OCD and perimenopause
Posted , 16 users are following.
So this is what I think is happening to me and it is really getting to me.I had intrusive thoughts after the birth of my 4 th child and it lasted for about 6 months,but I finally accepted the thoughts as just that and it went away.This time seems much harder,because the thoughts are of me losing my mind and reality.When I have these thoughts it makes my stomach feel weird because of fear,then that causes anxiety and it just keeps feeding itself.It really sucks,because I know I am here and everyone around me is here,but my mind is playing tricks on me.I was
mostly fine today,but then I was reading about adrenaline rushes and someone commented and said they developed schizophrenia during perimenopauseSo,and that triggered the thoughts.I thought what if that is me.It sucks and I want it to stop,but I know the more I think about it the more it's there.Anybody have any words of wisdom about intrusive thoughts and how to avoid them.
God Bless
1 like, 20 replies
lori93950 beth54337
Posted
I had these when I was 41 it was awful !!! Absoutely frightening ! But it did go away so I think once your body gets used to the new hormone levels it adjusts . It happened again to me a few months ago as my periods stopped in December . I would say a glass of wine and some medical marijuana does the trick ... if not that a Xanax a tv program you like .... just anything to get your mind off it .
Don’t put yourself through this misery and just medicate .
Mine came along with anxiety and panic attacks too ... absolute hell.
Guest beth54337
Posted
We all struggle with negative thinking at times; it's a common battle. And that's why it's important to recognize negative thought patterns and learn how to re-route them. The good news is we can have control over what we think.
When we're down, sad or hopeless, let's take inventory of our thoughts. When we find ourselves jumping to conclusions, doling out guilt trips on others or replaying arguments in our mind, let's consciously change our thinking. When I get in a funk, often it's because I've focused too much on what's bad. The apostle Paul advises us in our key verse, Philippians 4:8, to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.
The next time you're fighting negative thoughts, "rattle your cage" by remembering you have the mind of Christ. Take each negative thought captive and replace it with what Paul describes in our key verse. Scripture promises that when we align our thoughts with God's, His peace, which passes all understanding, will keep our hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.
Lord, give me Your ability to bring every thought captive. Help me to refute negative thoughts with truth. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.?
Don't feed the thoughts even say out loud these are not my thoughts or heart cast them down and get your mind on other things that are good and wholesome, make them bow down before the Lord and say you have and working on getting the mind of Christ! Remeber thats all they are is empty thoughts that don;'t belong to you so dont accept them or feed them or let them take root! Remeber and quote & Claim :
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
bev27429 beth54337
Posted
Also, remind yourself that these thoughts are not you, they are your hormones, and hormones can make you think very bizarre things. I know through this process, I have had many terrifying thoughts, accompanied by scary images. I, too, thought that I was going insane, but I figured out that the less I react to them, the less intense they become.
It is still hard, though, but keep reminding yourself that any thoughts or feelings you have are transitory, and they will pass will time. One day, they will end for good.
Sending you support,
Bev
Gypsy014 beth54337
Posted
Hi Beth, OCD and Peri definitely go together, and in fact its worse for me at different times of the month, so it cycles itself just like all the other Peri symptoms.. My advice would be to NOT beat yourself up over it and accept it, just like we have to accept all the other horrible symptoms that we have during this time in our lives. I have more of the OCD of germaphobia and phobias, I worry about everything and I can't turn it off, I have to wash my hands I won't touch doorknobs, I have to shake clothes and shoes and blankets and pillows, I'm afraid of heights, the reason for the shaking is phobias of spiders and bugs and just plain weird sh#t, it has been with me for many years after having my 1st child, so I believe hormones started it all, and now going thru Peri it did get much worse, but like I said it cycles itself and is worse during part of the month for about a week then it eases up. Its part of me and I've learned to accept it.. I don't like it I wish it would go but after many years I don't think its going anywhere, it can be time consuming and exhausting but hey that's who I am... Some people think im nutso but hey again that's who I am.. I did go to CBT therapy for the OCD and anxiety for a while, but that pretty much just teaches you how to relax and breathe, which is all good to but remains a part of who I am I guess.. And you know what they say if you think your going insane mentally then your not! If you were going insane you wouldn't have the ability to think hey I think I'm going insane!!! So I think you should be fine! At this time in life there is so much that we worry about, I would say eat right take time for yourself, know your triggers, and do everything to keep your mind off of the negative thoughts that are there. And accept this as a part of who you are.. YouTube Howie mandel and his OCD and watch his videos , I think we all have the anxiety OCD in us, and certain things can make it escalate and flare up, Stress being one of them.. So stay calm and breathe and don't beat yourself up over it, love and accept yourself for who and what you are, and if somebody in your life don't like it they can take a walk.....💗
mauiblue Gypsy014
Posted
What a great post.
Your message is so valuable in that we have to accept who we are, and now more than ever.
