OCD, Trich, and Depression...?

Question

how do you deal w/ all this? im having a hard time behaving in school. i misbehave a lot, too. any advice?

Answer 1

If you have been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and are taking medication for it, you should be okay.

For what you are calling Trich, I hope I am right by assuming you mean trichomonas. This is completely separate from your other diagnoses.
Trichomonas/Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that can be treated with a drug called Flagyl. If you have this, your partner will also have to take medication or you will be giving this back to each other. My husband gave this to me and the doctor treated him as well.

Depression: Hope you are getting treatment for this by your family doctor or psychiatrist.

What I Think:
What you are describing sounds to me like you may have Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyperactivity which is also treatable. See your doctor for all the above. If you are having a hard time concentrating and misbehaving in school, you may very well have hyperactive attention deficit disorder.

I am wishing you good health and a good cure as well. Happy Holidays.

Answer 2

I truly were stricken by submit partum melancholy for the previous one 12 months when I gave beginning to a infant boy. i could not end wondering about how my husband loves him better than me and how issues will be better ideal if he wasn't born in any respect. therefore, I stayed remote from him because I knew that i'd do something i'll regret for something else of my existence. just about immediately away I went to a therapist and convince them that i choose help. between different issues, i have tried organic supplementations and different e book to address melancholy yet no longer something works like the melancholy loose technique. So now i'm proud to assert i'm between the happiest mom in the international. My husband loves us both very a lot and that i thank the Lord for the blessing he gave us. melancholy loose technique?

Answer 3

The STD has to be treated by a doctor, do not have intercourse until you are cured.
The OCD and depression can be helped by seeing a psychiatrist for medication or a therapist for behavioral analysis.
Give yourself time, you will grow up.

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

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Answer 6

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Answer 7

as far i think the reason of the misbehave may be depression.

Answer 8

Get Higher than a kite then go see a psych.

Answer 9

your ocd could be add this dis order has many of the same symptoms

Answer 10

Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder, or OCD for short, is based around obsessive thought patterns and rituals, such as fear of contamination, in conjunction with compulsions to carry out physical rituals, such as excessive washing. The rituals relieve the fear created by the obsessive thoughts. It is perfectly possible, and very common, to have obsessive thoughts without the rituals and it is equally possible to have the compulsive rituals without the thoughts although this is quite rare.

When does a ritual become compulsion? This is quite a difficult one to answer as there is a fine line between habitually doing something, and it not being a problem, to doing the same job but it being obsessive. For example, if you the vacuum the house once a day then you could say that you are "just house proud" even though to some of us that may seem a little excessive - once a week will do for most people. If, however, you find that you vacuum the house and then feel the need to do it again a few hours later as there are a few bits of fluff on the carpets, then it could be that this is becoming an obsession.

A big test would be to not vacuum the carpets one day and see how it makes you feel - were you relieved to have some extra time to yourself or were you worrying excessively because the house looks dirty or that you have not completed your daily chore. Think about it and then decide.

Examples of Obsessions are:

Fear of shameful behaviour

Death & disaster

Contamination

Perverted sexual thoughts

Symmetrical arrangements

Intrusive thoughts & images

Unsatisfactory body image

Examples of Compulsions are:

Cleaning

Washing

Checking

Counting

Measuring

Repeating actions or tasks

Confessing imaginary "sins"

Hoarding

Slowness

The causes of OCD are unclear but there is some evidence that an imbalance of a neurotransmitter in the brain known as serotonin, or a disturbance in serotonin metabolism is associated with the disorder. This has been proved by the fact that many sufferers improve when they take medications that increase brain serotonin levels (e.g. Anafranil, Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil). Further research is still needed in this area.

Like all Anxiety Disorders, OCD can be overcome with self-exposure and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), sometimes in conjunction with anti-depressant drugs. Recovery is usually quite slow but hard work does produce positive rewards and complete recovery can be achieved.


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Further details on obsessions/compulsions:

Here are some more details on examples of OCD.

Contamination - Bodily waste and/or secretion, such as urine, saliva and blood. Dirt and Germs - an urge to clean continuously .

