Always There?

Hi

I have the 'Pure-O' type of OCD. Does anyone else experience the same problems as me?

Basically, from waking up in the morning to going to bed at night the 'awareness' of OCD in your conciousness is always there? Like, it's constantly in your thoughts, running around your head all of the time, even when trying to distract yourself by watching TV or something.

This is what I am experiencing, the OCD or awareness of, constantly 'being there' in my head and always thinking about it etc.

Has anyone else got this? Or has anyone ever had this in the past and was able to get over it? If so, how?

Thanks for your help.
Itech

Hello Itech009, welcome to psych central. I have ocd and most of my symptoms are the obsessive part of it. I have experienced something similar to what you are explaining and working with my therapist has helped me along with working with my psychiatrist to get on some meds that helps with my ocd.

This really is a great site to find support, I hope you decide to stay around so you can experience some of that. If you have any questions along the way feel free to private message me or any community liaison or moderator, here is a link to a list of forum leaders.
http://forums.psychcentral.com/showgroups.php

Hi

So, do you experience the same type of thing? Like, a constant sense of worry, basically the fact that you always seem to be aware of your OCD and it's all that you think about, constantly.

Have you got this under control?

I have an appointment to see a mental health specialist next week which I think will be an assessment and then hopefully I will be getting CBT.

Thanks.
Itech

I have OCD, and although my symptoms include compulsions (tapping, repeating words/phrases, re-reading, checking), I also have that problem of constantly feeling OCD running my brain, constantly being aware of my thoughts and the effect they have on my behavior. In fact, my biggest problem lately has been constantly thinking about the fact that I have OCD and what that means, which makes me tap things repeatedly. I guess I think I can "get the OCD out" that way, which I know is ridiculous.

I don't know what advice to give you, since I'm struggling with the same. I actually work at a psychiatric clinic that specializes in treating OCD, and the question our clinicians would probably ask you is, are you struggling with your thoughts? Are you trying to suppress them with some kind of "mental act" like praying, or reassuring yourself, etc? Then they would ask you to try to stop struggling with the thoughts.. which isn't easy. Some clinicians would say that "pure O" OCD can't be treated with Exposure and Response Prevention. But that's not true -- if you find a good specialist in ERP, they can help you deal with your OCD. 85% of people who come through our clinic, whatever their OCD type, get significantly better. So, I'd say, if it's a significant problem, find a specialist! The OC foundation has a great directory of OCD specialty clinics.

This 'Pure-O' OCD hit me around the end of June this year with intrusive thoughts and constantly worrying about them. Before that, I had never experienced this before, or at least to this extent. I mean, I obsessed about things, but those worries used to fade away quite easily over a few days.

But since this OCD kicked in, I haven't been able to budge it at all. It started at the end of June, it last for a week and during that week I had no idea what it was but I then discovered an OCD forum and I could identify with what lots of other people were going through so I have come to the conclusion that it's OCD, or 'Pure-O'. Then the following two weeks, for some reason I was able to kick it, and I had a great OCD free two weeks. But then it hit me again after that two weeks and has been here ever since. So it's been stuck with me for just over two months now and I can't seem to get rid of it, my mind feels locked in this constant 'worry/awareness' of OCD along with the intrusive thoughts.

Like I say, I've got an appointment to speak to a specialist next week and will hopefully be getting CBT and I can get better. I just hope my mind isn't locked in this state for the rest of my life.

Thanks.
Itech

Yes I have experienced the same type of thing and yes it is better now but I dont know if that really means I have control over it. It took me a lot of time to practice not fighting the thoughts and just letting them happen without buying into them. I mean I still struggle with ocd but it's not nearly as bad as it was in the past. I hope your appointment goes well, working with someone has really helped me plus like I said I am on meds for it also.

I have OCD with both obsessions and compulsions.
But I experience this soooooooooo much too.
You're not alone.
x

I am going through the same thing right now. And it seems like it is so hard to get a hold of because this is one problem that will always be there. So far I get into a rutt about this for months at a time and then it dissappears. Doesn't dissappear but goes away because I just get tired of it and not as scared of it. This will happen to you too. I obsess about this and being 39 years old. I sed to think hang on till there is a cure. But i doubt that now. I feel like time is running out and I am scared to death right now

yes I am new and just started here. I am going through a rutt again. It is always there. Sooner or later the brain gets tired of this and you will get better

Hi Itech, I share your grief down to every detail. After all I had a career changing event in my life well over a deacde ago when managing and living with OCD became my fulltime career.I would be arriving to work late as a result of tracing back every pot hole and bump on the road............and if that wasnt enough I would arrive to work and inspect my vehicle for damage with the conviction that i may have run somebody over without knowing.......I would clock on for work late and then keep myself updated with the news......rumenating and intrusive thoughts set in along with repetetive phrases and counting....and so on.I share this experience with you not to appease you but to consoul you that you are not a rare breed with this ,I am with you.I find that forcing myself to walk dampens the obsessions intermittently but every bit of relief counts when you are over whelmed with this "Crippling "condition. Please feel free to contact me if you wish and ask any question you have on the subject.Remain strong.

I used to have OCD- now have slight tendancies. I had obsessions and related compulsions, BUT I also had a lot of pure O type OCD, with intrusive, obsessive thoughts that had no related compulsions. They just hijacked my brain and drove me nuts. I still get those thoughts sometimes now, but they aren't as "sticky" as before. Good luck on recovering- it happens.