Thank you for posting this, as it helps reinforce for my own self, about ocd, and fears, and just finding myself and trying to LOVE and ACCEPT me for who i am
x0x0x0
Gypsy014 mauiblue
Posted
Hi Maui, your welcome I love to chime in on these issues , because for me they do hit so close to home... I was that person that use to beat myself up over this, and it can be annoying and time consuming, hell it takes me 20 min just to get into bed at night because of my OCD and that's just an example, because of the making the bed shaking the pillows making sure I'm not hopping into bed with any spiders or bugs lol, its become a part of me all this crazy stuff, I've learned to accept and live with all the symptoms, if we could turn it off we would just like we would turn off all the other symptoms of depression anxiety dizziness shortness of breath you know all these hard to live with symptoms.. Can't turn them off so learn to live with them accept them and love yourself for who you are, we will all be ok, the symptoms OCD include d come and go and are worse at different times, so there is relief every now and then 💗
mauiblue Gypsy014
Posted
It's funny you mention the bedtime ritual. I take about that long myself..just feels right to have a ritual in a world where you don't have control.
I'm hoping there ' a a deprive over time. I really hope so.
Thanks for being so brutally honest.
Here's to hope
Xo
mauiblue
Posted
audra86673 Gypsy014
Posted
My 20 yr old daughter grew up with OCD of bugs. Like you, the phobia comes and goes in intensity. When she was about 10 she had this fear that wasps might come into her room at night and that one might get in the bed with her or that she might step on one on her way to the bathroom during the night. I kid you not when I tell you that she walked into her room one day and there was a WASP sitting on her pillow!! She flung it off the pillow and started freaking out and in her rigor of flopping around STEPPED on it and it stung her foot! Omg! That poor child! She still talks about it with horror! She still goes through nightly rituals of scanning her bed sheets all the way to the edge and ends of the bed, under the covers, under pillows, inside pillowcases and even checks her floor for any signs of any bugs of any kind! We had some sugar ants in our kitchen and she was concerned they might end up in her room! No bugs of any kind allowed in her bedroom - ever! It's just who she is and part of what makes her tick. I do feel for her as she has a harder time relaxing and no matter how tired she is- she has to make sure no bugs are in her room!
Gypsy014 audra86673
Posted
Hi aura, I know what she's going thru...Ahhh the shaking of the covers only to reveal that one bug... I know how she feels, that happened to me just the other week, I was doing my normal shaking my covers to make sure no bugs in my bed, and out comes walking the biggest spider I think I've ever seen which is pretty normal for my area , and the fact its spider season now Sept to November, they're like the size of a quarter body and legs fat ( yuk) and I do know about the wasps, I was shaping my bushes cutting them lower for the fall back 6 years ago and cut right into a yellow jacket nest.. And I was ambushed by them, stung about 20 times, and dropped everything and came running into my house where my husband was ripping off all my clothes as they were inside my clothes and repeat stinging they don't sting and die, they repeat sting, I really thought that I was a gonner , I never ever been that close to dying in my mind, so immediately I thought that I couldn't breathe and throat was closing, he (husband) rushed me to hospital and emergency room nurse said ok ok your fine if you were going to die it would have happened within the 1st few minutes and it had been like almost 20 minutes by then, I was fine, had to take benadryl and the itching from the venom in me was the worst for like 2 weeks, but I was ok.. I now believe I suffer from PTSD badly from that one incident... I still had all my phobias and OCD before that episode, but my OCD did get worse after that and after starting menopause.. It is a part of me now I keep it in check for the most part but I do experience a lot of fear and anxiety now...
Gypsy014 audra86673
Posted
Sorry audra. The auto correct misspelled your name, 😁
mauiblue beth54337
Posted
I understand what you are going through. Intrusive thoughts, and ocd are not fun, and anxiety about it is worse yet.
I know that with hormones you can think that you are going crazy or will go crazy, because it feel like it.
My fear is also lose my marbles. I never suffered with these things prior to menopause though and maybe this is a good thing.
Do not fret about the schizophrenia, because its a long shot It is mostly diagnosed earlier in life.
Im concerned about the adrenaline rushes for me because its so intense, and visceral. and its most mornings, waking me up..sometimes all day long. Its like my body is shouting out for help and i do not know what i need in order to help myself.
You have a couple of comments being moderated, they will help you and im hoping that i can also, just dont worry yourself sick. They are thoughts only,and they are entirely based on fear, nothing good for you.
x0x0x0
beth54337
Posted
hugs to all of you
nanc00951 beth54337
Posted
I am 55, I thought I was almost period free, but had some spotting in August so I had to start counting again.
Anyway, I had postpartum depression after the birth of my first child, daughter, 23 years ago. It was horrible. At the time my ob/gyn told me I would probably have a tough time during menopausal years. Well she wasn't kidding. I have every symptom you could have. The topic of OCD though, what I have, which is multiplied during this point in my life, is that I will NOT allow myself to be happy or look forward to anything with the fear that something bad will happen in return. It is such a horrible way to live, but I feel like if I give myself relief to feel better for a bit, then the bad thing will come in return. And, since this has happened so many times, I now try to go through the days at a pretty numb place. It's horrible and sad .
nanc00951 beth54337
Posted
And one other thing, I do obsess over everything going on in my life. I start researching online and it becomes a vicious circle. I'll start researching (example, a medication) and people will tell their horror stories and I am then sure it is happening to me.