Hoarding - Reluctance to throw things away, regardless of the value or usefulness. Rummaging through garbage to ensure nothing valuable was thrown away. Collecting useless items.

Ordering - Wanting things to be Symmetrical. Ordering everything around them. Wanting things to be "perfect", exact. Seeking that feeling of "Just Right". Preoccupation with aligning items such as papers, books in a certain "perfect" way.

Religion - Having blasphemous thoughts or saying bad things. The fear of being punished for these Thoughts. Concern with religious beliefs. Repeating and getting stuck on religious images and/or thoughts.

Aggression - Harming yourself. Harming loved one's or people in general. Blurting out insults and/or obscenities. Acting out unwanted impulses, such as running someone over or stabbing a person.

Responsibility - Harming someone else by being careless yourself. Picking up pieces of glass on the street, informing people a public light is broken, take away items that may hurt others. That this carelessness or other actions of theirs may cause some terrible accidents, fires or burglary's. The fear that what they say can be mis- interpreted and hurt someone and making them ask for assurance they didn't. This is also part of the need to say things "Just Right".

Sex - Sexual impulses/images/thoughts that can be extremely disturbing. Thoughts about molesting your own or other people's children. Doubts on your own sexuality. Looking at a person of the same sex is enough to trigger this since they feel they may be giving out signs of being Homosexual, or they may feel a Homosexual will "contaminate" them just by passing by them. Thoughts or images of a violent sexual nature towards others.

Superstition - Fear of saying/thinking certain words because of the negative consequences that may result from doing so. Not being able to use certain Colours, numbers or letters because they are negative, some numbers will be unlucky. Rigid adherence to excessive superstitious fears. Everything can become "negative" or "positive" and will become very rigid and omnipresent in the person's life.
Perfection - The urge to remember certain things such as slogans, license plate numbers, names, words or event of the past. This could also be explained as the "Fear" of forgetting. The fear of saying something wrong or not "Just Right" and/or leaving details out. This makes the person go to great extend to tell everything "Just" as it was. Worrying about making mistakes. Easily bothered by the feel of clothing, textures on the skin. Small imperfections can drive the person crazy.

Miscellaneous Obsessions - Easily bothered by certain sounds and noises such as clocks ticking, loud noises or buzzing. Intrusive nonsense sounds, music, words. Certain songs will be repeated over and over in the mind.




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Are you suffering?

Everyone suffers from OCD in some form or other but most of us control the feelings and it does not take over our lives. There is a fine line between obsession and normal everyday activities Things we do each day could be regarded as obsessive as they are rituals that we have to do. Examples are: brushing your teeth, washing up, vacuuming the house, dusting, emptying bins, removing out-of-date food from the fridge, showering, ironing, cleaning the bathroom, checking the doors and windows are locked and so on.

They only become an obsession when you have to carry out the task - sometimes over and over again - and are not happy until you have done so and everything is "just right".

I do not consider myself as an OCD sufferer but I do have rituals that I like to adhere to and hence it is arguable that I am a mild sufferer.

I used to put out the cat food bowls each night on the side and the tins of cat food that they were going to get the next morning. I would even leave the fork out ready to mash the food up. Before I stopped drinking tea, I would get the cups out, with the tea-bags ready for the morning. I have stopped doing this now but for a while it was a nightly ritual.

I am a very fidgety person so if I see something that needs doing, then I will get up and do it immediately rather than leaving it until later. I can be watching a programme on TV and then see something that needs doing and I have to do it straight away rather than finishing watching the TV programme first. I have always found it hard to sit still and relax whilst I know that something else needs doing.

I am quite house-proud and hence I like things to be how I want them to be. Not all of this is OCD - a lot of it is simply because I cannot sit still for very long and always find something else to do! I sometimes find myself running around all night because everything needs to be done.

My partner does not suffer from OCD either but he has to check that all the doors are locked each night - regardless of the fact that I tell him I have just locked them!

