- Username
- seekingvee
- Date posted
- 5y ago
I suppose medicine is there to mask the problem and when you come off it shows its face again. Im guessing you've tried ERP? Forcing your brain to accept uncertainty is difficult but the best thing for everyone with OCD long term
I've done some ERP, but I'm not entirely sure how to do it with fears that I can't exactly face in real life, if that makes sense.
@seekingvee The way to do it is when the worry comes in, accept that it could happen but until then you don't know so no point in going over it. So every time it comes up which im guessing is a lot, just say, yes that could happen. Yes it would be horrible if it did but its a what if, ERP is about exposing you to your feared outcome and preventing yourself from responding to it. After weeks of showing your brain its response is irrational, you will stop feeling desperate to figure out an answer.
@DrBurnzz So imaginal exposure, essentially?
@seekingvee Example; Old way: Thought - What if my meds give me brain cancer; Response - check online Thought - what if im on meds forever Response - check online New way; Thought - What if im on meds forever? response - ye that would be bad Thought - sort it out then?? Response - no its a what if thought Though - but what if it happens??? Response - then it does ?♂️ Thought - WTFFFF?? Response - ? Thought - oh maybe its not that bad after all
@DrBurnzz Your mind wants certainty thats its going to be ok, its natural state is to survive so when theses thoughts come in and you react with danger then your brains natural reaction is to figure it out. But you cant figure out the future so when your worry thought pops up, react appropriately and say yes that would be bad whatever. Dont go down the rabbit hole of taking the worry seriously and trying to get certainty from an in solvable problem
@DrBurnzz Gotcha! So I have to do that and try to figure out what my compulsions are. I'm primarily obsessional, so I often don't realize that something is a compulsion because it isn't logically related. I do know I skin pick when it's really bad, and I do compulsively research. I've been resisting the urge to research long-term effects of prozac lol
I think about this too sometimes, but remember you're the only one thinking that. Try to take the medication a month at a time. Set yourself goals in therapy that will help you reduce the medication if you want and your doctor approves it. Focus on recovery rather than the thought that you may never be recovered enough to be stable on your own. By the way, you're not alone in this thought by any means - it's not a nice thought to have.
If you really want to be off meds you need to try imaginal erp. I have a lot of health related fears too, have been working with a therapist. Erp has been like creating a really detailed story where my worst fears come true. (such as: going to the doctor, getting diagnosed with cancer, going through xyz treatments, it doesn't work, eventually dying) I record this story and listen to it in repeat for about 1 hr each day while imagining that this is actually happening to me. I tjink this is the sort of exposure you need to try without giving into compulsions or distractions. If you're able to work with a therapist it would be easier.
Hey all! I just joined this app and wanted to ask for your thoughts and encouragement on something I’ve been experiencing lately. (*long post ahead*) I’ve had an OCD diagnosis for about 2 years now, along with generalized anxiety, depersonalization symptoms, and depression diagnoses since my teens (I’m 24). Been lucky to have great family and healthcare that have helped me get out of some very dark places. I’m currently on a very high dose of Prozac, a smaller dose of Wellbutrin, and have been in therapy pretty consistently since my late teens. Life is pretty good....I’m in grad school and am doing well socially and academically. I am moving out to another part of the country to do an internship for 10 weeks, starting this Friday. But with all of this great and wonderful stuff in life, I have definitely noticed my OCD getting worse, despite my meds and self care. I’ve been having more obsessive fears and doing the rituals and compulsions to soothe those fears. It’s taking up much more of my mental space than it had for the past 2 years or so. I think part of it is the big change of moving to a new place temporarily, finishing my first year of grad school, and going from being insanely busy to having a month of downtime that is just now wrapping up. I’m getting scared that things are going to get really bad again — so far I’ve been managing with mindfulness and acceptance, and reading up on tactics for managing intrusive thoughts and accompanying compulsions. But I am so afraid that things will get to be into the dark and horrible place they were in 2 years ago. My OCD has been really mild the past few years, since I started the meds, and to feel it flare up again is really REALLY distressing. It makes me scared that the meds aren’t working, or that all the thoughts and fears are real. I know this isn’t the truth, logically, but my OCD and anxiety are running with it. I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced this (change-related flare ups and the fears accompanied by them) and has tools to manage relapse or flare ups. Thanks in advance :) :)
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 💌🤝
7 years ago I was a raging drug addict. I took any and all kinds of drugs without second thought of consequences. When I had my first child it’s like a switch flipped in my brain. Within her first 6 months of life I had over 12 visits to the ER. I was (still am) constantly afraid of developing a life threatening disease / illness or having a sudden health event (stroke / heart attack / heart failure / brain tumor / cancer ) develop. I’ve seen over 10 Specialist from autoimmune, heart, eyes, neurology , stomach , skin, etc. I’ve got a seemingly well bill of health but I become so hyper aware of every small change within my body. It’s. Constant state of fear and anxiety. Headache = likely tumor / aneurysm , small pain in chest or arm = heart problems , mild cold = covid or some rare disease , etc. Lately, my heart has been my fixation. I was having tachycardia going to the ER 2x a week. EKGs normal, 24hr monitor normal, X-RAY normal. Shortly after I notice my resting heart rate went down as low as 50bpm. I looked through my history over the months and that seems pretty normal for me I just hadn’t noticed before. Now I’ve been worried about my heart for weeks even tho my dr says I’m okay. It’s exhausting to be afraid of sickness and death 24/7. When I get focused on these thoughts it pulls me away from my kids and husband and daily tasks. I either full blown panic or shut down in fear. Anyone else relate? What helps you? I don’t want to rely on medications as I have so many adverse reactions to the 10+ I’ve tried! - oh year here’s another one - I’m afraid of allergic reactions as well I CONSTANTLY fear I will have an allergic reaction to medications / foods or over dose on things like Tylenol and Ibuprofen or mix meds and have reactions.
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