Ashley

I would not use NOCD as a reference point Handy, as they are a commercial organisation who are trying to get people to pay for their therapy, and some of their website content/articles leave a little to be desired, and I have questioned, in fact I recently tweeted to question a couple. I did tag them in, even though they have blocked me for questioning their unethical social media approach of following/unfollowing/follow/unfollow etc people with OCD. Their quote isn't just what CBT does, but they are often assuming because CBT includes the word cognitive that it's just a talk therapy, it's not (when done right). However, this is a post where perhaps knowing the UK NHS system can be helpful, and even for those of us here in the UK it's confusing at times! What Imogen refers to is a therapy service called Talking Therapies, which was recently and controversially rebranded from IAPT - Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, to 'Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression' (the anxiety and depression part is usually in small print). It's a really unhelpful service name, but was considered less confusing than IAPT by some. What the Talking Therapies NHS services offer (or should) is NICE recommended treatment, which for OCD is CBT with ERP. As several of us on the IAPT stakeholder group pointed out at the time of the rebranding, CBT is meant to be a doing therapy not just a talking therapy. I did wonder what handson therapy was, but as I typed just now I realise you mean 'hands on' but yes I agree, good CBT is both a talking and doing (hands on) therapy. Not quite the case but you're not totally wrong. Generally Talking Therapy services won't offer medication, that would need to be GP or psychiatrist. Talking Therapy services are just for therapy (CBT), and patients should be given a course of therapy, usually a hour a week for around 10 sessions. Where Handy is right, at that point sometimes patients are told they can't have any more for at least three months, but services should not be doing that and if that happens to anyone please let me know the name of the service doing it and I will raise a complaint. Otherwise everybody else as covered your question Imogen. I hope you get some help

I would like to hope that a good therapist will not judge you and show they are understanding and familiar with the aspect of the OCD that you want to discuss. Is it OCD obsessions around harm, either violent or sexual in nature towards children? We do have a GP Ice Breaker for harm related thoughts that you could print out and ask the therapist to read. We tell the therapist not to be alarmed and refer to the NICE Guidelines and an OCD specialist paper, which address such thoughts, and to continue treating you with therapy, as per the NICE Guidelines for OCD. Hopefully this is something practical that will help you. The other advice I sometimes offer is when you first start working with a new therapist, be a little generic, tell them you have OCD and usually most people do have other OCD issues they can talk about initially. Then mention you have some OCD thoughts that scare you that you dont want, and see how the therapist responds, if they ask the right questions that demonstrate to you that they seem to get it and understand, you may feel more confidence to open up fully. I get it on the helpline sometimes, and I show I understand it by using OCD language and terminology that shows I understand. I can sometimes almost hear the relief coming through the phone line as the person calling realises 'I get it'. Good luck

Thank you to everyone that joined last night, a record number of people for this group, and what a lovely supportive and positive group. I have added the next two meeting dates in for July and August, and as discussed last night moved the start times back to 6pm. 50+ OCD Support Group - Wed 19th July (6:00pm) 50+ OCD Support Group - Wed 16th August (6:00pm) You can now book for either or both meetings on our website here. There was also a suggestion for themes for each meeting, and last we discussed how different we perceive discussion around OCD or mental health as we have got older. Anyone joining next month is welcome to comment on that theme and I am open to suggested themes for next month, feel free to email me or post below.

Not your job, that is their job and responsibility if they feel it's the right step for you. Have you made good use of the treatment offered, so for example have they failed to help you with a specific therapy goal you set at the start of the sessions. If not, or if the sessions kept moving on to different goals then that could be why therapy has not yet been helpful. For secondary care, it's important to be clear if this is right step, as wait times could be 12-24 months in some areas, so you need to review if trying again through IAPT may be a better option for you.

I think the fact you are getting anxiety and worried about it, suggests it could be OCD.

Obviously, I know a fair bit of your posting history on our and other forums, including forums for people about their sexuality. You've spent a decade posting on forums looking for someone to tell you that you're gay, and when nobody does, and everybody, even on sexuality forums, tell you that this is anxiety and intrusive thoughts you continue to post on other forums. You're going around in circles, and I am not sure we are part of your solution, but actually you're using the forums to engage in compulsions, which isn't helping you, we are hurting you I fear. We want to help you, but you need to help us, help you. What can we do to help you move forward?