My point here is that all of us can be classed as obsessive to some degree or another and it is up to you to decide whether your rituals are really obsessions. If you are unsure then I would suggest that you break the ritual and see how it makes you feel - do you feel compelled to do it or can you live without doing it?

If you are confronted about your activities and find yourself saying "I can't help doing it" or "I need to do it" then you should begin to consider whether you are developing OCD.




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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and its Treatment

By Professor Kevin Gournay.

First published Jun 94

(Reproduced with kind permission of "No Panic". Please do not copy this article without their prior permission.)

Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder was at one time thought to be a rare problem. However, like many anxiety states, people who suffer from Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder (OCD) keep their problems much to themselves. It is because of the very irrational nature of many obsessions that many sufferers are frightened and embarrassed about revealing their problems. Thus, until the last few years, the true incidence of the problem was unknown, there are varying estimates of the numbers of people suffering from OCD but there is an agreement that probably more than one million people in the United Kingdom have one form or other of the problem. OCD of course comprises both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour and sufferers may exhibit either obsessions or compulsions alone or, more commonly, a mixture. There is no doubt, that OCD affects people across all cultures, occupations and radical groups. Before describing some of the current approaches, it is worth underlining that obsessions and compulsions per se are part of our lives. There is not one person who has not been preoccupied by an irrational idea, compelled to give into a superstitious behaviour or who has not been troubled by thoughts relating to guilt, perfectionism, or some aspect of conscience. OCD sufferers have these traits but some or all of them are magnified many times over.

What causes O.C.D?

Many years ago obsessions were thought to be caused by development factors and during much of this century most treatment approaches centred around psychoanalytic theories. However, in the last few years, it has become clear that the basis of OCD is to be found in slight differences in the structure and chemistry of the brain. These differences in themselves do not actually result in any other abnormalities but do seem to provide the basis for OCD Our knowledge of these brain differences is expanding with the recent advances in brain imaging. We are now able to scan the brain using some of the more recent developments for example, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, also known as MRI and pet scans. However, despite the recognition that certain parts of the brain are different in OCD sufferers, we still do not know how these structural differences relate to the precise mechanisms of OCD Neither are we absolutely sure how the brain chemistry of OCD sufferers varies from the so-called norm.

Another interesting line of research is in the area of genetics and recent work carried out in several parts of the world has indicated that there may be a considerable genetic basis for OCD However, the more the picture unfolds, the more complex OCD becomes and it is probable that OCD comprises a number of different problems with some commonalities, it is also clear that the structural and chemical causes are not the entire answer. Obsessive and compulsive thinking and behaviour can also be learned from a range of experiences for example, during childhood, following traumatic events of one kind or another and, by exposure to a mother, father or significant other relative with OCD Thus, people may be born with a biological disposition to OCD but never develop the full problem, while others are born with the same predisposition but, when subject to sufficient learning experiences, develop the problem in a full blown form.

All this might sound rather complex and, indeed, as most of you know many GPs and even some mental health professionals are surprisingly ignorant about OCD but it is important to see that the condition is not caused by one simple factor.


Treatment

I will now look at some of the common treatments for OCD and give a conclusion based on research findings rather than give a personal opinion.

Psychotherapy

Traditional psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy was, for many years, the only psychological approach used in this problem and, indeed, many patients with OCD still have experiences of receiving this sort of treatment. While some patients may report receiving some benefit from these modes of treatment, the benefit is rarely reflected in change in the obsessional thoughts or the ritualistic behaviour. Psychodynamic and psychoanalytic therapies are talking treatments which aim to resolve predominantly subconscious or unconscious conflicts and thus, in the light of research findings on the nature of OCD it is obvious that chasing supposed unresolved conflicts is unlikely to achieve anything over a placebo effect. Gradually mental health professionals are accepting that these treatments are ineffective and fortunately most services have abandoned these methods as a way of helping people with OCD Although, unfortunately, in some areas of the country there are still psychiatrists, psychologists and other who continue to use these out of date ineffective methods.

