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Emsie

OCD-UK Member
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Everything posted by Emsie

  1. Hi Dave, I’m so sorry you’re struggling so much. Things can and will get better for you with the right things in place. I’m glad to hear that you are still in therapy. Maybe, working closely with your therapist, you can start tackling a hierarchy of obsessions, one at a time. I feel with some victories under your belt you will have the motivation to keep going. Just know you’re not alone, you can make your situation so much better and keep fighting and working hard at it. We know the theory, we’ve just got to start putting it in to practise. Sending you a big hug. X
  2. Hi Avo, thank you so much for your reply and all that you said. It means a lot. I guess when you’re feeling low you feel a loss of hope. I do think I need to work much harder and I give in too easily. Thank you for giving me a push in the right direction. I need to go back to basics and yes, I’ve got Break Free from OCD, so I should use that. I need to write down my own blueprint of what works for me. Thank you for asking, I am going to try the online course I think, but I need to wait until I can afford it. Thank you for everything Avo and I hope you’re doing well. X
  3. Hi Dave, thank you so much for your reply. It means a lot. Your words are spot on. I guess my main problem like most of us is working out what’s a real worry and OCD. When the alarm goes off with the anxiety it’s so easy to be fooled that it’s real. None of my worries/fears turn out to be real so that should tell me something. I’ve got to start recognising the intrusive thoughts and feelings and then do as you described. I know I don’t work hard enough and I give in too easily. I must resist the compulsive urges. It’s my behaviourial responses that get me as they always make my fears worse. I’m sorry for how you are feeling too and that you’re struggling so much. I hope you can make some small victories and slowly build on them. As you said to me, you are not alone. Bless you, not at all, it was perfect and I really appreciate all your words. Thank you, Dave. X
  4. Hi everyone, I just want to put this down in words really and I guess vent. I’ve had a terrible few days and not great weeks really. My main obsessions surround my health at the moment and it spills in to my daughters health too. The latest one surrounded my daughter and I can look back and see where I could have stopped it in its tracks, but I didn’t and one compulsion led to another and the whole situation escalated. Each compulsion made the worry and fears even worse and created new fears. If I hadn’t engaged it would have been a nothing. I just don’t see how I can change my thinking. I just think this is who I am. My OCD went in to remission during the first 18 months of her life, but since then it’s been relentless with multiple themes, not just health. This relapse will be for 2 years in May. I just don’t see how I can change and how my thinking can change. I don’t really know what I’m trying to say really. I guess it just feels like it’s never going to go away. Thank you for reading. X
  5. That’s great and good to know and understand. Thank you PolarBear. X
  6. Hi Andrea, Thank you so much for taking the time to do that and to give me your thoughts, I really appreciate it, it's so kind of you. I really value your opinion and that helps a lot, thank you! big hug back
  7. Hi guys, please can I ask a question about ERP. I'm wondering if what I've done in the past is ERP. I haven't set up anything deliberately because for my obsessions its a bit difficult. To explain with an example, I used to get triggered by broken bits of glass that you see sometimes in car parks, near pubs, on paths etc. I had to pick the glass up (compulsion) as I feared that if I didn't and someone got hurt like a child it would all be my fault. I then worried about the disposal and I used to take the glass home to recycle. I had a purse in my bag that I'd put it in. Then of course came the checking compulsions of returning to the site and checking I'd found it all. I'd avoid looking down etc too. All compulsions. In CBT, something my therapist said clicked and helped with the cognitive side and then if and when I came across glass in a car park etc I'd carry on walking and ride out the anxiety/feelings of being irresponsible etc. I can now see broken glass and it doesn't bother me, no trigger, no complusions. But I didn't set the ERP up, I just did it when I saw broken glass, so unplanned. I could hardly sprinkle glass about and then leave it there. So is doing it in an unplanned way and just doing it as and when the triggers arise still considered ERP?
  8. Hi dksea, thank you so much for your time, for watching the video and for your input on the course. I really appreciate it, it’s so kind of you and I really value your opinion. Thank you for everything. Best wishes to you. X
  9. Hi Avo, Thank you, yes it would be about a years wait I reckon. I think it would be the same therapist as I got that impression. Good point Avo, thank you. I'm glad you're ok but I hope the issues you have on the go get sorted very soon. Thank you so much for all of your advice, I really appreciate it. X
  10. Hi Avo, bless you, thank you so much for looking at her video and website and for your reply, that's so kind of you. Good idea to look on the OCD UK main website, thank you. And yes I could ask Ashley too, but I know how busy he is so ideally I wouldn't want to bother him. The CBT that I've had so far was with the NHS, I could refer myself again but my therapist told me that I had to wait 6 months before doing that. From a financial point of view that would be best, but when that 6 months has lapsed I'll then have to jump through some hoops before I go back on the waiting list and last time I waited 9 months once I'd been placed on the list. My therapist was ok and nice, but I'm not sure if she was good enough. Thank you so much for your reply and advice Avo, you're a star. I hope everything is ok with you and you're doing well. X
  11. Hi again dksea, thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate it. No, I don't have any experience of her either as I'm based in England and she's in Ireland. Wow, Tokyo sounds great! Thank you so much for looking her up, so kind of you. On her actual website there is a promo video of her self help course for OCD that outlines the materials, how it works etc. Thank you so much, that's very kind of you to take a look later, but no pressure, only if you have the time. Yes, I need to be careful with money at the moment but I agree the price seems ok based on the resources it 'seems' to include, just wary I suppose in case it's not as advertised. Yes, good plan, if I feel it's worthwhile trying it then I will set a little aside. Thank you so much again and thank you so much if you do get a chance to review the promo video on her website, but no worries you can't, there's no pressure of course. Best wishes to you, Em X
  12. Hi dksea, thank you, this is a brief snippet of one of her resources. On her website, there's a promo video of her OCD online course that you can watch that outlines the whole course. The link you gave is what lead me to look her up. Thank you.
