I have OCD, and it's destroying me, since i have both obssessive thoughts and compulsions.
Compulsions are easy ot stop, obssessive thoughts aren't. Everyday i lose most of the day ruminating such thoughts to the point of extreme fatigue and stress. All of them are situations where shit happens and i can't do anything, and it's leaking into real life, since it's hard to hide such amount of paranoia at once. Most of my thinking day gets OCD-thoughts leaked on it. I'm thinking all the time. I have mechanisms i've developed, i've read about it A LOT, and i've came into a dilemma;
1. My psychiatrist prescribed me pills that have a history of either helping a lot agaisnt the problem, doing absolutely nothing, or helping in to some extend but still retaining it's disadvantages. Should i take it, or keep trying alternative methods such as more trying to overcome fears and mechanisms?
Everyday seems like a struggle. I can fight OCD because i've been fighting it forever. The problem remains in the fact that it's a constant struggle that doesn't seem to end any time. I haven't tried taking medicine yet, because i'm afraid i won't be able to stop it anymore without the symptoms simply coming back, or if they have permanent effects on me.
So, tl;dl:
Take medicine to treat seemingly unbeatable-although-fightable strong OCD or keep alternative methods like developing other mechanisms (taking any tips OCD anons have)?
>>16953558
ask your doc
>>16953558
I have no good advice for you, but if I would choose i'd go with the medicine. If it could relieve you from pain, it could provide room for you to make a clearer path forwards, and help you help yourself in a longer run.
Is your OCD connected to things(like switching things on and off), or is it more about your cognitive thinking in general?
>>16953558
Medication helps adjust your brain chemistry to better work with other coping mechanisms, such as desensitizing your through exposure.
>>16953558
ssri paxil high dose
>I talked about my problem in great length and detail with a highly trained and educated doctor who then prescribed me some medication and asked me to report back to him via various frequent check-ups.
>Should I?
People like you don't deserve help.
I get that you want to want to help yourself without medications helps, but if it's this bad, why not just try it? And I mean a real try, not "I took it twice and didn't feel any changes". I went from three anti depressants at the same time, to half a dose of one over the course of two years. I would not have gotten where I am if I said "pills are for suckers!" and tried to do it without outside help.
>>16953558
Give me an example OP. I have the same problem, except my OCD/Compulsive thoughts originate from something I've done to my accidentally body, and I'm constantly reminded about it because it looks different and affects me physically.
Now if your OCD is nothing like that, please off yourself.
>>16953691
>get highly anxious on streets because i'm perfectly and utterly sure i'l get robbed, and even if i'm strong and trained in Judo, i'd still lose
>if i make tiny behavior mistakes as much as saying an unecessery word i'll spend a lot of time and energy ruminating on it
>infinite doubts about myself, as in sexuality and behavior
>sometimes feel that if i keep thinking/reseraching/joking about something,it'll happen, such as cancer, God's punishment, death or me becoming a tranny/murderer and such other disgusting things(in my opinion)
And such. Mainly the disease makes me doubt and criticize myself way too much.
>>16953686
Psychiatrists are known to just prescribe shit sometimes without main concerns. There isn't much about mine that would make him differently, but the rest of your advice was useful, thank you.
>>16953646
Thank you.
>>16953635
As said above, mainly obssessive thoughts that sometimes can trigger minor compulsions, like washing hands.
>>16953606
he's a psychiatrist and is used to treating people with pills, has little to no training in practical therapy
OP, I suggest you try Vipassana Meditation. It's basically sitting still outside or wherever and just observing with your eyes closed. You can just observe your breath, observe your thoughts and let them pass by. Just acknowledge them and let them go. "Fighting" your OCD thoughts will only make them stronger. You must just let them go and be like a river- flowing around the rocks. No homo. It helped me so much that I would say I don't have OCD anymore, just the occasional intrusive thought. Used to be disability-tier bad. Another thing you can do is grounding exercises. Google them, there are lots. They're great for calming and taking your attention off of negative thoughts.
>>16955004
I'll try both the medicine and take a look at that. I have tried a lot of mechanisms, and i also use a lot. Trust me, i've been there. I also try to make them ''flow'', but i just don't know how to do it. Ignore it? Fight it? Let it flow? What is the difference between first and third? I also try to just tell myself ''it's the OCD speaking, don't mind it'', but it isn't being enough yet,
Last bump.