Relaxation

While relaxation training can be quite helpful for certain types of anxiety; there is no evidence that it is helpful in the treatment of obsessional thoughts or compulsive rituals. Indeed, it is so ineffective that many researchers choose to use relaxation as a placebo treatment when trying to evaluate other treatments. Relaxation may, of course, be helpful in reducing general anxiety but anyone with OCD is wasting their time putting effort into using relaxation methods as anything more than a secondary supplement to other forms of treatment.

Hypnosis

Patients still ask for hypnosis and it is easy to see that sufferers think that their obsessional thoughts could be susceptible to this method. However, sadly this is not the case and hypnosis treatment represents the sort of magic wand which has no place in the treatment armoury against OCD My advice to anyone contemplating spending their money on this method, (it is not available on the NHS for the treatment of such problems), is that this is truly a waste of money and the only person benefiting will be the hypnotist and his or her bank manager.

Behaviour Therapy

Behaviour therapy revolutionised the treatment of obsessional rituals at the beginning of the 1970's and brought the first real hope for sufferers. Treatments were based on the simple idea that if you helped people delay their responses to the compulsion to carry out a ritual such as hand washing or cleaning, they would experience a decline in their response and thus are able to 'break the habit. Response prevention is linked to exposure, whereby the patient is asked, in graduated doses of difficulty, to face up to the primary source of their compulsion, i.e. the thing which they feel is contaminating them. Much of the time patients realise that their contamination fears are irrational but nevertheless any exposure to anything resembling the source of the fear produces huge anxiety which is only temporarily reduced by the ritual. Early treatment programmes were carried out. while the patient was in hospital and the method often involved having the assistance of a nurse 24 hours a day to enable the patient to be able to resist the urge. The treatments were very successful although, as one can imagine, in-patient care with 24 hour nursing cover is very expensive. However, one reason for changing this mode of treatment was that patients often thought they could hand over the responsibility to hospital or nurse or the therapist involved in the treatment. Thus, during the 1970's treatment became much more outpatient focused, and therapists transferred their treatment efforts to the home setting. Indeed, when 1 worked with Professor Marks at the Maudsley Hospital in the 1970's, 1 spent a considerable amount of my time in patient’s homes, helping them to deal with their obsessive fears. These response prevention treatments remain the main approach for people with obsessional rituals and the outcome of these methods is still excellent, with approximately 70% of patients who complete treatment reporting 70% or greater improvement in their symptoms. Nevertheless, behaviour therapy has never proved to be dramatically effective for obsessional thoughts although, there are some cases, which do respond to pure behavioural methods. In the last few years, better results have been obtained by using cognitive therapy in conjunction with behaviour therapy with obsessive thoughts. Cognitive therapy involves helping the patient to rationally change their thinking and therapists have developed a number of strategies to help patients deal with their obsessional worries. Commonly, cognitive behavioural procedures can help people with obsessional thoughts in between 1 0 and 20 sessions of treatment. However, good quality research on the cognitive approaches to obsessional thoughts is still in its infancy and we await larger studies.

Drug Treatment

Drug treatments have been used with OCD Antidepressants such as Annaframil (chlomipramine) may be helpful in some cases, particularly where depression is prominent. However, antidepressants only seem to confer truly long-term gains when combined with behaviour therapy. Newer compounds such as Prozac are currently being researched but, as yet, there is no evidence that they are useful in OCD Further, all drugs have side effects thus, and one must balance these against benefits.


Conclusion

OCD can be a crippling syndrome but behavioural methods may provide substantial benefits. No Panic and similar self-help organisations may provide benefits via not only the dissemination of behavioural advice but by collective support that professional treatments rarely provide. Sufferers should however take heart and the treatment outcome continues to improve. The future recovery prospects for people with OCD is bright but as yet sufferers still need to work hard at getting better. The No Panic help-line will provide details of self-help materials and useful books.


Depression is a common condition, 15% of the population will suffer from clinical depression at some point in their lives.

Everybody has periods where they feel low, or down. These are normal emotions, and appropriate after bad news, bereavement and so forth. However, depression – the illness, is persistent, and help is required to recover. The difference with depression is when the unhappiness is without cause, or lasts much longer and is out of proportion to circumstances, or seems beyond the sufferers personal control to manage.

