OCD

ali2021

Hi , I’ve just been diagnosed with OCD (I’m already going through the pip process so will need to tell them about the new diagnosis) does anyone else suffer ? I feel very alone at the moment, and people around me don’t seem to understand ?

janer1967

Hi there and welcome 

We have  few members who have this condition  so I would hope they will come and offer their support 

Are you getting any support from your gp 

OverlyAnxious

Morning Ali,

I also live with OCD in various forms, severe contamination amongst others.  OCD-UK run Zoom group sessions online twice a week currently with around 30 members each time.  It's totally free, there's no obligation to speak or have your camera on, but it might help you feel less alone.

With regards to PIP, it really depends on how it affects your daily life as to whether it's worth telling them.  If you don't feel it'll score you any extra points anywhere, it may not be worth bothering.  The diagnosis itself isn't really relevant.

ali2021

Thanks so much for answering, I am having therapy at the moment & once my GP is back from her leave I will speak to her, ah that’s helpful about the zoom classes thank you! It effects me massively daily as I also have health anxiety so the OCD just makes in worse in terms of checking / over checking etc, sorry it’s really hard for me to try and explain as it’s so new to me at the moment. I’ve been dealing with it a few years but I just thought what I was doing was normal, but clearly it’s not ?

OverlyAnxious

ali2021 said:

Thanks so much for answering, I am having therapy at the moment & once my GP is back from her leave I will speak to her, ah that’s helpful about the zoom classes thank you! It effects me massively daily as I also have health anxiety so the OCD just makes in worse in terms of checking / over checking etc, sorry it’s really hard for me to try and explain as it’s so new to me at the moment. I’ve been dealing with it a few years but I just thought what I was doing was normal, but clearly it’s not ?

No problem.  I also have major health anxiety so can relate there too!  I wish I could offer some advice for that, but am still searching for the solution myself...

Not sure how much you know about PIP, but part of the criteria is about timings.  If your checking makes any task (food prep, dressing etc) take at least twice as long as it would for a normal person, then you may be able to score some points like that. 

ali2021

Thank you , it all seems a bit weird at the moment as I’m not sure what the next steps are , do you take any medication for OCD (you don’t have to answer if that’s too personal ?) I’m currently having CBT which is helpful but will only be short term, ah I see, yes that makes a lot of sense, currently the worst thing for me is letting anyone leave the house ?I have teenage kids and a husband, I feel like I’m suffocating them slightly with it ?but I have to know they are safe so constantly check every little thing, 

OverlyAnxious

ali2021 said:

Thank you , it all seems a bit weird at the moment as I’m not sure what the next steps are , do you take any medication for OCD (you don’t have to answer if that’s too personal ?) I’m currently having CBT which is helpful but will only be short term, ah I see, yes that makes a lot of sense, currently the worst thing for me is letting anyone leave the house ?I have teenage kids and a husband, I feel like I’m suffocating them slightly with it ?but I have to know they are safe so constantly check every little thing, 

I don't take any medication no...  I have been prescribed SSRI's for anxiety (there is no med specifically for OCD), but the health anxiety and OCD stop me taking them because of fears around the side effects!    I can see the irony fortunately!!

OCD can be difficult on other people, but you have to remember it's not your fault at the end of the day so try not to add more guilt on top of everything else.  I live alone but it still affects family members, they do try to understand but it's one of those things where people will generally only understand if they've been through it.

Hopefully you get some improvement from the CBT, and the idea is that you learn 'tools' to keep your own CBT going after the sessions end.  You can always self-refer for another course through IAPT if you're in England though (other parts of the UK may be different).  If you're not currently on any meds and feel medication to reduce anxiety might help with the CBT then that's something to ask your GP about.  They'll usually start with an SSRI (Sertraline/Fluoxetine/Citalopram etc).

ali2021

Omg honestly you’ve completely hit the nail on the head with that one! I get prescribed stuff and don’t want to take it because of the side effects etc it worry’s me more!!! 

It really does have a huge effect , luckily i haven’t even had an appt through for my pip assessment yet, it’s been about 6.5 weeks since they had my forms back and they’ve been handed to an accessor ?so I suppose next step is a phone call ?thanks so much for commenting !