What can I do for this awful OCD?!
Question: I constantly have horrible images in my head the Zoloft has helped that some, I check to make sure my doors are locked, the faucets are off, the stove, lights & everything else. I constantly check on my 2 yr old to make sure she's breathing & I wonder if I've done something terrible & don't remember or not. I will just have little fragments of memories & then then fill them in with whatever weird stuff I seem to make up & then worry about it. How do I know if I've ever done something horrible or not?
Answers: I constantly have horrible images in my head the Zoloft has helped that some, I check to make sure my doors are locked, the faucets are off, the stove, lights & everything else. I constantly check on my 2 yr old to make sure she's breathing & I wonder if I've done something terrible & don't remember or not. I will just have little fragments of memories & then then fill them in with whatever weird stuff I seem to make up & then worry about it. How do I know if I've ever done something horrible or not?
Have you ever thought about fighting it? I mean the next time you have the urge to go check on the faucets and stove, DON'T. Reassure yourself and learn to trust yourself! It will drive you nuts at first, but over time you will realize you can trust yourself. I've never dealt with OCD myself, but I helped my brother through it. He was afraid of germs. He'd used a whole bar of soap in the shower about 10 times a day...he constantly washed his hands. It all boils down to fear and not trusting yourself. You have to build that back up. Take baby steps. Ignore the feelings once or twice at first, then more and more as time goes on. There are a lot of self-help books out there about OCD...even websites where people go to talk about those things. Stopping these obsessive things are like stopping any addiction. You have to set your mind to it, and you'll be uncomfortable for a while. Just remember, there is always help and it does get better!
Does your doctor know that your symptoms are still so strong? Are you seeing a therapist? These would be my two suggestions: medication adjustment and adding therapy.
I have OCD too so I know exactly where you are coming from. Mine are bad thoughts about people, and it doesn't seem to want to go away. The best thing that helps I have learned is to keep your mind as occupied as possible. Try cleaning. My sister has it to and she just puts it all to cleaning. Her house is never dirty so that is the plus side of it. The down side is the fact that she is always tired though and she always seems to think that her house is still dirty, but it is better than having bad thoughts. Also, it might help if you talk to a doctor, they might have some sort of medicine for it. Hope this helps!
OCD requires therapy. I lived with OCD my entire life, and never knew I even had it until I was 25, I thought everyone felt like I did. I currently am taking 80mg of fluoxetine daily, and see my therapist weekly. Every week she gives me what she calls a brain workout. She gives me tasks that I have to complete. It seemed ridiculous at first, honestly, and for a long time, I refused to participate in it at all. Now I've accepted that I need help, and actively participate in my therapies, and see that my quality of life is greatly improving. She has helped me to overcome this disorder and live a somewhat normal life. I recommend that you speak with your psychiatrist about all this. If these obsessions and compulsions are still very strong, your meds may need to be altered, and you should definitely request counseling. Good luck hon, it can get better if you try.