Jump to content

Does CBT work for OCD?


Guest irritated

Recommended Posts

Guest irritated

Hi, it's irritated again. I was hoping someone would be able to offer me some advice from their own personal experience if cognitive behaviour therapy is successful? I suffer with obsessing over my clothes and how they feel on me. They have to be a certain way for me to feel comfortable and of course they never are! This results in me having to constantly adjust, thighten and loosen them.

I then get very angry and frustrated with them and myself, so i end up either ripping and destroying the clothes or physically beating myself.

I've been on 100mg of clomipramine per day for nearly 2years now and i'm currently seeing a private physcotherapist once a week. He has tried to engage me in CBT, however, i have been afraid and confused by the whole process. There's a part of me that wants to change and part of me who doesn't and the latter is winning at the moment! I've had these thoughts and feelings since i started school, they've gradually got worse as i've grown up and i am now 21. I have struggled to make good friendships as my obsession has got in the way and i've only bin in one intimate relationship which was over 3yrs ago!

It hasn't just been the clothes that i've found discomfort with, it's also bin a general feeling of finding comfort in my everyday life, things had to be just right or i couldn't relax. I am open to any advice anyone has to offer. My obsession has destroyed alot of my confidence in myself and i'm extremely ashamed of who i am. Please, help!? I just can't seem to let go of these thoughts&feelings! :blushing:

Link to comment
He has tried to engage me in CBT, however, i have been afraid and confused by the whole process. There's a part of me that wants to change and part of me who doesn't and the latter is winning at the moment!

31457[/snapback]

Hi irritated :blushing:

CBT is the treatment of choice for OCD. I just wondered if you could expand a bit, what is it that makes you reluctant to change, I wondered?

Do you feel that you wouldn't feel like you anymore, you'd be lost without the compulsions, it would be too difficult, you'd have to face things that your OCD has prevented you from doing?

Link to comment
Guest irritated

Yes i'm afraid of what life would be like without carrying out my compulsions. For example, today i've been compelled to keep adjusting my belt on my jeans. I guess i'm used to wearing my work trousers around my waist and i don't like the fact the jeans fit differently. I have to have clothes a certain way otherwise i won't wear them. I'm afraid of what loosing control and letting go of these thoughts and feelings. I believe the ocd is a part of me and it's who i am. I'm desperate to breakaway from it, but i'm terrified of feeling constantly uncomfortable if i do? I hope you can understand where i'm coming from? :blushing:

Link to comment
Guest Beckett93

I see where you are coming from and I would say it's normal. I read Brain Lock and one of the recoverees said they mourned the loss of their OCD, that it was their enemy, but a friendly enemy. It can feel weird to go from having compulsions and obsessions that take up most of your day to having hours to fill, but it can be done, because OCD is not who you are. If you let go of the OCD nothing bad will happen. You will be able to live a more full life, which will feel a little strange at first, but ultimately you will be glad you did. What I am getting at is that you won't always feel uncomfortable when you break away from the OCD. You probably will at first, but with the passage of time you will be glad you did break away. It is hard, but you can do it. And don't feel bad about being reluctant to seek treatment. There are many many people out there who feel the same way.

Link to comment
Guest twoshoes

I said to mr Twoshoes that I was worried that when i didn't have my OCD controlling my life that I would become careless and cause harm. Secretly I thought OCD had a use in my life, under hypnosis I said that I OCD/anxiety keeps me safe.

I know this to be untrue. When I have beaten the OCD I will continue to wash my hands after the loo, I won't think dog poo is face mask and I won't be causing any harm. Like I said i know this to be true yet it is hard to get it to feel true. OCD makes you doubt.

CBT has worked for me in the past but when I attempted it again recently i found that I was suffering with panic attacks and so i was unable to continue. i am having clinical hypnotherapy to help deal with the panic and I look forward to restarting CBT as soon as I am on a more ever keel.

Make sure you have the support when you have CBT because it is so difficult. you can trawl the web looking for quick and easy fixes for OCD but there seems to be little proof that any work. Speak to your doctor and make sure the meds are correct. if the dose isn't right the CBT may be to hard to do OR too easy, if it's too easy then you are not challenging the beliefs. It sounds harsh but CBT is meant to be uncomfortable to start off with.

The right mix will work for you if you are willing to work at it.

best of luck! :grin:

Twoshoes

Link to comment
I'm afraid of what loosing control and letting go of these thoughts and feelings. I believe the ocd is a part of me and it's who i am.

31489[/snapback]

Hi Irritated, I think the feeling of losing control probably sums it up. OCD is often about controlling things/situations to prevent bad things happening (which of course isn't really true)

OCD is part of you at the moment but you would still be you, your personality would be intact.

If the CBT works successfully you will learn to deal with the uncomfortable feelings and some discomfort will happen to start with, but in time as you gain control you should find that this 'symptom' isn't important any more. There is definitely a No Pain, No Gain thing about treating OCD/anxiety with CBT.

As you move beyond these controlling behaviours you will find that this time can be taken up with more pleasant things and the compulsions become less important.

Good Luck :)

Link to comment

hi my wife has had ocd for a while she is on a variety of medication including clomipramine she has had it bad resulting in acute anxiety i don't want to go into detail but she had cbt with a consultant psycologist (i can spell most times) initially she was an inpatient going through all kinds of treatment and different medication sorry i'm rambling she had a long eventually she got out of hospital and she is on 250mg of clomipramine daily together with a coctail of other drugs she saw the psycologist once a month for the cbt and he encouraged her to wear different clothes like her scruffiest (in her mind) first in the house then the garden extending this slowly over a few years it didn't take that long to help there was loads of what ifs and does any other sufferer use (are yes but) sorry rambing again. Just to say yes i think the CBT does work and with the right medication you WILL have better quality of life. Before the cbt she was in and out of hospital now touch wood and anyother spell its about 8 years since she was an in patient she still sees a cpn or care worker once a month just to make sure everything is ok and we do have a good quality of life. please don't get despondant and good luck its a hard battle but with this site there is always people to talk to so to speak

Link to comment
Guest Hypnosinc

Hi irritated,

While CBT is the treatment of choice, it is not necessarily going to suit all sufferers, and a lot may depend on your present mental state as to whether you can engage in it.

OCD sufferers, by and large, do not like change. Period. I agree with those who say that there is often a desire to hang on to the condition in the belief that one feels safe with it. The fact that it is a false belief doesn't seem to enter into it, but the fear of how you will cope without OCD, or the likelihood of increased anxiety initially when you start CBT, can be big hurdles to seeking treatment. There is no alternative but to suck it and see. :thumbup: And that takes courage.

I also have to add that the medication itself can have an effect as to whether you are able to engage. Clomipramine is one of the older drugs, and whilst many sufferers do get on well with it, it is not OCD-specific and, after all this time on it, it might be helpful to see if your GP would be willing to change you to one of the SSRIs like Prozac. Now, there is obviously going to be a lot of ands, ifs, and buts about that, but I don't think you can afford to rule anything out. CBT is probably the next step for you, but you have to be ready to do it.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...