OCD Discussions

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Not all therapies are good for everyone. My therapist uses CBT for her approach, and it has helped. But I suppose for some others ERP does help. And like you said, nobody wants to hear about ailments and complaints, especially when they can’t relate. they will just say, “Go get some help”! I can only share symptoms with others basically, since we share OCD.
 
I know what you mean about hurting people; the strange thing is when my mind is thinking about other thoughts beside unpleasant ones, there’s really no guilt. Because the thoughts are unwanted It is more like fear instead of reality. Is this what you think?
 
Whatever kind I have or did have earlier, it’s all been connected with wanting to please God. That somehow the rituals done were a “step in the right direction”.
But a lot of that has passed, and believe now that God wouldn’t want me to return to those habits. Similar to you?
 
It is an SSRI Anti-Depressant, like Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft. I found my system “liked” it better than Paxil or Prozac.
 
Yes. I still would like to understand the passage too, since trying to be perfect in the OCD sense can land you in the hospital!
 
Symptoms vary, most prominent problem is the social awkwardness and lack of communication.
Aspergers generally is on the mild side of the spectrum, depending on the person. Some can manage it in their lives, while some have more difficulty living with it. Often the stereotype of an aspie is seen by some as that super smart professor who doesn’t really speak alot besides their lectures.

If I could give a personal example that helps me explain better, Imagine shifting through gears in a vehicle and that was the structure of the person’s communication. When shifting gears, the common folk can keep their social aspects in gear, keeping structure with little to no effort. Aspies, and also people on the spectrum generally, have trouble gear shifting with the flow of communication and social norms. Its the structure of communication, but we shift randomly trying to keep our vehicle running while trying to fit into the way others shift through their gears smoothly.

Sorry it took long to respond, Isolation is another common thing and alot of the folks on the spectrum are introverted. Personally, not looking for sympathy, it bothers me and often times its me doing the isolating to myself. Its much easier for me to get depressed from social life because thats just me and its the skill I lack.
 
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Oh yes its familiar, and I try to make efforts to be in the conversations and social gatherings. Its a struggle and a bit of a headache to consistently keep up with spontaneous conversations. Just like you, I ain’t the one to go and enjoy partying. Even then, Its not like I don’t want to speak and be friends with people, I can really talk forever haha. I just am so specific and pray that the person I talk to can understand my intentions. It sets in a overwhelming mental anxiety, not physical but the rush of thoughts on a daily basis make me just not want to think about anything social and unmotivates me. Fear of rejection and other things keep me down. I could go on and on, but Im kinda off topic, I guess what keeps me going is fearing the Lord and having trust in him. It hurts, but Its fine it shouldn’t be the pointing of fingers to the Lord, he loves us.
 
Yeahhh, results differ, I have trouble connecting, usually I speak my best with close friends. But I dont really have anyone close at the moment to really socialize with. I struggle with creating new friendships and it should be easy to talk to someone who is by themeselves, I can do it, but its a draining experience and I always think Im awkward and that I dont contribute socially enough.
 
Yes! Lots of us respond in uncommon ways. I get that way when my family tells me how Im doing, I would find it useless to actually say how I am feeling because there shouldnt be no reason to ask me unless I was being moody or something.

My parents would ask or tell me something and I would often respond with what I think is logical to me. For example, when my mom would tell me to clean the house I would respond with, “what do you want me to clean?”. It can be seen as me being sassy or just ignoring what she said, but when in reality I just like to have specific instruction in order to make sure I am not going to screw anything up. Many can find it rude or inappropriate when something out of line is said, but its good to remember that we got our own understandings and interpretations.
 
Its really hard to tell, maybe him going to get evaluated can help out or unless it seems obvious. Quietness, likes to stay by themselves, often have their own interests, they seem to not connect in social gatherings, OCD plays a huge part also. It would be good to know now before they get older as I never really gave it thought until I started highschool and I would of loved to be aware earlier on.

Fidgeting is common, flailing their hands and arms, and ticks of sort, poor eye contact, etc. Lots of things come into play so if you are concerned and its real noticable, then I would recommend getting him evaluated now so they can be better off later on and so the family too can be more understanding.
 
