OCD stories?

[Anonymous]

I was told I likely have OCD and am taking sertraline (250 mg/day). My treatment started due to depression, which was quickly overcome with the sertraline and some therapy, but I continued to be very anxious. My psychiatrist told me I likely have OCD, which I believe is probably true based on what I've read, but it's new to me.

I'm interested in hearing about others with OCD and how you have treated it. What dosage of meds are you taking? When I told my primary doctor I was on 250 mg/day, she was sort of shocked by how high that was, but my psychiatrist told me the usual dosage for OCD is about 350. I am still doing therapy, but more "talk therapy" with a social worker than behavioral mod.

I'd say I sort of have "mild" OCD and mostly the obsessional type -- very few tangible compulsions. I recognize some in myself, but no one else would (even those very close to me). I've also read that OCD is usually genetic, and I see possible small signs in my family, but no one has full-blown OCD or is on treatment for it. Is this the experience of others?

Thanks! Just looking for some feedback and support.

[Anonymous]

diagnosed clinically depressed and OCD in 2006. I remember emailing all my friends and the universal response was like... "really, you didn't know you were OCD." My OCD shoes up as intense attachments and hobbies/interests that run amuck. I have learned to live with them, realize when they are occurring and taking me-time steps to get out of my funk or extreme interests. Much better than being a pill zombie, which I was after I was first diagnosed. Some of my secrets: be with friends and family, get outside to somewhere peaceful (hidden pond, national arboretum, etc.)

[Anonymous]

NP here. What are some examples of OCD?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the info. Did you really tell everyone you were diagnosed with OCD? I haven't told anyone except my husband. I can't imagine telling other people! I guess that's part of my OCD perfectionism.

For examples of OCD -- at my worst, I would obsess that there was going to be a fire or that someone was going to break into the house, and I would check the locks and stove/oven several times. If I got into bed and couldn't remember if I had checked them (or even if I thought I probably had but wasn't sure), I would have to ask my husband for verification that they probably weren't on/open, or I had to go downstairs. I wouldn't check more than a few times, but it was definitely a compulsion.

Most of my obsessions are fears of things happening -- like being responsible for something terrible happening to someone I love, etc.

PP, did you wean off the meds? I don't feel like a zombie. I actually feel really happy now, but I'm having a bit of trouble coping with the fact that I have OCD and would love to be without meds.

[Anonymous]

OP,

If the meds are helping, that's incredibly important!

Also, not wanting to share a mental health diagnosis isn't perfectionism but probably good to err on the side of caution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the info. Did you really tell everyone you were diagnosed with OCD? I haven't told anyone except my husband. I can't imagine telling other people! I guess that's part of my OCD perfectionism.

For examples of OCD -- at my worst, I would obsess that there was going to be a fire or that someone was going to break into the house, and I would check the locks and stove/oven several times. If I got into bed and couldn't remember if I had checked them (or even if I thought I probably had but wasn't sure), I would have to ask my husband for verification that they probably weren't on/open, or I had to go downstairs. I wouldn't check more than a few times, but it was definitely a compulsion.

Most of my obsessions are fears of things happening -- like being responsible for something terrible happening to someone I love, etc.

PP, did you wean off the meds? I don't feel like a zombie. I actually feel really happy now, but I'm having a bit of trouble coping with the fact that I have OCD and would love to be without meds.

Not too drag the thread off topic but your behavior examples struck a nerve with me as I do the same with doors and stove. Also lights. I stopped ironing altogether because I'd have to check for days that I'd unplugged it. I joke around with DH that I'm OCD, but I didn't really think I was. I clicked on this thread to see what "real" OCD is like. Do you mind sharing a little bit about the diagnosis process?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:diagnosed clinically depressed and OCD in 2006. I remember emailing all my friends and the universal response was like... "really, you didn't know you were OCD." My OCD shoes up as intense attachments and hobbies/interests that run amuck. I have learned to live with them, realize when they are occurring and taking me-time steps to get out of my funk or extreme interests. Much better than being a pill zombie, which I was after I was first diagnosed. Some of my secrets: be with friends and family, get outside to somewhere peaceful (hidden pond, national arboretum, etc.)

Yes, I told just about everyone. Now, whenever I am at a new job, I wait a few months, so the surprise is already gone (they always figure it out.) I am in IT Support, and being OCD is actually a benefit, I tend to follow instructions to the letter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:diagnosed clinically depressed and OCD in 2006. I remember emailing all my friends and the universal response was like... "really, you didn't know you were OCD." My OCD shoes up as intense attachments and hobbies/interests that run amuck. I have learned to live with them, realize when they are occurring and taking me-time steps to get out of my funk or extreme interests. Much better than being a pill zombie, which I was after I was first diagnosed. Some of my secrets: be with friends and family, get outside to somewhere peaceful (hidden pond, national arboretum, etc.)

Yes, I told just about everyone. Now, whenever I am at a new job, I wait a few months, so the surprise is already gone (they always figure it out.) I am in IT Support, and being OCD is actually a benefit, I tend to follow instructions to the letter.

Is OCD associated with seeing things black and white and rigidity?

