Jump to content

Skullpops

Bulletin Board User
  • Posts

    679
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Skullpops

  1. Kaheath, I absolutely had to post to tell you, what an amazing article. So well written and absolutely spot on. Well done to you.
  2. I'm with you now. My answer to your question, it's my opinion of course, not sure if I'm correct. I'd say it all boils down to extreme anxiety, which we know is classic OCD. When the thoughts get too much, when compulsions take over, sufferers feel they are "losing their mind." Perhaps it's at this point concerns begin about "what if there's more than OCD at play here?"
  3. Hey PB, I don't think it's a case of many thinking there's more going on but worrying there's more...as far as I'm aware, worrying about having psychosis, schizophrenia etc is quite a common theme of intrusive thoughts? I certainly agree that OCD is a bad enough diagnosis, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I really do reckon the psychosis/schizophrenia fear though is just another spin on intrusive thoughts.
  4. Glad you're alright. Ah, bless, thanks. Good days and bad days love. I totally get what you mean...sometimes you can be all "wtf that's ridiculous I even worried about that!" to being completely consumed by it.
  5. Hi again, How you doing? The obsessions being so convincing is a large part of what makes OCD so distressing. I've experience of this myself. I can't get over some of the things I believed about myself when I was at my most poorly.
  6. I surely did. It's murky water this OCD business. The disorder thrives on reassurance as we know. Does sharing experiences with each other equate to reassurance? I personally don't think so but others could interpret it that way. Xx
  7. That's the spirit! You're already well on your way!
  8. Hey! It wasn't my intention to inadvertently set BelAnna back...I did a thread not so long ago about reassurance v general sharing of experiences ect and where do we draw the line. I'm relieved you understand what I was getting at. I completely understand the point Caramoole is making, but so's to completely avoid offering OP any sort of reassurance, I'd either need to ignore the thread or post something along the lines of "You think you harmed your dog, so what?"....neither of which I'm comfortable doing.
  9. Caramoole, Thanks for the feedback. I completely understand the importance of breaking the cycle by resisting compulsions, I've been speaking with HDC about it on another thread. Perhaps it might help BelAnna too? It's HDC's most recent thread.
  10. It's a really common compulsion, one I struggle with too. It's utterly terrifying "leaving it alone" to start with but it does get better and easier! Every time you resist a compulsion you weaken the obsession.
  11. Caramoole, Agreed that the most natural response is to offer comfort and reassurance but I don't think there's been any over the top reassurance offered. You state that this is a long standing issue for OP, if that's the case then presumably she's been offered advice you'd seem more appropriate...given her distress is it fair to say this has been of any help either? What do you suggest we do instead to help OP?
  12. You're most welcome. Don't be beating yourself up for not mastering it straight away, it really does take practice.
  13. Hey, It's the demand for absolute certainty that OCD craves. You're afraid to answer, because you're afraid it's the wrong answer, and OCD won't tolerate that uncertainty. The best thing you can do is leave the questioned unanswered. Terrifying huh? It's what you have to do to break the cycle though. Trying to figure it all out is a classic compulsion. If you can break the compulsions it's a game changer. It's not easy, takes lots of practice, but it's achievable. Next time you feel the need to try and "work it out"....refocus your mind and energy elsewhere, something productive and/or an enjoyable hobby. OCD won't take kindly to this and will start screaming at you, it's alright to ignore it.
  14. BelAnna, It's textbook OCD love. Intrusive thoughts, fear of causing harm, doubting it's OCD...classic OCD.
  15. You're very welcome, great advice there from Roy!
  16. Hey HDC! Sorry to hear you're struggling. You got this, and we got you. You're stronger than OCD ??
  17. Hey Headwreck, If OCD had a smell, this post would reek of it! I experience exactly what you described.
  18. Yes, what you describe is very typical of OCD and you're correct in saying that they are compulsions. You have to try really hard to resist the compulsions. As a fellow sufferer I know this is way easier said than done. You won't get it right the first time, but that's ok, it takes practice. Testing yourself, googling, comparisons, imagining scenarios = all compulsions. Work on refocusing your mind and energy to something else when you catch yourself doing it. Like I said, it takes practice, so don't beat yourself up about not mastering it straight away.
  19. Bruces, Your weight, a skin condition nor your mental health do not make you unworthy of happiness.
  20. Hey lovely, Thank you for your kind words. I was in inpatient care for some 4 months and saw psychiatrist and psychologist regularly for a year on discharge. I now see a private therapist, who is wonderful and really knowledgable on OCD. As things stand, I'm still unable to work. My therapist and I discussed setting a goal for being back in work/education so we are working on that currently. I was devastated to lose my career, completely heart broken, but my therapist truly believes I can go back to it. If I can get myself to a point of the same optimism and enthusiasm as her then it's a real possibility. Yes I'm fortunate enough to have support and people who care for me, I truly hope you have support too? x
  21. Hi guys, I also lost my career due to severe relapse and hospitalisation. My relationship broke down but in hindsight that's no bad thing, I was being psychologically and financially abused. I get therapy for my OCD and depression and soon commencing specific therapy re the abusive relationship. I can't promise you guys anything, I still have days (most recent, today) where it all gets too much and I cry. Know this. OCD and depression are smaller than you are. I know full well it doesn't feel that way a lot of the time. OCD and depression, they operate within us, not us within it. You were there before it, and you'll be there after it.
  22. Thanks PB, I seek reassurance myself sometimes (I know, I know) but there was a time where it was all consuming. Exactly as you described actually.
  23. Hi all, Hope you're all well. As we all know, reassurance seeking is common amongst OCD sufferers. This can be done in many ways, googling, asking others etc. Now, I've been thinking this morning, within an OCD context, how would we differentiate between if someone is simply sharing their experience or subtly reassurance seeking? Let's take an illness that isn't OCD, say, asthma. A conversation between asthma sufferers could go a little like this : "Oh, my chest feels so tight when an asthma attack is looming." "Argh, me too, and cold weather really makes me struggle with my breathing, do you get that too?" "Yes! Strongly scented products like air fresheners trigger my asthma too." "Same!" Now let's take OCD. "I worry endlessly that I may cause accidental or deliberate harm to another." "Me too, I'm afraid I'm a danger to children and I also have worries concerning contamination." "Oh, I worry about my true sexuality and worry I've cheated on my partner." "I google a lot to try and find an answer." "Me too!" "Do you get images in your mind?" "Yes! Do you frequently 'test' yourself?" "Yes!" So, the asthmatic conversation is just that, a conversation between 2 sufferers. The OCD conversation, is it the same? How do we tell the difference between a general chat about a disorder in common, and reassurance seeking?
×
×
  • Create New...