Need advice (OCD,Sertraline,relationshiip)

[Tonymc1]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and stuff so bare with me. I'm 20 and I have been suffering from OCD as far as I can remember, it all started out with habits like sniffing and spitting/chewing on my collar. I've always been a worrier and anxious type of person. I recently gained the courage to approach my Gp about my problems and OCD, I suffer from Social phobia and anxiety/depression which has got worse the past two years. He put me on Sertraline and I take one a day, my habits have stopped I dont know if it's because of the medication or the fact that I got so frustrated that I stopped, BUT my mind has gotten worse (I found out it's called intrusive thoughts brought on by OCD) I really need good advice because my OCD thoughts really have me worried all the time and I think my girlfriend hates me because I get mad when she goes out and I get paranhoid, I know she'd never do anything to hurt me but I really cant help these thoughts, I'm sorry if I sound really needy but some advice from other OCD'ers could do me good.

 

Thank you.

[MomWithOCDSon]

Tony --

 

My 14 year-old son also has OCD (we believe it is tied to PANDAS, but we've been working on the OCD for more than 7 years now). He also takes Sertraline (generic for Zoloft, I believe), and he too struggles with some intrusive thoughts at times. Over the years, his primary manifestation of OCD has "morphed;" he's experienced everything from contamination to scrupulosity to intrusive thoughts. He also has some general and social anxiety; they get worse when his OCD is ramped up, I think because he knows he either has to hide or do without his compulsions when in most social situations, and that's stressful.

 

Two things. The first, biggest thing is I would encourage you to find a therapist with whom you can start some Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. This therapy will help you TREMENDOUSLY, and the combination of therapy along with the proper SSRI has been proven to be most effective for contending with OCD. Since you've had OCD so long, the drug alone is not going to be able to reverse all those years of your learned, accommodating behaviors. But the therapy can help tremendously. You can use the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (IOCDF) web site for help finding a good therapist that specializes in helping people with anxiety disorders.

 

International OCD Foundation

 

Secondly, there is exciting new research regarding an antibiotic called d-cycloserine and its help with both 1) making therapy for OCD more effective and 2) helping with social anxiety. You can Google it, and when you find a good therapist, they should have some familiarity with the research, also. It may be worth a shot.

 

Good luck to you! Feel free to PM me if you need anything further.

[Bumbleina]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and stuff so bare with me. I'm 20 and I have been suffering from OCD as far as I can remember, it all started out with habits like sniffing and spitting/chewing on my collar. I've always been a worrier and anxious type of person. I recently gained the courage to approach my Gp about my problems and OCD, I suffer from Social phobia and anxiety/depression which has got worse the past two years. He put me on Sertraline and I take one a day, my habits have stopped I dont know if it's because of the medication or the fact that I got so frustrated that I stopped, BUT my mind has gotten worse (I found out it's called intrusive thoughts brought on by OCD) I really need good advice because my OCD thoughts really have me worried all the time and I think my girlfriend hates me because I get mad when she goes out and I get paranhoid, I know she'd never do anything to hurt me but I really cant help these thoughts, I'm sorry if I sound really needy but some advice from other OCD'ers could do me good.

 

Thank you.

Hi Newbie,

I am not OCD but my boyfriend is and your behaviors sound very much like his. I have been with my boyfriend for over a year and it has gotten easier. At first it was really difficult because I did not understand his bizare rituals at all and it kind of freaked me out. Like if I told him that I will be home at 6:00 and I am late, (even 10 minutes) he would freak out. Not with anger mind you but with needless anxiety. He imagines that I am in the hopsital or that I have been abducted or something like that. He also freaks out about my ex-husband and says things like " do you wish that you were still with him?". He knows that my Ex was abusive and that I stopped loving him 11 years ago. He is also a germaphobe....yikes!!! I have been doing some research on OCD and I have come to understand that it is an actual illness and after gaining some knowledge on the subject I feel much compassion for him, (and you too)!!! I don't know what your girlfriends past was like but if she truly loves you then she will understand that you can't help the way you are and that if you could turn off the voices of anxiety in your head then you would do it in a New York minute. I am very independent and used to doing my own thing and not having to answer to anyone and as a non OCD girl, I would interpret his behaviors as some sort of macho control that he needed to have over me which is not the case at all. I try my best to comfort him. love him and understand him even though I am baffled at times by the whole OCD thing. The best thing that you can do for one another is to reassure each other and see each other through the tough times, when the OCD monster rears its ugly head. If you really love each other then with a little patience and time it will all work out. Hope that this helps........my best.

[Kayanne]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and stuff so bare with me. I'm 20 and I have been suffering from OCD as far as I can remember, it all started out with habits like sniffing and spitting/chewing on my collar. I've always been a worrier and anxious type of person. I recently gained the courage to approach my Gp about my problems and OCD, I suffer from Social phobia and anxiety/depression which has got worse the past two years. He put me on Sertraline and I take one a day, my habits have stopped I dont know if it's because of the medication or the fact that I got so frustrated that I stopped, BUT my mind has gotten worse (I found out it's called intrusive thoughts brought on by OCD) I really need good advice because my OCD thoughts really have me worried all the time and I think my girlfriend hates me because I get mad when she goes out and I get paranhoid, I know she'd never do anything to hurt me but I really cant help these thoughts, I'm sorry if I sound really needy but some advice from other OCD'ers could do me good.

 

Thank you.

Hi Newbie,

I am not OCD but my boyfriend is and your behaviors sound very much like his. I have been with my boyfriend for over a year and it has gotten easier. At first it was really difficult because I did not understand his bizare rituals at all and it kind of freaked me out. Like if I told him that I will be home at 6:00 and I am late, (even 10 minutes) he would freak out. Not with anger mind you but with needless anxiety. He imagines that I am in the hopsital or that I have been abducted or something like that. He also freaks out about my ex-husband and says things like " do you wish that you were still with him?". He knows that my Ex was abusive and that I stopped loving him 11 years ago. He is also a germaphobe....yikes!!! I have been doing some research on OCD and I have come to understand that it is an actual illness and after gaining some knowledge on the subject I feel much compassion for him, (and you too)!!! I don't know what your girlfriends past was like but if she truly loves you then she will understand that you can't help the way you are and that if you could turn off the voices of anxiety in your head then you would do it in a New York minute. I am very independent and used to doing my own thing and not having to answer to anyone and as a non OCD girl, I would interpret his behaviors as some sort of macho control that he needed to have over me which is not the case at all. I try my best to comfort him. love him and understand him even though I am baffled at times by the whole OCD thing. The best thing that you can do for one another is to reassure each other and see each other through the tough times, when the OCD monster rears its ugly head. If you really love each other then with a little patience and time it will all work out. Hope that this helps........my best.

I just wanted to say God Bless You for learning about your boyfriend's OCD and for subsequently gaining compassion!!!

 

I look at the world completely differently since my daughter got OCD from PANDAS. Now that I am more aware and knowledgeable of these neuro differences in people, it is much easier to accept and help someone--rather than to "assume" every one is starting at the same point.