  13. Hi Andrea, thank you for your reply. Because of the rules of the forum I cannot post a link, but if you google her name, you'll see her website and then if you look at her self help materials there's a promo video for the OCD online course to watch on her actual website. No pressure of course to take a look. Big hug too X
  14. Hi everyone, I just wanted to get peoples opinions if possible. I had a course of CBT (12 sessions) that ended last autumn and it helped to some degree i.e. with some aspects. I am still however not where I’d like to be and I do have bad episodes. OCD is there everyday and it’s a mixture of ok, not great and totally out of control. So I need to do more work. A forum user recently posted a video clip by a Dr Elaine Ryan which I found useful. I googled her and found her website and she has self help online courses available. There’s one for OCD and you can preview the course before you buy and it does look very comprehensive and thorough. There’s lots of exercises, information, downloadable resources and worksheets. It’s CBT with mindfulness and some ACT too. I think it looks good. It’s €99 as she’s based in Ireland, so roughly £87 as a one off payment for lifetime use. I’m currently a full time mum so I have no disposable income so that’s a lot of money to me at the moment. So I’m just wondering in the first instance if anyone has used this resource in order to get some feedback about it so I can make more of an informed decision. But also, if anyone has any time to look at it, because on her website there’s a video where she discusses and outlines the course, I’d be very grateful for your input too. That’s just a thought if anyone does have the time to look at it, but of course no worries at all if no one does has the time. Sorry if that’s a cheeky ask. I hope you all have a good day. X
  15. Hear, hear to this! Love, kiss, cuddle your baby and enjoy every minute with him.
  16. Thank you Ollie. A Merry Christmas to you too. May it be as OCD free as possible. X
  17. I just wanted to point out that in my post above about Sertraline I did say that: ‘The BNF also states that its not known to be harmful whilst breastfeeding’ But, on the BNF/NICE website (that there is a link for on the OCD UK website page about Sertraline), it actually says the following about Sertraline and breastfeeding: Not known to be harmful but consider discontinuing breast-feeding. I just wanted to make that clear to everyone and not be misleading in any way because the BNF/NICE website page about Sertraline does say that extra bit, that is consider discontinuing breastfeeding. Just wanted to be completely clear and not mislead anyone as I feel my comment was biased and not the full picture regarding the BNF/NICE information about Sertraline and breastfeeding.
  18. Hi Ashley, thank you for your reply. So glad you didn’t mind my comments. I’ll email you in a min about it. Thank you, Em
  19. Hi Ashley, I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I've just read your summary of Sertraline on the main website and to me it's a little bit strong in relation to pregnancy and breatfeeding. When I clicked on the link on the OCD UK website to the NHS choices information on Sertraline I felt that it gave a much more rounded description. For example, on the OCD UK website it states that Sertraline does pass in to breast milk, but it is in tiny amounts, which I feel is an important thing to add. The BNF also states that its not known to be harmful whilst breastfeeding. With regards to pregnancy as stated on the NHS website, Sertraline is associated with a very small increased risk of problems to the unborn baby. I do feel that it's only a little bit strong, but enough to cause a bit of undue worry. If I'd read your website when I was pregnant, I would of been worried. But, if I'd read the NHS choices website it wouldn't have worried me. I think because the information on the OCD UK website is concise, a bit of important detail has been lost. Obviously, this is close to my heart because I took sertraline throughout my pregnancy and during breastfeeding. It never worried me because my Consultant explained it to me. My OCD never attached itself to it and I never googled it. But, if I was pregnant or breastfeeding now, I think I would be concerned if I read the OCD UK website information. The reason I say that is because it did give me a bit of a pang of anxiety when I read it. Maybe that's my OCD, as one of my themes is causing accidental harm to my daughter, so please feel free to ignore. It's very hard for me to be objective. I don't know if you'll see this Ashley, but if you do, I hope you don't mind me saying this. I just thought that maybe you could take a look and see what you think. Dawnie, sorry for writing this on your thread, I just thought it was the best place for it.
  20. I completely agree with this and find it very useful. I like the App 'Two Dots'. It's really absorbing and sometimes very challenging. I've also been watching clips from Dragons Den on YouTube in this way too, I really love it.
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