Has anyone beaten OCD without meds?

[Guest Nikki79]

Im not on anything for my anxiety but going to the Docs when I can get an appointment. I feel sad as hate the side effects but I'm clearly not managing and feel depressed now too. Just wondering what anyones advice is here, thanks lovely people x

[Tez]

Hi Nikki

I can only speak from personal experience, and I know that there are lots of people out there who have faced OCD without medication and won through. For me though, the medication has been profoundly liberating and allowed me to lead a normal life, side effects notwithstanding. I take olanzapine and citalopram, so there is a strong anti-psychotic element to my meds. They stabilise my mood and stop me from running with OCD ideas and getting tied up in too many knots. Your experience on medication will depend on your mood, any underlying depression and how severe your OCD is.

Hope it works out okay!

Tez :original:

[toffeecush1on]

I too don't want any medications as I worry about the side effects. Do you think that you are feeling depressed because you fear you will have to take medication? Maybe when you hear that OCD can be beaten without drugs you will feel a bit more positive and your depression will ease.

[vintagegirl]

yes, several times including this time and im the most recovered I have ever been (meaning barely any compulsions compared to hundreds I had before very very little anxiety if any at all, an no meds what so ever xx

[Ollie46]

I refused medication because of the side effects. Wouldn't say I'm cured, but I'm a hell of a lot better than I was due to the work I put in towards beating it

[Guest Nikki79]

Wow some really great stories there. I think I'm suffering a little depression now and finding it harder not to ruminate hence why Im thinking of meds again. I would love not to take them tho.

[gingerbreadgirl]

I haven't beaten OCD as such but have made a lot of progress with CBT alone. I have been prescribed meds but I don't take them as I don't like what they do to me. The most I take is st John's wort occasionally, although that too has side effects, and also kalms which I suspect is more of a placebo effect. The best thing I do anxiety wise isn't to take meds but to watch certain things such as caffeine, alcohol, sugar, etc. Doing this - for me - has a much more profound effect than any med I have tried ( which is admittedly not much). X

[Guest OCDAY]

Hiya,

I can only speak from experience and know others can manage OCD without meds.

I believe the key is finding the right OCD specialist therapist/pshychologist from the start is key. When I diagnosed under the NHS I was put on SRRIs and a 12-18 month waiting list to see a therapist.....

The side effects for me personally on SSRIs the cons outwayed the pros. So quit.

Got Diazepam for emergency use only. I dont promote this drug unless you can stick to EMERGENCY USE ONLY. I wouls say max 2 tabs a week. I did'nt stick to this and am on max dose per day.......I highly would NOT recommend this.

Have you tried rescue remedy, I few forum users recommended it to me. It's herbal over the counter and doesnt interfer with meds. You can get in tesco, boots etc.

I so agree cutting out caffeine and alcohol, worked wonders for me. Not heard of cutting out sugar?? How do you do that as its in a lot of foods.

[Guest legend]

non meds and full recovery with self help, with no professional assistance

[gingerbreadgirl]

Hi, I don't cut out sugar, but I reduce it and try to keep an eye on how much I have. Personally I feel much less anxious on a lower gi diet but that's just me x

[Phili]

I'm so lost I don't know what I'm doing. My doctor offered me meds but with health OCD the worry of side effects or an allergic reaction would just make it worse. Sometimes I envy other peoples OCD, having health OCD is like being locked inside something that is trying to kill you, Of course suffering is relevant so I would likely suffer as much with a different kind.

[Guest Nikki79]

I think sugar effects me hugely and the past few weeks I've had loads of it for sure! My birth control pills might be effecting me too. Guys therapists have told me my ocd gives me lower mood. Thats what happens after thoughts. So maybe I have to have ssris.

[Guest OCDAY]

My mood is very low right now. In the last 3 days I have ate a lot of chocolate (twirls and wispa's mainly!!!).... U may have a point.

The dogs in your sig are top.......what breed r they???

[Guest Nikki79]

Yummy haha but ya we need to watch our diets. They are staffies not mine but I have owned one before

[Guest OCDAY]

Love staffies - Dogs calm me, cant own one (thanks OCD!!!!) But have loads of labs and retrievers in my life!!!!

