Success stories?

[kirby42]

Anyone got any success stories they'd like to share or a link to some. It'd be cool to here some stories from the other side and help the rest of us feel hopeful. I mean, this can't last forever, right?

[Guest legend]

i recovered 8 odd years ago and live a good life without any ocd problems what so ever

cbt knowledge helped immensley

[taurean]

I think you need look no further than the success stories you will find on the main OCD-Uk website.

Key players in our charity have overcome OCD and willingly give their time and energy to helping others.E,g. Our co-fonder Ashley Fulwood was crippled with contamination OCD, but now considers himself 80% cured.

I've taken up that baton too, i was struggling severely at the age of 50, and with a disabled wife profoundly deaf the future for keeping working paying the mortgage and paying into a pension pot looked slim.

But I was able to find a good therapist and she, together with an understanding boss and a with-it employer - and an understanding wife - helped me turn things around and in two weeks time i shall be retiring.

[PolarBear]

I suffered for almost 40 years. Toward the end nearly every waking moment was filled with obsessions and compulsions. In the last 11 and a half months I've seen my obsessions drop by about 80% and my compulsions become nonexistent. I responded well to meds and take care of the rest with CBT.

I live a quiet, relaxed life now. My brain is at peace.

Edited July 21, 2014 by PolarBear

[Miranda123]

I haven't suffered with ocd for long - just over a year. I have harm ocd and if have come so far, from begging my mum to take me to a&e to be sectioned to being back to myself living a happy life exactly how I was before.

Brain Lock helped me so SO much, it helped me understand a lot, this forum has helped me no end, along with meds and CBT.

I changed my attitude massively and forced myself to become positive and fight for my life back - best thing I have ever done! Id say I am 85% better than I was a year ago and improving every day!

[Ascend]

I've had an eighty percent reduction in symptoms over the last year or so, have had OCD for about fifteen years quite severely.

Used a combination of traditional CBT, ERP and ACT. Have had no professional intervention regarding OCD, this was all done myself.

[Guest legend]

I've had an eighty percent reduction in symptoms over the last year or so, have had OCD for about fifteen years quite severely.

Used a combination of traditional CBT, ERP and ACT. Have had no professional intervention regarding OCD, this was all done myself.

and mine myself was self directed , as above

[kirby42]

Is it too wishful to hope for a 100% recovery? My life has really been turned upside down the last few months

[PolarBear]

Shoot for 100%. If you only get to 80%, it's still pretty good.

[taurean]

I'm slightly unusual . My OCD comes in episodes.

In between episodes I am virtually 100% ok, so I am still working on limiting /curtailing the episodes.

[mummyoftwogirls]

Taurean I'm the same . However mine will be severe then go down to 80% free

[Guest legend]

Just like to add how great it is to see such wonderful stories of success on here.

Proof that with the right approach and help it does get better

well done guys

[taurean]

And there are of course many others who, because they are better, are not currently posting on the forum. People tend to join, or return, when they are struggling - but there are a certain percentage of us active because we like to try and help others.

[OCDCanuck]

I have greatly reduced my obsessions with the use of medication (citalopram), and have used CBT techniques on whatever is left.

I may never be 100% 'cured' but I feel a heck of a lot better.

[Guest]

How do you all know you are "80% cured" and not 60, 70, 85% etc.? What calculations did you use?

[carlleo123]

and mine myself was self directed , as above

thats good to know as thats what I'm doing alot of self help at the moment. One question though, what's ACT?

[Guest legend]

ACT is > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptance_and_commitment_therapy

[PolarBear]

How do you all know you are "80% cured" and not 60, 70, 85% etc.? What calculations did you use?

Mike, it's an educated guess. I looked at how many obsessions I was getting in a day and looked at how much time I was spending on compulsions.

[Guest]

Mike, it's an educated guess. I looked at how many obsessions I was getting in a day and looked at how much time I was spending on compulsions.

Ah, sorry, it's just that people keep saying things xyz have this or that percent chance of happening, without really backing it up and it just annoys me.

Maybe that's just ocd speaking, I don't know, anyway sorry if that sounded rude.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Guest

[mummyoftwogirls]

i kinda use a percentage in a way of how much time i had obsessions and performed compulsions so i would say im 80% BETTER at the moment as my ocd is only around about 20% of my day opposed to 100%

[taurean]

I'm interested to note that a number of people are quoting 80% better (including that's the figure Ashley Fulwood our CEO gave), but hey, 80% better means a lot of life recovered, and being lived, that had previously been lost to OCD and its machinations. - I think that's a fantastic achievement.

Edited July 22, 2014 by taurean

[PolarBear]

80% feels great. For me the remainder is obsessions that are mostly weak and controllable with what I learned in ERP.

[mummyoftwogirls]

80% feels much better , ie not spending all day ruminating checking etc but obsessions do still bother me because i cant 'feel' certain. however im working on this and understanding i have to tolerate this feeling because i will never be completely certain this is the hardest thing to cope with. i often assumed that once i stopped all the compulsions that the obsession/doubt would go. i have seen a massive reduction in my obsession and much less doubt but its not gone . im much happier though

[Guest lizinlondon]

hiya I think most people without OCD get intrusive thoughts and might do the odd compulsion without even registering they have done it - so even people without OCD are not 100%!

[Guest]

hiya I think most people without OCD get intrusive thoughts and might do the odd compulsion without even registering they have done it - so even people without OCD are not 100%!

Or maybe everyone in the world has ocd!