can panic attacks lead to OCD?

[MayMayMeemers]

I have noticed i am obsessing over my panic attacks. ALOT, and medical things. Like, obsessing over my ecg and other posable health issues. I found it to be a pattern everyday and I am worried it may develop into ocd

[MayMayMeemers]

i am looking into it, searching for low cost clinics that can offer help, i am sick of it and the root of my issue is I obsess over my health.

[RubyWitch]

Hate to be so blunt, MayMay, but we've been reading your posts for quite a long time now and nothing is really changing for the better for you.
I agree with nursegirl that you need to give therapy another try...........until you get to the root cause of all your anxiety, you are not going to be able to move on. Right now you are simply running twice as fast to stay in the same place.
You are always welcome to post here as often as you want, but I think most of us have given you all the help we can. We can relate to your feelings, and we can relate to the money issues, we can offer you support and give you encouragement, but if you really want to get control of your life back, you need to get pro-active in your own health care. There ARE ways to get low cost or even free therapy and your doctor should be able to help you find these resources.

I would urge you to speak with him/her as soon as possible so you can begin to heal.
I wish you the very best
Peace
Greenlydia

[MayMayMeemers]

I really don't have the money to see a dr otherwise I would be going to get help.

[nursegirl6572]

I understand that, and that's fine...but the reason I pointed it out is b/c you are experiencing some pretty severe anxiety along with health phobias, and while this forum is a wonderful resource, it is by no means a substitute for real, in PERSON professional help.  

Hey, it's your decision of course...but I sincerely think you need to start addressing your symptoms with a professional in addition to utilizing this forum as a means for support.

[MayMayMeemers]

I post alot because i have no one to talk to about it so i come on here to talk about how i feel

[nursegirl6572]

Well, for as much as you've been posting about your anxiety symptoms...I think you need to seriously reconsider giving therapy another shot.  In the very least, seek out the opinion of a psychiatrist who can offer you a few different options to address the anxiety.  Unfortunately, these things just don't "go away" on their own.

[MayMayMeemers]

NO, theropy was a waist of money for me and didn't help me one bit. I am not convinced I have any illness though I feel like it I am holding strong that they are only panic attacks.
the only thing i need convincing would be the NONE excistant of a heart problem. once that clears i will be at ease and slowly move forward but until then I will panic everydy convinced of wpws that I wasnt even diagnosed as having.

I did write and post my ecg to a few cardio dr's online so I am waiting to see what they say. they would know. Had a ton of MD's saying that it is NOT wpws because there is no abnormal delta wave or slur, and one stated it looked like an electrical interferance from something (i was watching t.v. in the er in my bed. ) but I am not trying to think about it that much. idk what to do other then maybe go back to the er after the holidays and get an ecg done again and see if it is normal or not. -.-

[nursegirl6572]

Panic disorder (or any anxiety disorder) and OCD share a lot of the same characteristics, but they also remain different in many ways as well.  OCD is characterized by severe anxiety with obssessive intrusive thoughts about certain things (ie health)...but where OCD often differs from , say panic disorder is the rituals.  In an OCD sufferer with health phobias, a common ritual would be hand washing.

The rituals in OCD are what the person basically "requires" in order to decrease their anxiety.  For a person with panic disorder, the behavior that usually decreases anxiety is avoidant behavior...avoiding places, situations where one feels they would have a PA.

There are many of the same characteristics...and the constant "what if" thinking is the same with both disorders.  You are stuck in the middle of the anxiety cycle.  You are "what iffing" yourself straight into panic and anxiety, complete with mad internet searching, which of course isn't helping at all.

I've read a lot of your posts...but I cannot remember whether you said you're in therapy or not yet.  I know you are waiting on your cardio appt, which will be helpful in putting your mind at ease about some of this stuff...although without addressing the anxiety...by the time your appt comes....you'll have the need to see a Neurologist b/c you'll have likely convinced yourself by that point that you have a brain tumor, seizures, etc.  See how this works?

So if you're not in therapy...you need to get that ball rolling yesterday.  If you ARE, then you need to call your therapist and maybe increase your sessions...in the very least, run all of this by him or her so they can offer some suggestions.

Anxiety cycles, and we only make it worse with our "what iffing".  You need to put a stop to that cycle by attacking the anxiety head on with whatever treatment method you and your doc have decided on.