Depression affects people differently. Some are mildly affected – often known as dysthymia, and manage to function despite their condition. Others may be severely depressed and find it very difficult to carry out even the most basic tasks., such as washing and dressing.

There are also different types of depression, such as the episodes of depression, followed by elation in manic depression (bipolar affective disorder, SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and PND (post natal depression).

Spike Milligan and Winston Churchill were two famous manic depressives. Depression is not selective of class, status or upbringing.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms are many, varied and not all sufferers will exhibit the same problems. They may include:

Continual low mood
Feeling of inadequacy
Feeling “tearful” and “emotional”
Irritability
Anger / aggression
Anxiety
Lack of motivation
Lack of social interest
Poor personal care
Irrational / guilty thoughts
Feeling of hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts
Tired all the time
Loss of appetite / weight
Comfort eating
Inability to sleep
Disturbed sleep
Loss of concentration
Sleeping too much / not waking refreshed
Loss of libido
Avoiding people / social situations
Lack of energy
Feeling physically ill
Extreme lethargy
Bleak and pessimistic view of the future

N.B. Anxiety and depression are closely linked. Anxiety can cause depression, and depression can cause anxiety.



SO WHY DO I FEEL LIKE THIS?

Depression is a complex illness, and can occur for several reasons.

In a person suffering from depression, levels of neuro-transmitters are lowered. One of these is serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5HT).

It can be triggered as a result of a number of causes:

Social Circumstances
Unemployment, divorce or break down of relationship, bereavement, redundancy, sudden/dramatic change to personal circumstances

Physical Conditions

Glandular fever, influenza, anaemia, diseases such as multiple sclerosis, severe arthritis, and treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Hormonal Changes
Pregnancy, resulting in PND – about 10% of all women experience significant PND. Depression presents more commonly in women (this may also be because men are more reluctant to visit their doctor)

Psychological Conditions
Sufferers of anxiety may also find they develop depression. Unresolved psychological issues also contribute. About 60% of people suffering chronically with anxiety and panic will also develop associated depression.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE?

Each sufferer is an individual, and treatments vary. Many people combine treatments for optimum effect, i.e. medication and counselling. The preferred choice at present is SSRI’s along with CBT. The medication is to lift the mood enough to be able to take on board and learn skills needed to overcome the condition long term.

The first step is to visit your GP. They can confirm your diagnosis and ensure your depression does not have a physical cause. You must be prepared to be honest with yourself and your GP. If you have some unresolved issues, medication alone will not provide a cure, and your GP can recommend you for some form of therapy.

Therapy
This may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or counselling. All health authorities have a Community Mental Health Team, who will be able to select and provide appropriate treatment upon your referral by your GP. If you really feel you need it, do not be afraid to request a referral.
Medication
There are several different types of anti-depressants. You are likely to be offered one of the following types:

SSRI – (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors), the most known household brand name being Prozac (fluoxetine) but now include a whole stable of closely related medicines
Tricyclic antidepressants
MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
Moclobemide
Different people respond better to different drugs, and different categories of depression respond better to different drugs to, so there may be a degree of trial and error before you find the right one for you. There is no universal wonder drug, and what worked for your friend may not be beneficial to you.

Before you go to your GP, you may like to make a list of lifestyle considerations to discuss the most suitable medication. For example, if you lead a busy life, or drive for a living, a drug which makes you drowsy may not suit, where if you have problems sleeping at night it may be beneficial.

There are several sites on the internet which explain in detail each type of medication, and their possible side effects.

Anti-depressants are not addictive. However, you may suffer withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking them suddenly. Any withdrawal should be gradual and under medical supervision.

Alternative Medicine
St Johns Wort is a herbal remedy, which has a similar effect to SSRI’s and is commonly used in the treatment of depression. Do research this carefully before starting yourself on this. It can be very effective but can also have some severe interactions with medication you may be taking for other medical conditions so if you are on any other prescribed medication at all please do not take this without taking specialist advice.



