gingerbreadgirl

Roy you could just say you get distressing intrusive thoughts and you'd rather not discuss the details. I've said that before and they haven't pressed me on it.

I agree I think it would be helpful for DK to read some other posts on here and see that this level of agony, uncertainty and pain is widespread and commonplace among OCD sufferers.

well done for resisting googling. You should be really proud of yourself. With regards to the intrusive thoughts increasing... yeah this is normal although painful just be careful you aren't doing any compulsions inadvertently such as ruminating, trying to push the thoughts away, analysing the thoughts, or whatever. it can be sooo easy to fall into this trap without realising. x

Like you I've had all kinds of comments from GPs - from "I'm a bit OCD too" to "oh do you have a magic number then?" (followed by laughter). I once went to a GP who described having depression as "being cuckoo". It is so frustrating. I have challenged it before, and I've made a complaint before, but sometimes you just want things to be easy and not have to be constantly taking a stand.

it's so disappointing when GPs lack understanding of OCD. I am very careful about what I say to GPs and generally just tell them very vaguely and only focus on the stuff they can get on board with like checking or contamination. I see GPs as like receptionists more than anything, you need them to do something for you (whether refer you, or prescribe a medication, or do a test, or whatever) and I think the key is to go in with a clear idea of what you want from them and don't go into any more detail than you need to. That's just my opinion anyway.

I'm sorry your daughter is struggling so much. Some great advice from Gemma here. Just wanted to say I think it will help her massively that she has so much support from you and to feel like she is able to talk honestly with you about it. That will make things so much easier for her. It may seem like an impossible task right now but she can get better from this and it is great that you are looking at solutions now at a young age. Stay strong - feel free to come to the forum for support or help any time x

apart from anything do you really think gay people experience sexual arousal every single time they're in the presence of someone of their preferred gender or even seeing a picture? what an exhausting way that would be to live! nobody would ever get anything done! do you not think anxiety is perhaps a more likely explanation?

So you lashed out. No it wasn't a great thing to do - I don't think physically lashing out in anger is ever on no matter what he's done - BUT nor is it the end of the world, and you're certainly not the only person in the world to have done that in the heat of the moment. If you can find a single person who hasn't done something regrettable then you've found a saint or a liar. There are many things I've done in my life which were unacceptable at the time - yet the world is still turning. Put OCD in a box and don't let it hijack this complex situation. Put your non-OCD head on and deal with the issues as they are happening, talk to your partner, work through this (if you want to) or not (if you don't) - but make sure you're the one driving the car, not your OCD.

Can I just add and I know that OCD can focus on anything but if you were to date a bi guy it is a little offensive to think (a) he would give you AIDS and (b) he would be any more likely to be unfaithful than a straight guy.

This is fantastic you should be so proud of yourself!!! Hopingtorecover - 1, ocd - a big fat zero!

Don't get me wrong vomiting isn't the best experience but there are lots of other experiences that are pretty bad too that you don't spend every waking minute trying to prevent. A bug lasts for what - a day or two? Every few years at most? I'd take that over the misery of ocd! I used to feel like this about burglary I used to think everyone else was careless or even stupid. I went to extreme lengths to try and prevent it. Now I don't. Has my risk of being burgled gone up? Maybe a little. And if I was burgled it would be awful. But I'll happily take that risk to not feel anxious about it.

Hi belanna What is it that scares you so much about vomiting? X

I think you're doing brilliantly ashley and sharing it here will be an inspiration to many I'm sure. X

Hi ironborn I've noticed that you've come on the forum from time to time for quite a long time now. Every time you do, you feel it is the worst thing in the world - you get some reassurance, then disappear only to come back when the next thing pops up. It seems that you never stand back and see the pattern for what it is (which is understandable, we've all been there). You will always have recurrences of ocd until you break this cycle of compulsions.