusive thoughts. I am new to this OCD community as my therapist has thought I have had it for a while but confirmed today that that’s what I am probably struggling with. I am on some pretty intense medication related to my misdiagnosis’s and feeling lost about where to start. I wish I didn’t suffer from these thoughts and that I could live a “normal” life. How does one start living and not surviving ?

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