Hi there, feeling really down is there any happy stories from OCD sufferers?

[Guest Silent Lee]

Hi everyone, my name is Lee.

I have been on citalopram for 7 years and had a few attempts to come off but failed. This year I had never felt so good, life was good and I was feeling strong, had been reducing my dosage on Citalopram to 1 every 3 days. Went to the Doctors who said the best months to stop where the summer. Anyway 4 weeks later depression kicked in and I developed this huge fear due to unwanted thoughts of lashing out and hurting people around me. I believe this can be labelled as Pure OCD.

I went back to Doctors and have been put back on Citalopram and I have started to see a therapist in CBT, but finding it so difficult. Feel really down sometimes as I am due to get married in 5 weeks and I just feel so much responsibility.

Just wanted to know if there is light at the end of the tunnel out there. I feel like I can never be happy again?

[legalseagull]

Hello and welcome. Yes you can and will be happy again. Stick with the CBT, it might take time and be quite stressful but it does work. My OCD has improved but I've still got a long way to go. There's people on this forum who consider themselves completely cured and others who'd say they're maybe 90% cured. There's definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

Congratulations on your wedding. 5 weeks gives you a bit of time to really stamp on your OCD so you can enjoy your day. Is your fiancee understanding of your OCD?

[taurean]

Hi everyone, my name is Lee.

I have been on citalopram for 7 years and had a few attempts to come off but failed. This year I had never felt so good, life was good and I was feeling strong, had been reducing my dosage on Citalopram to 1 every 3 days. Went to the Doctors who said the best months to stop where the summer. Anyway 4 weeks later depression kicked in and I developed this huge fear due to unwanted thoughts of lashing out and hurting people around me. I believe this can be labelled as Pure OCD.

I went back to Doctors and have been put back on Citalopram and I have started to see a therapist in CBT, but finding it so difficult. Feel really down sometimes as I am due to get married in 5 weeks and I just feel so much responsibility.

Just wanted to know if there is light at the end of the tunnel out there. I feel like I can never be happy again?

Hi Lee,

CBT is really good at dealing with this type of problem, which I have had myself.

I think you weren't ready to have the "waterwings" of citalopram (to keep you nicely afloat) taken away from you, as evidenced by the relapse.Don't worry about that, there will be another time, when you have the right tools from therapy in your armoury, to look at coming off the drug..

By the way I belong to the school of thought that says you will nearly always find a compulsion behind an obsession (i.e. there is no "Pure OCD"- with OCD thoughts like yours, the compulsion is the rumination, and researching - like contacting us (which is actually of course in that case not a bad thing) seeking re-assurance, trying to get rid of the thought , passing neutralising thoughts so there are mental compulsions.

When you have learned from the therapy and reading posts on this forum - where that is our constant theme in the handling of intrusive thoughts - to accept that the thoughts are not yours, they say nothing about you nor your character, they are false messages from OCD, - and to just acknowledge them and apply distraction, your happiness will definitely be back.

Edited August 2, 2014 by taurean

[Guest thorns and roses]

Hi ... What dodage was u on.. I used to take 60mg .... dont feel like youve failed we are all humans tying to get through this stressful life we arent designed for the stresses we have all got to deal wiv .. Keep strong . X TNR x

[Guest thorns and roses]

Meant dosage lol x

[Guest thorns and roses]

There is defently light .. I think its just a rrally long bloody tunnel im still waiting on comingvout the end of mine lol ......