What SSRIs have you tried??? The newer ones like Escitalopram have fewer side effects, for some people.

[Guest OCDAY]

Hi Philli - I have health OCD too and hid my OCD for 10 years as new GP would just put me on meds, and didnt want to on drugs.

I'm sorry I cany advise you cause some people get amazing results, it just isnt for me!!!

[Guest sophie13]

Hi Nikki, sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I wished somebody treated me when all this mess started. I mean when I was a teenager. I wish I was given the right medecine and CBT... No, I haven't got out of it without medecine. DO NOT BE AFRAID! Medecine should help you. The anti depressants should be introduced step by step because they do help release serotonine and nobody wants a high dose of serotonine. So if you take them, increase the dose slowly. The doctors should know. Do not be afraid. I am so angry that there is so much talk about medecine... as if we had to get better on our own without any help. I am happy for those who could do it, but I have no idea what kind of anxiety they had.

All I can say is that I had so much anxiety that I lost 10 kg in 2 weeks... I can go on and on wothout sleeping until I feel like a zombie and I am not capable to understand what people tell me because I can't focus. Out of question to stay like that day in day out... I felt so bad with this relapse that I tried to treat without meds that I am even anry with my doctor for not sugestiong them earlier...

OCD horrible... when my anxiety is low, I can manage and I don't do compulsions, but when the anxiety is very high I just can't...

Edited October 27, 2014 by sophie13

[Guest Nikki79]

Hi Sophie, I dunno whats happened me I just am questioning everything you know. Mainly how is everything I've written on here, spoke to with Therapists all just thoughts??

[Guest sophie13]

Nikki, anxiety and OCD happened to you :-) When the anxiety is high, I too question. Do I take something to kill it, don't I? (I mean a benzodiazepinde, something that reduces anxiety very fast)... when I first started to take anti-depressants, years ago, I argued with myself so much :-) If you have pneumonia and you have to take antibiotics or you need to go to the hispotal, nobody questions. You see, anxiety, depression- are real. We don't imagine them... and sometimes we need medecine.

You are strong Nikki, you've been down before, you'll get back on your feet!

[Guest Nikki79]

I know I've got to try and accept I've done nothing wrong and its all OCd. Not easy tho my friend

[Guest sophie13]

Of course it is OCD. I know it is not easy... I too make compulsions... I have all kind of thoughts. Sometimes I resist. Today I resisted making a certain compulsion to a thoght. I made others. Sometimes I don't, but I know how it works. It will **** my head less and less and one day it will go in remission again.

I've read some posts of yours. You're having anxiety and ruminations for a while and I know how hard you try. You will beat it, with or without meds, you will beat it. But if you take meds, DO NOT be sad or feel guilty, please :-) It's not a little flu that goes on its owin in 3 days. It's anxiety and sometimes we need medecine.

[Guest Nikki79]

Hi Sophie I agree but all I want so much is to feel I'm a good person who never has done wrong to anyone no matter the fears. Is that so much to ask?

[Guest sophie13]

nikki, right now you are having this feeling. how is this diffrent from other negative feelings toward yourself that you've expressed in the past? you are in the loop, my dear. yes, you will feel better about all these as soon as the anxiety will go down... how did you do in the past to get over the obsessive thoughts? i remember you saying you had gotten over it in the past...

[highlight]

I don't know what to do myself with my meds. I have had them in my cabinet for at least 4 months. I took them a few times but always get side-effects that for me are a little frightening and now I am concerned because I have heard that in the short term meds can increase anxiety not help it.

This worries me because I have recently had a difficult time and it appears to be getting better and I just don't want to screw that up. Non of the points just mentioned help the fact that to a degree I am already paranoid about taking mind altering substances.

But on the other hand some people say that the meds have really helped them and I love that idea especially the one where I actually get to talk to people and may make some friends that are not imaginary (facebook friends).

I simply don't know what to do with my meds so they stay stashed away in my cabinet as I type now.

[Justine]

Have beaten ocd in the past off meds, meds have only ever given me side effects. Have ocd back now and am struggling but general anxiety has already reduced a lot with no meds, just cbt.