Now you're putting words in my mouth/typing fingers. What I said was 'Maybe you are gay and experiencing OCD too', which can happen. People who are gay can have OCD about their sexuality, not too dissimilar those experiencing relationship OCD worries may sometimes question their sexuality as part of their OCD because they are worried about the relationship not being real... newsflash. they're not gay. they just suffer with OCD, presumably just like you. You're fixating on one small part of what I wrote, but I accept my clumsy wording to try and get you to see the wood for the trees wasn't helpful. But for clarity I had posted after you again posted that groinal responses are an indication of you being gay and it couldn't possibly be OCD. This is what I wrote. You are adamant and have been for months you are gay, if so why are you here on the OCD forum? Is it possible that deep down you do know that this is all about OCD? I also wrote this... We will help you, but you have to show us where you are and that you're open to the fact that you could, perhaps, have OCD after all.

Sorry BRG I missed your post before. We run weekly online support groups for all ages (click here for all group dates/links), but once a month I host a group for those slightly older 50+ (not strict on this, if you're in the age ballpark you can join). We usually have 8-15 people at the group, varying ages but I would guess average age 50-65. It's an opportunity to talk about OCD or how it impacts in a setting with people of a similar age bracket. I try and keep the group recovery focused in always thinking about 'what can I try next?' and it's nice to see some wins most months. You're welcome to join by just sitting and listening if it's your first time to the group, or you're welcome to talk or comment if you feel comfortable to do so We use Zoom technology for the groups, and although you don't need an OCD-UK account, you do need a Zoom account (free to register) before you can register/access our groups. Register for Zoom here.

Just a reminder there is a meeting for the over 50s group this afternoon at 5:30pm, or as someone cheekily referred to us, 'seniors' Click here to register. If anybody is new to online support groups through Zoom if you post before 4pm today I will try and reach out to help you with the technology. A reminder for those with Zoom on their devices already, the group settings do require you to have the latest version of Zoom to access the meeting so you may wish to do that in advance, instructions further up the thread.

Anybody can develop OCD, but the point I’m making is being fearful and worried of being gay, straight, paedophile or a even murder doesn’t mean you are those things or will become those things.

Now you’re being disrespectful. We’ve helped you for years, but you don’t seem to want to listen, which is fine and your choice. But please don’t allow your lack of insight to project wild and damaging theories that will only upset and scare those affected with this type of OCD.

You think. There’s the problem, you’ve always failed to listen to our explanations of alternative theories, hence why we’re back here. The reality is the more someone with OCD fears and focusses on not being aroused or groinal sensations the more the groin reacts, and the OCD is convinced this means the person is gay. But it’s all a lie, the mind is simply talking to our body and OCD lies about what that means. Much the same as when I see dog poo on the street, my hands start tingling because my OCD fears I might touch it. I haven’t touched it, but my OCD convinces me I have so I have to wash my hands. Same process, same OCD.

This year our members magazine will be launching a themed series of three magazines focusing on the key aspects of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and we need your help with contributions and ideas for the magazine. The brainchild of our former support coordinator Gemma, the magazines will include personal stories and will also explain and break down obsessions, compulsions and treatment. The first magazine will focus on obsessions and the cognitive aspect of CBT. Unpicking what obsessions are and how they play a part in maintaining OCD and how the cognitive aspect of therapy can help. The subsequent two magazines towards the end of the year will look at: Compulsive & Behavioural – Understanding how compulsions work and fuel OCD, and how the behavioural and exposure aspect of CBT can help. Disorder & Therapy – Understanding why OCD is a disorder and exploring awareness around the condition, and how therapy can make a difference and how to access it. For our forthcoming Obsessive & Cognitive edition, we are looking for contributions about how OCD obsessions currently affect you or have impacted you previously. This could be about what themes you experienced, what meanings you placed on them or how you told someone about your obsessions, which we know can be challenging in itself. We also want to hear about how you addressed your obsessions in therapy. If you have good experiences of challenging some of the common OCD beliefs or meanings using CBT. If you faced problems when talking about your obsessions in therapy. If you’re a loved one of someone with OCD, how did you cope with first learning what OCD obsessions were, how did they make the person you care for feel or how did you feel hearing them? Submission details and guidance can be found on our website here - https://www.ocduk.org/the-ocd-magazine-get-involved/ The deadline is at the end of June for the first magazine, and we look forward to reading your contributions

I think it''s fine to use in this context of OCD. If you carry out one compulsion, I can 100% guarantee others will follow at some point, usually minutes or hours later.

