intrusive thoughts

Hi, do I suffer from some sort of OCD and depression???

I have suffered with intrusive thoughts for years it can last for months at a time, each particular time it is something different, all I want todo is enjoy my life and it feels like this is stopping me.
I had a anxiety attatck about 2 months ago, a thought popped into my head, that I didnt want to be with my husband anymore, I had a really horrible anxiety attack and then the horrid thoughts just spireled out of control, into thinking this was the end for us. Its making me feel so depressed for thinking this, when I know its not what I want or feel. I have a 2 year and 5 month old to look after and my husband is so amazing and very understanding. I feel like this horrible way of thinking is stopping me from enjoying what we have. I try and change the thoughts and forget about it, but then they come flooding back and poison my brain. It is only now that I have gone to the GP to try and get this sorted.

[stupidassmoron]

Hello,

First off take a deep breath. My name is Ken and I am here to help.

1. You came here cause you realize this is a chemical imbalance in  the brain brought on by long amounts of stress. So lets validate it is not reality because many of us have this condition.

2. Intrusive thoughts in OCD are catorgized by the name "PURE OBSESSIVE" very similar to Torettes syndrome....

3. Ok, the fear you have is obviously not realistic because if it was you would act on it which I know you haven't.

4. start by laughing at the thoughs when they come. Youe see your fear is from the thought, you percieve it as reality because you thought it; but in reality it is you brian making up a thought cause your heart rate jumped your breathing went up and your blood pressure increased...

5. When the thought comes the trick is to desensitize your self to the thought by saying "Yes, I can't wait to leasve my hubby and break my family up and be disgraced"... Oh yes come un lets break up right now..... Even go as far as to call yourself on the phone and role play!!!!!!

6. Seratonin inhibitors, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro.... I reccomend 50 mil per day of Zoloft for 1 week then up to 100 mil for 1 week then 150 mil continuing for 3 months. This will allow your panic to subside allowing the thoughts to bounce off you like rubber hence the thoughts will not need come around anymore.

Please take care and now this is a chemical imbalance caused by stress. Once you change and rethink and reprogram what you percieve as stress then you can be free.


God Bless

[Mommyhelpme]

Hello Ken,
I have been suffering from intrusive thoughts about harming my children for the last month. It's unbearable and I cause myself anxiety, guilt, and depression for feeling these thoughts. I don't know where these thoughts are coming from since I have a supportive family unit and never have had thoughts like this before. I get a little anxiety when I have to take care of them myself for fear of driving myself crazy! I love them more than anything in the world! Please help me what do I do?

[JGF25]

Hi there.  I'm not sure Ken will answer your question because he hasn't been on here since 2009.  

In any event, I have had the same thoughts as you do.  Have you been diagnosed with OCD?  Have you seen a psychologist or psychiatrist?  Sorry for the questions.

First and foremost you have to know that people with OCD (I assume you do have OCD although I'm not a doctor and cannot diagnose you), we don't follow through with these intrusive thoughts.  They are just thoughts brought on by a mind game we are playing on ourselves.  

What I did was I sat in a dark room and I literally pictured myself harming for instance my husband or my mother...I didn't have kids at the time...I was pregnant.  What I realized is that I wouldn't do the things I was thinking.  It just wasn't me.  And once you realize that and give the thoughts no credit, they go away.  

Let me know if you are actually diagnosed with OCD and whether or not you have seen a psychologist or psychiatrist before and we can talk more.  Take care.

[GracieLayla]

I have the same concern and problem with ocd. I was diagnosed with it in August of last year.  I think I always had it, but it came in worrying about things and minor anxiety, double checking,etc.  Then I had my first child. One day it was like a switch and all of a sudden I looked at her and a horrible thought of me harming her came into my head. I stopped what I was doing, left her in her high chair, sat on the couch away from her and cried. Then I couldn't get it out of my head   the thoughts came more frequently and I could hardly stand to be alone.  I kept this a secret from my husband  because I didn't know what he would think of me.  I became afraid of everything in my house from kitchen utensils to things in the  garage and even my pool.  Every night I would rock my daughter to sleep and cry to myself and apologize to her for thinking these thought and pray to good for them to stop.  But they didn't. I found when in her room or my bedroom I felt safe, like I couldn't or wouldn't harm her.  I was also distracted

[GracieLayla]

I have the same concern and problem with ocd. I was diagnosed with it in August of last year.  I think I always had it, but it came in worrying about things and minor anxiety, double checking,etc.  Then I had my first child. One day it was like a switch and all of a sudden I looked at her and a horrible thought of me harming her came into my head. I stopped what I was doing, left her in her high chair, sat on the couch away from her and cried. Then I couldn't get it out of my head   the thoughts came more frequently and I could hardly stand to be alone.  I kept this a secret from my husband  because I didn't know what he would think of me.  I became afraid of everything in my house from kitchen utensils to things in the  garage and even my pool.  Every night I would rock my daughter to sleep and cry to myself and apologize to her for thinking these thought and pray to good for them to stop.  But they didn't. I found when in her room or my bedroom I felt safe, like I couldn't or wouldn't harm her.  I was also distracted

[GracieLayla]

At work, but when I was on my way home it would all come flooding back to me.  I would hear things on the news about stabbings and shootings and other violent crimes and they would stick with me. It wad as if I thought I would do the same thing. Right about that time there was all the publicity on the Casey Anthony case.  It was horrible.  So,I hid the knives in my kitchen,I closed my eyes when walking through my garage and I refused to watch or listen to any news. It helped a little but I knew I was just hiding from it and soon it didn't help at all. I felt very guilty and horrible and finally I had a major meltdown panic attack at home and confessed everything to my husband and told him I wanted to see a dr. I have an HMO so I went to my gp and they gave me  lexapro and a referral to a psychiatrist. He switched me to celexa..  Over time I was calmer and less , but I never forgot. Still haven't  I still remember these thoughts and that it happened just about every day.  My Dr.seemed more interested in having a quick medicine check and then just continuing my prescription. I want to talk about it though.  Why did this happen? Why I am I so afraid of dying or my daughter dying? Why did violence affect me so much? Well it ever really go away?   I recently stopped taking my medicine because I am pregnant with my second.  I have vowed to not let the ocd run my life and am happy about this serving baby

[GracieLayla]

*about this second baby, but there is still this fear in the back of my head, what if it happens again? Is this what happened to you? How did you deal with or overcome it without medicine?