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Has anyone here ever felt like confession has increased your scruples? I always feel like once I go, I’m so afraid I’ll mess up my spiffy clean soul again. Then I start to worry and end up finding more sins from my past that I forgot about or never even knew were sins and never mentioned in confession.
I have noticed that recently, saying the name of Jesus and asking Him to take away these thoughts helps for a while.
 
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Footprints said:
Has anyone here ever felt like confession has increased your scruples? I always feel like once I go, I’m so afraid I’ll mess up my spiffy clean soul again. Then I start to worry and end up finding more sins from my past that I forgot about or never even knew were sins and never mentioned in confession.
I have noticed that recently, saying the name of Jesus and asking Him to take away these thoughts helps for a while.
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No, but I do sometimes tend to re-confess sins a few times.
 
I have scrupulosity. I have never been diagnosed with it, but I think it is clear I have it. For a while I would never step across or on bordering floorboards (Yes, in private and sometimes public, like at a grocery store.) with my left foot because I thought God didn’t want me to, and wanted me to literally put my right foot forward…I still often do this, just not nearly as bad. And sometimes I feel that I have to do something neutral like preparing my ordinary breakfast in a certain order, or else it means I am sinning. I know that it sounds silly, but yes, I struggle with these types of things. It has never developed into actual depression, though.
 
As to OCD, it appears, in some cases, to be associated with anxiety disorder. It is estimated that 1:5 Americans suffer form some form of anxiety. That is 64 million souls in just the US. Health anxiety is a good portion of that. I haunt the cancer forums and anxiety over “possible” cancer is running high.

Sadly, we have internet search engines, which allow one to Google up a death sentence in only a few clicks. Health anxiety, in particular, is made worse by the fact that our bodies can produce only about 150 symptoms, but they must describe over 68,000 known human illnesses and conditions. To over-simplify, a single symptom may be associated with 450+ different diseases. Two symptoms, double that to 900, for example.

However, the health anxiety trail always seems to stop, um… dead at cancer, so that is where the anxious person arrives. Then, when doctor is consulted, he or she is often accused of fobbing the patient off, test results are either not trustworthy, or were not sufficiently in-depth, and the anxiety flares even worse.

There is a cover phrase which some use to account for health anxiety: being “pro-active” regarding one’s health. While that is nice, being pro-active should not involve poking and probing one’s immune system or doubting a series of doctors and diagnostic tests.

The solution? Well, our Catholic friend, Dr. Gregory Popcak advises Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which identifies disordered, repetitive or intrusive thought processes and applies an “unlearning” process to them. Dealing with OCD/Anxiety disorder will be a lifetime struggle, but that might just define one’s cross to bear, would it not?
 
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po18guy said:
The solution? Well, our Catholic friend, Dr. Gregory Popcak advises Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which identifies disordered, repetitive or intrusive thought processes and applies an “unlearning” process to them. Dealing with OCD/Anxiety disorder will be a lifetime struggle, but that might just define one’s cross to bear, would it not?
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But Our Lord cures so many illnesses, why not OCD?
 
No OCD, no cross. We must take up our crosses in order to follow the Lord. He heals whom He will. We are guaranteed suffering. All humans suffer, but a very few know the purpose of that suffering. It lasts but a short time on this earth, leading to an eternity free of disease. Ultimately, it is our spirits which need healing worst of all.

Best we focus always and everywhere on the promise of the next life, rather than the woes of this life. And, all suffering, anxieties and frustration may be offered up for eternal benefit.
 
You are asking Him to remove or lighten your cross! Is that what you really want? Is that what God wants? Rather, we are called to ask, implore, even beg for the grace to bear our crosses. Life increases in difficulty when we fail to ask for the grace.

Saint Paul had that “thorn” in his side. What that means we cannot know in this life. Three times he begged the Lord to remove it - but it was not removed. Rather, the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

Good enough for me.

p.s. I would gladly trade my three cancers for OCD - which I have anyway!

No takers.
 
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I am nothing special, but God’s grace has certainly been made manifest in my life. I have set a very high, impossible standard for myself: to enjoy suffering for love of God. With His grace, I draw a bit closer as time goes on. Do I fail? Daily! But, the struggle continues.

As they say, “Keep your eye on the prize.”
 
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