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Can anyone tell me of any therapy which helps pure OCD.

Posted , 4 users are following.

Baz.
Baz.

Having suffered with this horrible neourosis for more years than I care to remember, I have tried numerous ssri's , and I have been taking Diazapam on and off for many years, but I am finding that my     GP is reluctant to prescribe this drug any more, which I understand,  I am due to see a therapist on Thursday for a course of treatment, I am finding the OCD is taking over my life as I am getting older, and I am fearfulll I am losing my sanity sometimes, has anyone got any ideas or tips which will help my condition.

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • pixie22
    pixie22 Baz.

    Posted

    My advice is to try not to worry about being anxious because that just makes it worse. I know that sounds trite, but I am speaking from experience - you need to find a way to break into the cycle of anxiety. Also, really engage with what the therapist works at with you. It might be hard to start with, but it could help you to get your life back on track. My therapist helped a lot but it was hard work. She helped me to see things more positively, and helped me to formulate my own "coping mechanisms" for if I felt myself slipping.
    • Baz.
      Baz. pixie22

      Posted

      Hi pixie, thank you for your advice, I will try my hardest to work with my therapist and I know it will not be an easy passage. I went on holiday for a few days at the beginning of the month, and after a few days I felt more relaxed and felt like my old self again, on returning home I felt great but after a few days I slipped back in to my obsessive state, and at the moment I feel worse, although I am looking forward to my first therapy session on Thursday.  Thanks again for your advice.
  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 Baz.

    Posted

    Hi Baz, 

    Great advice from Pixie.   Can you explain and example of your OCD and how it "begins?"  For instance, when you wake up, what is the first thought and OCD act that follows for the day?

    Healing begins with Awareness.  When you become aware of a thought that triggers OCD, simply stop and acknowledge it.  Accept that you are having anxiety that would then lead you to do or think something OC.  Be with it.  "Right now I am feeling anxious but I am just going to sit with it and accept it."  Then, let the anxiety float on by.  Take deep breathes, and be aware of the sensation of the breath entering your nostrils and exiting your mouth.  After three deep breaths with Awareness of those sensations, how do you feel?

    I will send you a link for something that I think is really helpful.

    • Baz.
      Baz. betsy0603

      Posted

      Hi  Betsy, the intrusive thoughts begin as soon as I wake and continue throuought the day. Also I am not getting much sleep as the thoughts interfere. That is why my gp put me on Mirtazapine to help me get some sleep, but they seem infective in treating OCD. The only medication that helps me cope is Diazapam, but I am finding I need a larger dose is needed to get the same affect, which I knew would happen. Stressful situations and even minor arguments with my wife can trigger OCD as I tend to sulk for days after an argunent instead of letting go. I will see what happens on Thursday when I see my therapist for the first time.
  • renworth
    renworth Baz.

    Posted

    Hi Baz,

    I found that working closely with a very good therapist was very helpful largely

    overcoming OCD.  Various medicines were of little to no help (anafranil, prozac,

    luvox, mirtazapine, effexor xr...)  At some point, Zyprexa (olanzapine) came onto  the market and my pdoc put me on it.  At; 20mg/day, it was the first drug which

    releived the OCD.  It allowed me to sort of see past the triggers, and to realize that they were really of no consequence.  It helped me to "not care" whether or not

    I acted; the anxiety soon left and I forgot about it completely.

    It's a very powerful drug; yet in my case at least it's what was needed.  Though I gained about 60 pounds from it, I would do it again if necessary to quell  the OCD, a brutal disorder of the mind.

    (Forgot to mention - Klonopin (clonazepam) also helps, though not in the same way.)

    Also helpful were reading a couple of books which explained that it's an illness

    and explained what was going on.  It was many years ago, I'm sure there are

    better ones today.  I was hit with OCD in 1989.

    Finally, joining a group based on AA was quite helpful.  Seeing  and talking with all of those people who had the exact same symptoms I did brought them out of the realm of "magic", away from  their "personal" nature, and took away much of their strength and power.  The obsessions were weakened, and continued to weaken even after I left the group.\

    J.

    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 renworth

      Posted

      renworth, are you still on Zyprexa, or were you able to taper it once your OCD was under control?
    • renworth
      renworth betsy0603

      Posted

      Hi betsy,

      Yes, I was able to taper off it after a year or so, but my pdoc felt that I did need some

      AAP, even in a small dose.  (I thinjk he was correct in that conclusion.)  I tried

      several including Seroquel and Risperdal, but couldn't tolerate them.  Ended up with 2.5 mg/day of Abilify.  I think it's a very good drug for me, but after a few years of taking it, it's caused metabolic issues.  So I've had to stop taking it, and miss it.

      My pdoc wants me to try Latuda; we'll see how that goes.

      J.

  • renworth
    renworth Baz.

    Posted

    Hi betsy,

    Yes, I was able to taper off it after a year or so, but my pdoc felt that I did need some

    AAP, even in a small dose.  (I thinjk he was correct in that conclusion.)  I tried

    several including Seroquel and Risperdal, but couldn't tolerate them.  Ended up with 2.5 mg/day of Abilify.  I think it's a very good drug for me, but after a few years of taking it, it's caused metabolic issues.  So I've had to stop taking it, and miss it.

    My pdoc wants me to try Latuda; we'll see how that goes.

    J.

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