Will Things Get Better?

[Guest Sanji]

I've been having a really tough time with OCD lately. I can't control my own thoughts and it's a real effort just to watch a TV program or something. I can't remember the last time I was properly relaxed or happy. The thing that upsets me most is knowing how happy I would be if I didn't have OCD. I keep telling myself that eventually I will be free of this but it's getting harder and harder to believe. I just need some reassurance from someone. Do things get better?

[Guest brian36]

Hi i,m the same as you all i want is to feel happy excited not constantly fearing worrying etc.

i,m on meds at mo on 3rd wk had a really bad month previous but i,m slowley starting to feel a little bit better......i dont trust the ocd.!!!!

So i would like to progress with cbt aswell i really want to nail this because i,ve wasted 27yrs of my life of worrying...so ye i think things can get better its not easy of course its incredibly hard work. This site is very good i wish i hooked on it sooner. your not alone i no its hard to beleive but you are not. take care

brian.

[Guest sarah1984]

Hi Sanji,

Have you considered seeking help for your OCD? Left untreated, it's very unlikely that OCD will go away of its own accord but there is help out there. I would particularly recommend asking your GP about the possibility of a referral for CBT. If you want to learn more about CBT and how it is used to treat OCD visit the following page: http://www.ocduk.org/cognitive-behavioural-therapy.

I read one of your recent posts on here and you said you were very concerned that you hadn't come across another OCD sufferer with your particular obsession. I haven't heard of anyone who shares my obsession either! The important thing to realise is that there is an infinite number of potential obsessions and compulsive behaviours out there. It's not the content of your intrusive thoughts that's the problem but the way in which you respond to the thoughts. It's vital that you do not seek to control your thoughts because thought control will only make your obsession worse. First of all, it's only natural to want to get rid of distressing thoughts asap. Unfortunately, the more you fight the thoughts the more persistent they become.

There's also a scientific explanation for this. When you are afraid to have a specific thought again your body moves into defense mode and starts producing adrenaline. This causes your muscles to tense, your heart rate and breathing to increase and your thoughts start to race. And what thoughts come to mind? How not to have the obsession again! When you are scared of your intrusive thoughts and you deliberately seek to prevent their occurrence, your body's response automatically brings the thoughts to mind.

Here's a list of the ways in which your thoughts and behaviour encourages an obsession to return:

• If you are afraid of your obsessions
  
• If you actively fight back against them
  
• if you deliberately seek to avoid situations that might remind you of them
  
• If you set yourself the goal of 'never ever' having a particular thought again
  
• If you worry about the next time you have an obsession
  

A well-known example of the problem with thought control is the 'white bear' story. Try as hard as you can not to think of a white polar bear: don't think about their furry white coats, their black noses and the cute cubs snuggling up to their mum. What happened? I bet you couldn't stop thinking about that polar bear! If it's so difficult to stop thoughts about neutral topics such as polar bears you can see how difficult it is to suppress thoughts that cause us distress. To learn more about thought suppression in OCD visit the following page: http://www.ocdla.com/blog/ocd-thought-suppression-1249#more-1249.

The most successful strategy is to accept the presence of the intrusive thoughts and to let them be without trying to push them away or argue with them. This is much easier said than done! The best way to learn to do this is via a course of CBT. The therapist will teach you exposure response prevention (ERP) techniques which involves learning to confront the thoughts that cause you distress (exposure) while resisting the urge to perform your usual compulsions to deal with your anxiety (response prevention). Typical "Pure O" compulsions include thought suppression, seeking reassurance and rumination. The idea behind ERP is that through repeated exposure to distressing thoughts something called "habituation" takes place. This means that the sufferer's tolerance for the thoughts increases with each exposure and they cause less and less of a fearful reaction. Eventually, through repeated exposure, the thoughts cause little to no anxiety and they do not interfere with the sufferer's life.

I promise you that it is possible to make a full recovery from OCD and enjoy life once again. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you'll get better.

Good luck Sanji!

Sarah

[Guest Jiva]

I was going to post a reply, but I cannot really add anything useful after Sarah's reply. I do believe we are not forced to live a life controlled by our minds. The road might be long and hard, but everyone has the potential to live a happy life. It is difficult to stop blaming our unhappiness on OCD, but people without OCD are not all the time happy either!

Good luck Sanji!

[Guest Sanji]

Thanks for your advice Sarah and Jiva. I used to have a therapist and I am on 100mg of Sertraline a day at the moment. I have considered CBT, but I was not sure how to apply it to my symptoms. That article has cleared things up for me a bit though. I will also consider getting back in touch with my therapist.

[Guest FobicFairy]

CBT has an average recovery rate of 66% and is the only proven therapy to work, talking therapies can be good for support, or dealing with past issues, but CBT specifically for OCD is what you should be aiming for. Unfortunately, CBT is being used as a 'cure all' at the moment so its easy for people to think they are getting the right kind of therapy when in fact they are not.

I see a psychotherapist about past issues and he will not admit that his type of therapy doesn't help with OCD. Professional pride! I suppose it's hard for them to admit that their kind of therapy isn't effective for OCD.

Please don't be afraid to ask questions and make sure you get the right help, you deserve to get the treatment you need to get well.

FF x

[Guest Sanji]

I got a book out from the library on called 'Break Free From OCD' that deals with CBT. While I am sure it is a very useful book for a wide range of OCD sufferers, it doesn't seem to apply to me. It talks about confronting the fear of your thoughts, proving to yourself that carrying out a certain ritual or suppressing certain thoughts will only make things worse. The problem is, I am not scared that anything will happen if I think these thoughts. I don't ruminate or carry out compulsions, I am just plagued with unpleasant thoughts. I try to refocus on whatever I am doing, but once the thought appears it is there to stay. Maybe the fear is the fear of being distracted by the thoughts, but it is hard to confront this when it is true.

[Guest heatherm]

Hi Sanji, I am also the same... I know nothing bad/awful will happen if I think or dont do things.... I just HAVE to carry out rituals and my routine of cleaning every day otherwise i am totally stressed and anxious.... it takes me aprox 4-5 hours a day before I am ready to leave the house... then when i come back in it, I am stressed all over again thinking I am undoing all the hardwork I have already done in the morning..... It's crazy but like you I havent found a treatment that has helped e.g medication/CBT...