OCD: Do you ever fully recover, or do you just learn to live with it?

[eth93]

I was diagnosed with OCD at a fairly young age. And have been medicated from my mid teens..

Over a decade later I have decided that I would like to come of all my medication. I have done this slowly and in regular contact with my GP. I'm now on zero medication.

Ive recently started having thoughts again about a particular OCD theme I have had in the past. Except with no obvious emotional response. Which has me questioning things.

Is this me just learning to live with my OCD? Or should I genuinely be questioning things.

[Petal22]

Hi Eth93,

I had severe OCD and I have now recovered from it....... with the help of medication and therapy.....

When my OCD was severe I went to a ocd clinic that specialised in this anxiety disorder.... I was given tools that helped me to master my ocd.... we did meditation, attention training, thought challenging we were taught how not to get caught up in our ocd cycle...... ocd is a thinking cycle and once you can see what your ocd cycle is and keeps you in it, you can learn to disengage from it and not get caught up in it...

questioning your thoughts is part of the ocd cycle......... I learned a thought is just a thought just let it come and go and don’t put your attention to it......

the more we give our thoughts attention the more they come back because the brain thinks they are important...... what we give attention to we give power to.........

once people with ocd learn to master their ocd they fly 😊

how are you feeling?

im here if you have any questions...

[S_D]

Hi Eth93,

I had a friend who developed OCD in childhood and now has fully recovered. It sounds like you have great self-awareness and are able to observe your thoughts and question them rather then have an instant emotional reaction this time round. Would you be able to give a bit more context on the theme and thoughts you're having? It sounds like you are doing an amazing job!

[eth93]

Thanks for the replies everyone 🙂

Sexuality based thoughts. I've struggled with the fact that I can seem to tell when a guy is good looking. I don't think I'm gay. Its just a simple thought 'That guys good looking'.

I've never been sexually attracted to a male before. No sexual urges or anything.

[Petal22]

No worries Eth .....

Stop it at the thought...... let it come and go and give it no attention...

when we start obsessing over a thought.... eg.... what does this mean? What if’s .... we start looking for reassurance.... this is when we start getting into our ocd cycle.......

have you done any therapy for ocd?

😊

[Guest_342]

Another thing I sometimes find useful when i'm seeing a recurrence of my thoughts is to ask, "If someone else told me they were having these thoughts, how would I respond or what advice would I offer?" Oftentimes I find the answer is that I'd tell that person it's not a big deal and not worth applying your mind to any further. hope this helps 🙂

[geoff]

Hello Eth, I absolutely accept what those above me have said, and it would be possible to overcome OCD but depends on the severity of your condition and know of someone who had it in the most extreme way, now he's married, still has it but it's been reduced a considerable amount, they don't take any medication or barely had any therapy over 30 years, I just hope that one of his kids doesn't have it.

The number of therapy sessions you may need will vary, depending on the severity of your symptoms and how much they are negatively affecting your life with or without any medication.

The thoughts you are having can be very confusing and may increase your anxiety and if you need therapy to control your thoughts, whether they are intrusive or not may be required to help stop any other issues that could extrapolate from these initial thoughts.

Medication is used just to take the edge of these thoughts, but it's not up to anyone, except your doctor to suggest whether or not you should take them, and although it may make you proud, feeling that you don't need them any more, the question is do you still need them and I only mean this in all sincerity.

I have lived with OCD for 60 odd years and whether or not I have improved, I simply don't know, but I take medication and have learned to live with it.

As previously said, I've done an online course and yes I think it may have improved, but as soon as all of this stopped, back I went doing my obsessions/compulsions, so perhaps if you have continual therapy this may help you.

Take care.

Geoff.