[TerriLynn]

Good Morning. I have just gone back on an anti-depressant, Prozac - 20mg. But one of my issues, and I am wondering if this is a depression symptom or an OCD type symptom. Years ago, my psychiatrist said I have OCD without the C. One of the examples I gave him that I do is that if I am walking through the house and there is a scrap of trash on the floor, I will look at it and know I need to pick it up, but not, and then battle with my self and focus on it for so long, but not be able to pick it up! LOL! I know that sounds silly. Why not just pick it up!?

So here is what I am wondering... sometimes I will obsess over things, like decorating my bedroom was the latest thing. I spent hours, well weeks really, obsessing over it. Being online all hours of the day, all day at work, late at night. Losing sleep, my work suffering, getting behind. But the minute I turned on the computer at work, it was the ONLY thing I could focus on! No matter how hard I tried. That is just one example. Its great for getting projects done, but everything else suffers.

I will go through periods like that, I don't know if it is a time thing, like twice a year, or if it is a stress thing, like whenever I am stressed or when depressed.

Now, since starting the Prozac, that seems to have waned a bit and I am a workhorse at work again. I can focus, I have gotten more work done in the last week than in the last month! It feels good and I don't feel that panic obsession feeling.

Hmm, just hit me, maybe that is the C in the OCD, or is it just a depression symptom?

[pegasus]

Difficult to say. It's 'normal' with depression to obsess over negative thoughts but that doesn't seem to be the case here. It could be that you have anxiety with the depression which happens a lot as depression and anxiety like to hold hands. The anxiety may make you obsess over things that may not seem relevant but can be an escape from dealing with issues. The fact that you've been diagnosed in the past with a possible obsessive disorder often means that it does come back from time to time especially in times of stress or distress.

[TerriLynn]

That makes sense. I don't know if it was something I was thinking yesterday, probably triggered by something I read, but yes, I was thinking maybe it actually was anxiety that was causing that.

Thanks!