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Still OCD? Going mad? Extreme cognitive decline


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Hi all,

hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine!

I have had ocd for 20 years, checking locks, fire doors, had I harmed someone, checking forms and emails etc etc. it’s a long list but was always under control. I knew deep down that it was always the ocd bully and I could ignore it and move on.

During the winter of 2021 in lockdown things started to change. I was working from home ( really wish we could have stayed in the office) and going through the menopause and having a tough time trying HRT. I got terrible harm thoughts which were  extremely upsetting. No doubt my hormones and the pandemic started this off. This caused me to stop sleeping and start finding it increasingly difficult to focus on work. My memory was shocking and I just couldn’t function. Was this just insomnia or some else going on in my brain.

I know why I’ve got stuck this time is because I find it difficult to accept that it is just ocd this time. I became convinced that I was going mad which obvious ly  didn’t help. 

I have found it increasingly difficult to socialise and enjoy myself even though I desperately want to feel better. I hate my negative thoughts as it’s so unlike me.
I have daily headaches, tinnitus and have tried numerous sleep remedies including Mirtazapine.

How do I start to move forward. I am a kind and gentle person and find this very upsetting.

Anyone had any similar experiences?

Or have ideas to start recovering?

Thank you 

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Hi Mini,

Sympathies on the menopause. :sweatdrop:  I'm suffering with the heat and the brain fog of it myself.

13 hours ago, Mini said:

How do I start to move forward.

 

In short, by once again accepting the thoughts are all OCD.

And that the fears you're going mad are further OCD thoughts, not a reason to doubt it's OCD 'because I'm going mad'.

 

The headaches and tinnitus are most likely stress-related. (Did you know stress also makes menopausal symptoms worse?) Therefore simple relaxation methods, (meditation, breathing exercises, yoga etc, whatever you find helpful) are a good idea for managing the stress. And avoid things that add to stress such as alcohol, binge eating/ unhealthy diet and so on.

Not wanting to socialise sounds like a bit of reactive depression maybe? The management there is push yourself as much as you can to do the things you've been avoiding. Start slow and build up your social encounters bit by bit until you're able to do as much as you want without feeling it's an effort.

Do you remember the techniques you used to overcome your OCD last time? Did you only use 'it's OCD therefore it's Ok to ignore it' (which is excellent!) :yes:  or did you have CBT and other tools to back that up?

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Thanks Snowbear - really appreciate your advice!

Yes, I used to realise the thoughts were ocd and choose to ignore them which allowed me to move on. This time I’m constantly doubting that and therefore getting stuck.

You’re right that the headaches and tinnitus are caused by me feeling stressed all the time. I need to work on that more as I’m finding that I only have intrusive thoughts sporadically but the headaches and tinnitus make it difficult to function the rest of the day. I’m actually convinced that the HRT caused this as I didn’t have any of these problems before I started to take it. Unfortunately although I’ve stopped taking HRT it hasn’t gone away! 

Really hope you get some relief from the heat! The brain fog is really frustrating too!

Sending love and support!

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Tinnitus can be distressing. My was caused by an ear infection destroying parts of my left middle ear and inner ear. Unfortunately reconstructive surgery including the replacement of the smallest bones in the human body, the three hearing bones, has not stopped the tinnitus.  But substantially increased the quality of my hearing. And stopped the spread of the infection. I was concerned about the infection breaking into the brain through the thin membrane separating the ear channel to the brain. My ENT surgeon was splendid.
 

There are various therapies available including CBT for tinnitus, sound therapy and the insertion of devices in the ear. Stress may aggravate the condition. But if the tinnitus has increased over a period I would physically check this out. Have you contacted the tinnitus charity they have support groups?

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