My OCD is ruining my life,what do I do?

Question

Please somebody help me.My OCD is out of control.I can't sleep,or study or do anything anymore.I'm 19 and have exams coming up but my OCD has gotten so bad that it keeps me up at night.I have all these unwanted thoughts I can't get rid of and I analyze everything to death.It's making me physically sick.What do I do?My parents refuse to believe me when I tell them it's OCD even though a doctor has confirmed it.My parents insist that I could deal with it on my own if I really tried.

Answer 1

Are you on medication? If the OCD is severe you probably can't get over it on your own. Talk to a psychiatrist or doctor, they can help you manage it.

Answer 2

I'm so sorry. I certainly can relate. I have it too. I don't drive either. I'm terrified just to be a passenger. Today, my OCD was so bad that I was afraid to eat at a fast food restaurant. I smelled natural gas and was certain that the restaurant would explode any minute. My husband was thoroughly annoyed at me. The cashier looked at me with total disgust. We ended up eating in the van. I'm still hurt about my husband's reaction. It's certainly not easy having such a disorder. In the past, I've found that drug therapy helps a lot--Prozac and Zoloft, though I'm not on anything right now. A drug called Buspar can also help. It's also important to get enough sleep as the OCD will be much more severe otherwise.

Answer 3

I know how OCD must feel. I've also been getting unwanted thoughts and I'm so sick of them that I just don't try to get rid of them. I think that seeing a counselor might really help you. If your parents don't believe you then it's their problem. Just know that things will get better from here. All you need to do is make an effort.

Answer 4

I thought ny 23 year old son had OCD but it turns out that he is suffering from severe depression which caused paranoia. (paranoia is often mistaken for OCD) With a lot of showing of support I was able to get him to Mental health and he is now doing okay. If you don't have support find a doctor or go to mental health yourself. They have been a great help and support to my son and myself and together we are going to get through this. He is on 3 different medications and they are helping him. You can.t deal with OCD by ignoring it. I am very proud of you for admitting you might have a problem. That is the biggest step to getting on top of it. Find yourself some help. You too will get through this. Don't leave it too long.

Answer 5

you can go talk to the school psychologist. they can help you find ways to deal with it. and if it gets really bad, you can ask about medication that can help you deal with it.

OCD could be caused by increased activity in certain areas of your brain (specifically the orbitofrontal cortex in the frontal lobe--which controls impulse control--and the cingulate gyrus--which controls what you think about) that affects the serotonin circuits. serotonin is a chemical in your brain that influences/regulates mood, behavior and thought processes and it circulates through your brain in a pattern--hence the "serotonin circuit". it runs by those other areas i previously mentioned. so basically when those areas are overstimulated, it interferes with the serotonin circuits such that there may be less serotonin going around and around in your brain. this could make it harder for you to control what you want to think about and what you dont want to think about.

there are drugs out there the can increase the effectiveness of hte serotonin in your brain which would then give you more control of your thought processes.

of course, you should definitely talk to a doctor about all these things and whether this is the best option for you. you are an adult now and you are the only one who really knows how much this is affecting you, so you have to take this into your own hands. once a disorder like this interferes with your normal functioning, its definitely a sign that you have to do something about it before it gets worst.

i really urge you to find a psychologist and ask about your options. i wish you the best! (im sorry your parents arent more supportive)

Answer 6

I think your exams are obviously intensifying your symptoms and I'm really sorry, because I know exactly how you feel. I had it really bad last year and couldn't sleep or anything, it was constant. You can try finding an OCD helpline, even just to talk to a professional. I'm in the UK, so sorry I can't help with US numbers, but if you contact your local operator, maybe they can help put you in touch with a helpline. It really helped me just to finally talk to someone who knew what was going on with me.

I really recommend picking up the book 'Brain Lock' by Jeffrey Shwartz. It has really helped me to understand my symptoms and also shows you how to deal with them.

There is help out there I promise. Take care : )

Answer 7

I totally agree with your parents. When that starts happening to me I just do something that annoys me really bad, ignore it, start doing something else and I forget about it. When the urges come in I laugh about. Just think that there are people in the world that are in really bad situations. That's when I say to myself... " And I'm worrying about this *@#*???" And most important, you recognized it's ruining your life. So start living. If I could control it, you can control it too. I know you can.

Answer 8

OMG I'm having the same problem...check my last question....urggg I'm also 19.

Answer 9

You recognize the problem! Good, now move on

Answer 10

well your old enough to get some help which you obviously need