# Aparently you can go over the edge with OCD if you stop fighting it.



## snowcat3030

Hey,

Apart from DP and DR, my other main symptoms are anxiety and OCD. My OCD consists of mainly intrusive thoughts, things that I find extremely distressing and they are very creative in upsetting me in an evil kind of way. They seem to focus around disease or death to others or myself, sometimes they are sexual but in a perverted distressing sense (of course like other OCD sufferers I know they are just nonsense thoughts - hence the term intrusive thoughts). The intrusive thoughts usually pop up to stop me doing something that may benefit myself and I am threatened by them, if I don't stop the beneficial activity, something will happen etc.

Sometimes they are so strong I just give up and let them win (in the sense I give up the beneficial activity). But after re-reading my diagnosis on wikipedia, (type in "Obsessive compulsive disorder wiki" on google etc) I read something that put chills through my bones. There was this information at the bottom of one of the paragraphs -

"In severe OCD, obsessions can shift into delusions when resistance to the obsession is abandoned and insight into its senselessness is lost. (Insel and Akiskal (1986)) "

Sometimes I thought I'd call the obsessions bluff and simply attempt to not care about the intrusive thoughts and they would have no power over me- but worried that in doing so I might desensitise myself to evil, and become a bad person, go to the darkside you could say. Well it seems my fear was substantiated, and that if I don't constantly fight the intrusive thoughts (it can be tirsesome at times, they are relentless) and defy the intrusive thoughts and do the activity anyway, I could go psychotic - my worst fear.

Well, it seems I have to fight every intrusive thought then, never desensitise myself to the horror. What do you guys think? Anybody given it much thought?


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## Guest

Daer snowcat,

#1. To Hell with Wikipedia, and also with an article written in 1986. Any relevant info on any brain disorder has to have a research date of 2010 as far as I'm concerned. Medicine changes every second, literally -- I have heard that constantly in lectures. A neurologist will say -- "Everything I am telling you right now is out of date, as I speak." To me that is very encouraging.

It is true in certain cases that OCD can become very serious and move into the realm of an actual delusion. But to my understanding, and I am no expert on this, *this is rare.*

I also don't think it has to do with "giving in" -- although one must practice active behavioral therapy, distraction, healthy lifestyle, mindfulness, etc. But if you aren't on a medication, the SSRIs seem to be very helpful to some people. And that isn't really a cure, it is treatment.

And if you drive yourself mad worrying about this, it will do you know good.

I have found that about 98% of the internet is full of garbage. It can be wonderful, but if you want solid current information on medicine, go to Pubmed or The Merck Manual, etc. And even then The Merck is out of date.

The main thing is not obsessing over THIS concern. You will not become delusional, but you MUST deal with the symptoms NOW -- therapy, meds, etc. A holistic approach is the best answer.

Best,
D


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## Guest

PS, I don't have OCD (DISORDER), but my husband does, and a very close friend does (blasphemous religious thoughts with compulsive prayer and atonement). In both cases, medication and therapy and moving on with life as best as possible helps so much. My friend's sister also had SERIOUS OCD that would drive everyone else bananas, caused her serious problems at work, etc. The family has a history of OCD, though some have escaped it. This would indicate some degree of inheritance and predisposition. Anxiety disorders are that way.

I do have some OC traits however (having to do with perfection/control/organization, just illogical crap). A compulsion to organize things to a ridiculous degree, and sometimes being unable to choose "the right thing" to start working on. Having trouble reading as I wonder, "should I learn all of this or some of it." More perfection and control, but as a child/adolescent it was damaging re: schoolwork, etc.

As an adult, I sometimes have to consciously stop myself from some stupid thing like sorting all the pens I own by color, type, etc. Just stupid things like that. I work on it consciously.

But I don't obsess over obsessing.

Do your best, and don't blame it on "not trying hard enough." All of these symptoms IMHO are medical/neurological in nature and you are fighting a brain glitch (whatever it is) ... so it is like trying to control diabetes. Take your insulin, follow a healthy lifestyle. Bad analogy, but ...

I'll stop. 
Take Care,
D


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## weird_artist

I agree! Don't worry about it all (I know that is a stupid thing to say because worry is our natural emotional state).

Take care


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## babybowrain

Yeah try to distract yourself as much as possible from worrying about it. I got diagnosed with ocd at some point too, but my current pschiatrist said nothing about it.


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## snowcat3030

Dreamer* said:


> Daer snowcat,
> 
> #1. To Hell with Wikipedia, and also with an article written in 1986. Any relevant info on any brain disorder has to have a research date of 2010 as far as I'm concerned. Medicine changes every second, literally -- I have heard that constantly in lectures. A neurologist will say -- "Everything I am telling you right now is out of date, as I speak." To me that is very encouraging.
> 
> It is true in certain cases that OCD can become very serious and move into the realm of an actual delusion. But to my understanding, and I am no expert on this, *this is rare.*
> 
> I also don't think it has to do with "giving in" -- although one must practice active behavioral therapy, distraction, healthy lifestyle, mindfulness, etc. But if you aren't on a medication, the SSRIs seem to be very helpful to some people. And that isn't really a cure, it is treatment.
> 
> And if you drive yourself mad worrying about this, it will do you know good.
> 
> I have found that about 98% of the internet is full of garbage. It can be wonderful, but if you want solid current information on medicine, go to Pubmed or The Merck Manual, etc. And even then The Merck is out of date.
> 
> The main thing is not obsessing over THIS concern. You will not become delusional, but you MUST deal with the symptoms NOW -- therapy, meds, etc. A holistic approach is the best answer.
> 
> Best,
> D


Dear Dreamer,

Thankyou for the clarification and advice. They have been very helpful, my OCD has been whooping my butt lately and that's why I needed to ensure it was the same old OCD by looking up the symptoms on the wikipage. I sometimes forget that the WIKI can be written by ANYONE at all and it doesn't mean that it is fact! I shall try Pubmed. Also I'd like to thank you again for helping me in the past. You helped me out of a dark place many years ago, when the DP board was first started. I think I was under the handle Sundance, or stardance or even caspian etc.. Anyways I have never forgotten your kindness. You have a friend in me always. I Hope things are going great, and I hope to chat with you further on this board..
regards,

Matt


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