I didn't take offense to either of your messages, just so you know. My anxiety and depression are always worse the week before my period, so I understand what you mean in that department. My depression usually shows itself in the form of irritation, and that gets even worse, so I definitely understand "having one of those days."

I guess my opinion on text messages is that if it was really important, they would have called and left a message. To me, phone calls actually take initiative, whereas text messages are simple, easy, and often flippant. If someone one calls or texts, I do get back to them in what i consider a timely manner. If they called, I may get back to them sooner than if they text, depending on what I'm doing. I never text and drive, so if I'm driving three hours (which used to happen a lot when I was in school), the person is going to wait until I get a chance to respond. Or if I take a nap, my text message noise doesn't wake me up, but my ring tone does.

You also say that your boyfriend is a professor so he isn't busy in the summer. My dad is also a professor and he's extremely busy, year round. He also has an iphone he spends a lot of time on, but I can never tell how long it will take him to respond to a text or a call from me. Sometimes minutes, but more frequently hours. During the work day (which is pretty much until he gets home at night, which varies, but usually not before 8) his students and his job are his priority, unless I call three times in a row because that means i'm having an emergency. If I text him at all during the day, I usually get a response in the evening. Though, I suppose this summer, you're boyfriend shouldn't be too busy except to be finding a new job.

I have not suffered from OCD, but I have been diagnosed as being on the bipolar spectrum, plus GAD and depression. I have also done a lot of DBT work in inpatient and outpatient programs. If you aren't already, I think you would really benefit from a good, in depth DBT course. It teaches you how to step away from your emotions and simply sit with them for a while before reacting to them, so that you can feel more in control. I know that getting better is never easy and definitely not something that changes over night. I wasn't trying to suggest anything like that. I realize that it is hard and that PC is a great place for you to come and vent your struggles and commiserate with others, so please don't take anything I'm saying in a negative way. I am simply trying to offer you support in the best way I know how. If I'm not helping or just making things worse, feel free to let me know.

Good luck, and I hope you continue to write here.