Just a reminder our little over 50s gang meets again tomorrow afternoon for anybody that wants to join us

I'm a bit lost too, whats hotly contested? You mean about meds and biological markers? If so I would agree with you on that. I do think that OCD is a psychological condition, where certain clinical specifics have to be met to diagnose OCD, therefore I would consider it a medical condition and we are patients, until such time we don't meet those clinical criteria. That's my take on it

This is good, you are recognising that your problem is perhaps OCD. That's a starting point, but Caramoole is right that you're perhaps afraid to let go of the gear which fully accepts the problem is OCD, and so you're burning out the clutch and going nowhere. Caramoole then asked about what small changes can you make and you brought it back to your wife. I don't always read the thread so I am not sure if this has been asked before or not, but does your wife understand how OCD works? I mentioned on the thread a couple of weeks ago about it's so important to surround ourselves with the right people in times of crisis, and that includes family. So perhaps that's something to think about, and helping her understand OCD is a useful step moving forward. That's the thing, we perhaps do have an idea. Your fantasies are not unique, many of us have had thoughts of a sexual nature about people we should perhaps not be thinking about, so we do have an idea how far fantasies can go. This is part of the problem too, you're holding yourself up to a higher standard than others do, for having them. Others have mentioned the guilt, they're right, but that's perhaps only as a consequence of what you feel about having them in the first place, which certainly needs addressing. You mentioned the overdosing again, what steps can you put in place to resist going down that road again, and what you need to do if you do go down that path? What can we do? Perhaps you can share with me (in private) your personal details so we can take action if nessacary? Look after yourself today Nolightleft.

Well that’s the point, in my article I suggested the therapist actually ask the patient what their choice to be referred to by name and as a patient/client. The article was commissioned to be about my views as a patient anyway, but just wanted to get a wider perspective.

Another thought on ‘client’, does it infer a level of choice on our part to be their client? Because of course for most of us we are not choosing.

You may not really care how you are referred to, personally I see myself as their patient, but I don't know why, client feels a little business orientated. The reason I am just asking for an article I am writing on good practices and bad practices of therapists and I am wondering if this is a big deal to include or not.

Ok, so we seem to be going around again. Do you think you’re a disgusting pervert or do you feel maybe OCD is making you think you’re a disgusting pervert?

Ok then. Shall I just keep agreeing with you? Your suggestion is incredibly unhelpful and potentially unfair and triggering on others with OCD, so please be mindful of this. I fear the reality is your insight on OCD seems either non-existent or your OCD is so powerful it’s overwhelming you and overriding what you know. What do you think? Which of those (or both) are true?

But what if such an approach will lead to someone always having OCD. I believe, for me, not accepting this thought all those years ago pushed me to keep fighting, and get to the point I am now. Still some work to do, but there’s a lot (75%) of OCD problems I can look back on as history.

I don’t believe that OCD falls into the category of being neurodivergent. Our brains, sometimes with therapy, can change how we think about a situation to no longer be fearful or obsess.

Hi Sillykitten, I tend not to pay too much attention to which parts of the brain are doing what, partly because I don’t know if it helps me deal with my OCD too much in the real world. Ultimately it’s not the thoughts that are the problem, it’s our heightened sense of fear fuelled by misinterpretation of such thoughts. As a general rule, we tend to work with the golden rule of OCD that if we are unsure if something might be OCD or not, is to assume it’s OCD. At the start of the pandemic I was overestimating fears a lot, eventually observing others was helpful as I adapted their approach. I think one of my team also struggled with this due to covid vulnerability, if helpful I can see if she can reply with helpful advice? She is off for a few days so it may be late next week.