SIDE EFFECTS AND CONTRA-INDICATIONS

ALL medicines have the potential to cause side effects, some of which may be unpleasant. Most side effects only occur during the first few weeks of starting to take the medication, and then disappear. If you are taking the medication and have panic or anxiety – it is not uncommon for this to get worse for a few weeks before the benefit is felt. It can be helpful in these circumstances to drop your dose and gradually increase it.

However, many people take these medicines without experiencing any side-effects.

You should also ensure you tell your doctor about any medicines you use regularly. Some medications can react with each other, for example, St Johns Wort can effect the efficiency of the contraceptive pill, and decongestants shouldn’t be used with MAOI and tricyclic anti-depressants. With the MAOI family, there are also some important food restrictions too. Your GP may need to review they way you self medicate certain conditions.



SELF HELP

Sufferers can also do a lot to help themselves, by taking positive action to help improve their lives.

Diet
Ensure you eat a healthy nutritionally balanced diet, including plenty of water, fresh fruit and vegetables, and wholegrains and pulses.

Exercise
Exercise as regularly as possible, be it a brisk walk to the shops or round the park, a swim or joining the gym.

Reduce / Cut Down on Stimulants
Review alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and any “recreational” drugs taken. Stop or limit your intake. Swap tea / coffee for water, green, black or herbal teas. Set yourself limits and stick to them. You may choose to allow yourself two glasses of wine at a family celebration. Stick to your limit, and consider swapping wine for wine spritzer to make your drinks last longer

Relax
Sign up for yoga, Tai’chi or pilates. Buy a relaxation CD. Go for a massage. Indulge in a bubble bath.

Change the Pace
Do you need to do everything you do in your life? Do you need to do it when you do it? If not, slow the pace of your life down a little. Consider taking a short holiday.

Remove Stressors
Whilst it is never a good idea to make major lifestyle changes whilst suffering from depression, review your life with a view to reducing stress. If you have relationship problems, discuss them with your partner, visit Relate. If you have problems at work, discuss them with human resources or your manager.

Some stressors can be minor, but putting them off can cause unnecessary aggravation. These may be little things, like a car interior that needs cleaning, or a wardrobe that needs tidying. Find the time to deal with any issues that “bug” you, however small.

Keep Your Mind Occupied
Read a book, watch a film, phone a friend. Try not to simply “sit and dwell”. Take up a new hobby.

Keep a Mood Diary
Note how you feel each day, what stressors are present, what activities you’ve done, what you’ve eaten and drunk. Monitor for any patterns

Don’t Bottle It Up
Don’t keep your feelings to yourself. Explain to your close family and friends what you are experiencing. If necessary, educate them about your illness and treatment. Avoid people who tell you to pull yourself together, or to just get on with it! You have an illness, and cannot help the way you feel.

Rediscovery
Write down all the things that usually give you pleasure. These can be hobbies or experiences – reading, embroidery, playing squash, ice skating, trying out new recipes. Make time to read a book, sew a sampler, book a squash court

Create a Self Help Folder
Keep any information you find useful filed together, and use it for reference. This can include articles, journals, magazine cuttings, or even quotes or pictures that make you smile.

AND ABOVE ALL – STAY POSITIVE

Remember that depression is a treatable illness from which sufferers make a full recovery. Do not set any false time scales for recovery. Everybody is different. SSRIs can take 2 – 3 weeks before any benefit is felt. Medication may need to be continued from 6 months up to 2 years. Do not expect an immediate recovery once you have started treatment.

Some sufferers find that they may experience another period of depression at some point in their lives. This is quite common, and should not cause concern. It is very likely that you will notice the signs much sooner should it occur again, and can take appropriate action.



FURTHER INFORMATION

For more detailed information about depression, it’s causes and treatment, contact:

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

www.rcpsych.ac.uk

www.medinfo.co.uk

www.sane.org.uk

www.depressionalliance.org

www.samaritans.org.uk

www.mind.org.uk