[Anonymous]

My brother -- now 43 -- has had OCD officially diagnosed for years now. His life is at a standstill. He could never successfully hold a job or complete education. It is a shame because he is not a stupid person. But, being behind in many things, like learning how to function properly in a working environment (dealing with people, interactions, etc), he is now like a hobbit, avoids going to crowded stores, avoids wanting to deal with things like customer relations. Well, it's sad, to put it mildly. Mainly a heartache for my mother, who has to support everything for him financially, and not to mention the constantly worrying about him. I'm located far from them, so I can't help directly, but I try as I can with support on topics, researching things they may need, etc. Anyway, it is good to read that others with OCD can still have successes in their lives. I would like to hope somehow my brother can improve. He is on some medication, and is seeing a 'life therapist' and occasional psychiatrist appointment, but everything takes time before there can be improvement.

[Anonymous]

23:35 here. I posted too soon ... I meant, my brother is now like a "hermit" (not "hobbit"; my post was the furthest thing from intending to be comical).

[Anonymous]

There is a difference between OCD and habits. You have OCD if you feel like you MUST do something (i.e. count, check, touch, repeat, etc.) or else you will suffer from some sort of consequence and is the source of much anxiety. For example, my father sticks to a very rigid schedule, but what makes him different from others is that when he goes off schedule, it practically impairs him -- it's very unsettling for him, to say the least. He says certain phrases with the exact tone and tempo every single time he says them; he's been whistling the same song for over 40 years; he eats the same lunch everyday; he wakes up at exactly the same time every morning, and opens his bedroom door at exactly the same time every morning. He will never admit, though, that he has OCD. But he does.

I had counting behaviors in my early teens, but they went away after a few years (likely when my hormones kicked into full gear).

There is a great book called, Passing for Normal, about a girl who was diagnosed with OCD and Tourette Syndrome (which often go hand in hand). Also, Rewind, Replay, Repeat discusses how one man beat OCD later in life.

Typically, medication and cognitive therapy are used to treat OCD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a difference between OCD and habits. You have OCD if you feel like you MUST do something (i.e. count, check, touch, repeat, etc.) or else you will suffer from some sort of consequence and is the source of much anxiety. For example, my father sticks to a very rigid schedule, but what makes him different from others is that when he goes off schedule, it practically impairs him -- it's very unsettling for him, to say the least. He says certain phrases with the exact tone and tempo every single time he says them; he's been whistling the same song for over 40 years; he eats the same lunch everyday; he wakes up at exactly the same time every morning, and opens his bedroom door at exactly the same time every morning. He will never admit, though, that he has OCD. But he does.

I had counting behaviors in my early teens, but they went away after a few years (likely when my hormones kicked into full gear).

There is a great book called, Passing for Normal, about a girl who was diagnosed with OCD and Tourette Syndrome (which often go hand in hand). Also, Rewind, Replay, Repeat discusses how one man beat OCD later in life.

Typically, medication and cognitive therapy are used to treat OCD.

Further to the above:

http://www.amazon.com/Passing-Normal-Compulsion-Amy-Wilensky-ebook/dp/B0042JSNZ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387018610&sr=8-1&keywords=passing+for+normal

http://www.amazon.com/Rewind-Replay-Repeat-Obsessive-Compulsive-ebook/dp/B00BS03KR6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387018671&sr=8-1&keywords=ocd+rewind+repeat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a difference between OCD and habits. You have OCD if you feel like you MUST do something (i.e. count, check, touch, repeat, etc.) or else you will suffer from some sort of consequence and is the source of much anxiety. For example, my father sticks to a very rigid schedule, but what makes him different from others is that when he goes off schedule, it practically impairs him -- it's very unsettling for him, to say the least. He says certain phrases with the exact tone and tempo every single time he says them; he's been whistling the same song for over 40 years; he eats the same lunch everyday; he wakes up at exactly the same time every morning, and opens his bedroom door at exactly the same time every morning. He will never admit, though, that he has OCD. But he does.

I had counting behaviors in my early teens, but they went away after a few years (likely when my hormones kicked into full gear).

There is a great book called, Passing for Normal, about a girl who was diagnosed with OCD and Tourette Syndrome (which often go hand in hand). Also, Rewind, Replay, Repeat discusses how one man beat OCD later in life.

Typically, medication and cognitive therapy are used to treat OCD.

Hi there, that is one form of OCD. It can also involve on focusing on one thing to the detriment of all else (hobbies that take over your life, in my case.) Also, intense relationships, focused on one person and then dwelling when they are not there (or after you break up.)

[Anonymous]

I obsess about things. It has varied a lot over the years. It could be an obsession with learning about a topic, or less healthy things, like an eating disorder.

When I get too stressed out, the symptoms get less manageable.

[Anonymous]

I have OCD and General Anxiety Disorder and was diagnosied with both about 9 years ago. counting was (and occasionally still is, my thing. I used to divide rooms people's faces, roads, etc into grids based on a multiplier of 3. At one stage, I was counting and multiplying into the thousands in under five minutes. I also see the world in black and white and had an eating disorder for a while. I'm on a cocktail of drugs and did a newish type of procedure - reference EEG or rEEG - in order to determine which drugs would help me the best. The drugs were a life changer for me. I feel like they gave me back my sanity and helped me channel some of the more positive aspects of my personality (extreme commitment, attention to detail, perseverance) into work and life I could be relatively happy with. I'm very upfront about my diagnosis, mainly because it is a medical diagnosis and I'm not embarrassed about it.