felix4

Hi Rebekah, You are clearly anxious about this, but I would think it unlikely that you have autism! Might it be worth your while to chat to your doctor about this, & tell them how anxious and nervous you are, and see if they can refer you on to another round of CBT, or if in the pipeline, apply some weight and bring forward appointments. Don't suffer in silence, and keep the pressure on in a polite way!

Hi Bella, Sadly, not even professionals are in any position to make a diagnosis from text on a forum, so you really should see your GP and to get an official diagnosis, & subsequent treatment if needed. Just one other thing, have you looked into OCPD & similarities with OCD?

Hi Ironborn, I had a similar experience where OCD latched onto treatment by way of mental contamination! Looking back, I put this down to the stress & desperation of it all, where OCD focuses on the only way out. I was so ill with multiple themes all running at the same time, & even diagnosed with borderline psychotic OCD at one stage. As for who has it worse, I think this depends on how debilitating it is, & how much of the day it takes up. I don't agree that all sufferers experience it the same. You can get better with a top quality therapist! I surprised myself last year by returning to that wonderful country of yours! I never thought I would make it out of my hometown, let alone fly, stay in a hotel, & so on. All the best!

Sorry, my mistake.

From what I gather, young DK was initially diagnosed as having OCD, only for it then to be questioned and subsequently dismissed by two other health professionals. Furthermore, I question whether it helpful to her to be receiving similar diagnostic pro & dismissive comments via a forum as to whether this is OCD or not? I feel sorry for her, and I wish that she would push for specialist help and get an official diagnosis and treatment, because something clearly is causing her unease here.

Well done Hoping! You are doing really well, and it looks like you have struck gold with that therapist! View this as a turning point, where you are now controlling OCD, as opposed to it controlling you.

If they do CBT, and provide counselling specialised to OCD instead, then I am guessing that they were sought privately and not well up on the disorder.

Hi Powerless, Was this a private counsellor? In all my years of having OCD, I don't think I have ever heard of a "counsellor specialised" in OCD?

Hi Powerless, I am sorry to read that you are having to go through all of this! Are you going to accompany your daughter to her psychiatric appointment next week? Hopefully you are, & if so, you need to explain all of this to them and push for CBT as soon as possible. With regards to meds, if possible I would steer clear of medication such as diazepam, because they can be highly addictive and a problem to come off, also they are unlikely to actually help with the OCD. The usual route is anti depressants called SSRI's, but they can take many weeks to build in your system and often only really take the edge off of things. Personally, I take a small amount of a different anti depressant (not recommended for OCD) and an antipsychotic, but I am doing relatively well with this after having good quality CBT too. All the best.

All the more reason to see someone qualified! Did you not see my earlier reply (the one below), DK? You don't appear to have answered.

Ironically, it is Global Handwashing Day today 2019!

DK, Your brain is misfiring like any other sufferer, perhaps slightly more so, and to get better you NEED specialist help! I just don't understand why you are unwilling to discuss this with doctors who will have heard this type of thing before many times?

Hi Natasha, You mention medication, I take it they have your brother on an SSRI antidepressant, but have they tried a small amount of a antipsychotic medication with this? I remember one of the top doctors in OCD suggesting this in treatment resistant cases, & it is what has helped me alongside a good quality OCD clinic in Sussex. It kind of skews the thought process slightly, and helped me see things slightly differently with regards to OCD. I can't really help more, but I am sure others will post shortly, & I wish you all the best.

Hi Alien8, I know this might seem an odd thing to say, but perhaps you are fighting too hard! I too thought I were treatment resistant, & have to confess to trying a small amount of antipsychotic to help, but what I found in the past is that trying too hard can have an adverse effect with OCD playing harder still. It is a balancing act, and I hope this helps.

Having seen the recent news coverage of extinction rebellions actions in London, I have found myself worrying less about the environment! Not because I think their action is going to achieve anything, but because I get the impression they are being dishonest and hypocritical, & in some cases laughable. I also disagree with them disrupting the lives of others who are not fellow activists, & I am sure it must have an adverse effect by putting people off recycling and doing their bit.