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I was diagnosed in 2018. My OCD is, according to my GP, "too severe" for IAPT. I moved in August last year, so I came off the waiting list I was on. My GP has now (finally) made a referral to a CMHT but with this covid-19 crisis , who knows how long it'll take. Anyway, my OCD is a mish mash of harm & contamination obsessions, checking, counting & cleaning compulsions. Right now life is complete hell for me. I'm lucky to be able to WFH, but I'm too scared to leave the house because I am terrified of passing covid-19 on to others and being responsible for their death. I haven't left the house in 2 weeks. When we have a delivery, I engage in compulsive behaviours. When my partner picks up the post, I tell him to wash his hands and I hate nagging him like that but if I don't look out for him, he will get sick and it'll be my fault. 

I'm not looking for reassurance - I know seeking help for my GAD that that is not helpful. I just want tips on how to cope. 

All of this has taken over my life and I'm not coping well at all. I know these are unprecedented times and emotions being everywhere is completely understandable right now, but it hurts. I have no professional support, other than my GP. I wish I could afford therapy.

Does anyone have any tips at all, please, I am desperate for help. 

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I am not coping well either but I will tell you what I do that does seem to work and improve things.

Taking one day at s time, with one small goal a day, today it was getting kids started on e learning

Try and get busy with something

Chat to someone on here or a friend.

I have also just ordered and and am reading Break Free From OCD. Another member recommended it , it took two minutes to buy on line and I feel like I'm doing something positive about it now.

 

I so get how hard it is anyway but this situation ticks a hell of a lot of trigger boxes.

Hang in there this forum has helped me so much.

 

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Welcome to the forum Bookworm :)

I'm sorry to hear how tough life is for you at the moment. It's a really stressful time for all of us, but throwing OCD into the mix makes it so much harder. 

I'm very surprised your GP said you were too severe for IAPT, I'm not sure what alternative they were suggesting but it seems like a stupid comment to me. There's simply no way your OCD is too severe for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It may be that you need a therapist who has lots of experience helping those with OCD but that's all. 

My advice in the short term is like Ecomum said to get the self-help book Break free from OCD. I'm always recommending this book but it made a huge difference to how I saw my OCD and how I started tackling it. For context when I first downloaded Break free from OCD, I had moved out of my 'contaminated' home and was cleaning all of the time. I'm much much better now. I've had no therapist but I've done loads of reading on OCD. Of course having a therapist has massive bonuses, they help you understand things correctly, keep you on track, are there by your side through exposures, but never underestimate what you can do for yourself in the mean time :)

You're not alone Bookworm :hug:

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IAPT rejected my GP's referral because my OCD was apparently "too complex/severe",and told her to refer me to a CMHT which she has done.

Thank you both I'll see if I can get it on my kindle.

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My referral to the CMHT was rejected, I cannot afford private therapy. No hope....absolutely none left at all. I had cbt a few years ago but for panic attacks. Guess i won't ever recover from ocd. i cannot live like this.

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Hi Try not to be too hard on yourself. Everything is in turmoil at the moment.  I'm afraid to go out and not been out for ages and lots of people are even without OCD.

Lots of people are also washing hands after touching post at the moment.i think it's a difficult time to challenge OCD because we are being asked to behave in a unique way.

If I was you I'd have a calm chat with partner about what they feel is acceptable caution and try and build a way of doing things.

My husband is very laid back but even he is wiping deliveries etc. The difference between me and him is that if I make a mistake or don't do do something I catasrophise to unbelievable lengths were as  he says 'oh well I did my best '. I think in these times that's how OCD differs from non sufferers washing things.

Use this down time to read lots of books and you will be suprised how much u gain.my fave is "when in doubt make believe " by Jeff Bell

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4 minutes ago, Gemma7 said:

So you've tried to self-refer to IAPT? Did you speak to anyone on the phone? 

I've also done that. I do not want to drip feed but was diagnosed with a personality disorder (wrongly, in my opinion) 8 years ago. In my borough, that immediately excludes you from IAPT. 

This is also - according to my GP - the reason the CMHT won't take the referral. Just having the PD label means automatic exclusion.  It's plain wrong. I've sent an email to PALs, so will see what they respond with.

I'll give the books a go. I'll also speak to my partner. Thank god i have him. He's my rock.

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43 minutes ago, bookworm30 said:

I've also done that. I do not want to drip feed but was diagnosed with a personality disorder (wrongly, in my opinion) 8 years ago. In my borough, that immediately excludes you from IAPT. 

This is also - according to my GP - the reason the CMHT won't take the referral. Just having the PD label means automatic exclusion.  It's plain wrong. I've sent an email to PALs, so will see what they respond with.

I think in that case I would be asking for a referral to one of the national treatment clinics for OCD. If they refuse to offer you anything locally, it would be hard for them to justify not referring you to OCD specialists. Part of their job would be to carry out a full assessment and that would give you a chance to speak about your beliefs, and if OCD is diagnosed they can offer you a treatment programme.

Where in the country are you bookworm?  The NHS specialist OCD/anxiety clinics are London, Oxford and one in Dundee.

 

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Just now, Ashley said:

I think in that case I would be asking for a referral to one of the national treatment clinics for OCD. If they refuse to offer you anything locally, it would be hard for them to justify not referring you to OCD specialists. Part of their job would be to carry out a full assessment and that would give you a chance to speak about your beliefs, and if OCD is diagnosed they can offer you a treatment programme.

Where in the country are you bookworm?  The NHS specialist OCD/anxiety clinics are London, Oxford and one in Dundee.

 

Thanks Ashley. I'm in London so I will ask for that. I was given a diagnosis of OCD, in 2018, by a psychiatrist. I moved boroughs last year which meant I came off waiting lists in my old borough.

 

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Ok, so my recommendation is this. If we assume you should be accepted by primary or secondary care.

Under NHS 'right to choose' we are entitled to choose our treatment provider. So I would be tempted if it was me to ask my GP to refer me to Dr Blake Stobie at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (CADAT) at the Maudsley Hospital (Denmark Hill in SE London).

Normally assessments would be around a 2-month wait, then treatment another 4-6 beyond that. However at this time I am not sure how long wait times will become.

If you wanted quicker treatment, the Oxford clinic doesnt have any wait times, but that's a different funding process and your local London CCG would have to fund it, but I would be tempted to argue the reason they must fund it is because the local services won't offer you any treatment.

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13 minutes ago, Ashley said:

Ok, so my recommendation is this. If we assume you should be accepted by primary or secondary care.

Under NHS 'right to choose' we are entitled to choose our treatment provider. So I would be tempted if it was me to ask my GP to refer me to Dr Blake Stobie at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (CADAT) at the Maudsley Hospital (Denmark Hill in SE London).

Normally assessments would be around a 2-month wait, then treatment another 4-6 beyond that. However at this time I am not sure how long wait times will become.

If you wanted quicker treatment, the Oxford clinic doesnt have any wait times, but that's a different funding process and your local London CCG would have to fund it, but I would be tempted to argue the reason they must fund it is because the local services won't offer you any treatment.

Thank you, I will try and speak to my GP tomorrow. 

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