OCD Action

The-Worrier
Member

and registered here. I got more out of one call than 5 so called cbt sessions. It's triggered of another ocd worry though: Right off the bat the woman listed intrusive thoughts i was surprised to hear mine and she recommended i think about it for 45 minutes a day as exposure. That's great but i'm worried that the phone call might have been recorded and could one day be traced back to me. Apparently the thought is very common in ocd but i find it sickening. (Can anybody guess? then perhaps i won't feel so bad) It's left me feeling strange. It's the first time i've told ANYBODY this despite having been diagnosed for 5 years (and suffers many years before that) and it was just a phonecall to a simple charity. Anyway i'm really worried that it was recorded and just accepting i have these thoughts is sickening.

Can anyone offer their thoughts or advice?

Thanks

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:09:10 #
Unregistered

Please try not to worry, even if the call was recorded, I'm sure that its details would be kept safe by OCD Action and no one would be able to listen to it and trace you. OCD Action is a charity that understands and helps people with thoughts like yours, they are not going to judge you and send people after you because of intrusive thoughts that you cannot control. A number of people on here also suffer from bad thoughts so you should find a lot of help and comfort on the forum. I recommened contacting Giles, username average_gilo, he's really nice and is also battling against intrusive thoughts that can be very distressing.

Good luck.

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:18:21 #
mama
Member

Having intusive thoughts is very common. People without OCD have them as well...its just that people with OCD think its saying something about them that they had it. Ever wonder how people who write horror movies get their ideas? They dont think it means they are sick and twisted...the use it to make their creative entertainment...though I dont particularly care for it as entertainment myself, you can see what I'm getting at.
The main point to get to is to realize that thoughts are just thoughts...you have no control over them coming in...but they also have no significant meaning...they are JUST thoughts. Many people with OCD are disturbed by violent or wierd sexual thoughts about innapropriate things. This does not mean they are serial killers or sexual predators...it means they have intrusive thoughts like everyone else, but they obsess about it like it means they are psycho. The key is to let the anxiety be there when the thoughts come...try not to make yourself more comfortable by talking yourself through it...just let the anxiety rise and sit with it...it will go down naturally, and then you can move on. You can also distract yourself with getting involved with a hobby, craft, or job...that often helps.
Sorry to hear of your struggle, you are definately NOT alone.
Take care.
Love,
Andrea

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:21:04 #
Truddles
Member

Hi The-worrier,

Welcome to the forum.

Please don't worry about the phone call, they would have had to inform you if it was being recorded. They do not record or trace calls. Everything you say to them is treated in the strictest confidence and I'm pleased that you found it of use.

I too used to worry when I made phone calls (especially if I was making a complaint or asking for advice from a charity such as OCD Action) that they would be able to trace it back to me. I still have that fear but say to myself that I didn't say anything that wasn't true and I wasn't rude so does it matter if they know who made the phone call? The OCD says yes, but I have to be firm and tell myself that why would they want to trace my call anyway as I'm not that important. OCD is a bully and delights in giving you these doubts.

You are not alone with the intrusive thoughts.

Trudy

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:32:06 #
aishah
Member

Hi, I agree with Helz, your call made to OCD Action will be strictly confidential and they are understanding towards people with OCD. Unfortunately intrusive thoughts can be part of many peoples OCD.

I have struggled for some time with very distressing intrusive thoughts, like Andrea said, they are just thoughts, they don't make us bad people. As part of my CBT homework, I have to listen to a recording that I have made of my intrusive thoughts every day over and over again. I must say that at first I was extremely anxious as I thought the thoughts were so bad, but as time goes on the anxiety lessens and the thoughts go to the background more.

I think it's good that you have told someone about the thoughts, it does help to talk about it and I think people, close friends etc, wont be as shocked as you think if you decide to talk about it more some time.

The anxiety you are feeling at the moment will gradually lessen, and please don't worry too much,from experience it will only make the thoughts more troublesome. Try to relax and distract yourself if you can.

Hope you feel better soon
Bridget

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:44:04 #
freddy
Member

Hi The-Warrior and welcome to the forum.

Please don't worry as usually if a call is being recorded your told at the start of the call so I'm sure everything is fine.
The guys on here offer really good advice and are really friendly. I hope that reading the posts make you feel less anxious and of course realise that you are not alone with your OCD.
Please keep posting.
With regards,
Freddy

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:48:09 #
The-Worrier
Member

Hi, thanks for the kind words everyone i've always dealt with my ocd somewhat solitary but recently i've had to admit it's too much and come out of the woodwork a bit i'm hoping chatting on this forum will give my family a break from my constant anxiety too.

Thanks for the info Hetz i'll give Giles a shout.

Andrea and Trudy you are exactly right, ocd is a big bully and we know it. (I thought why the heck would anyone want to trace the call but the ocd just takes over)

I wish i had a therapist like you Bridget that sound like a really useful exercise mine i'm really sorry to say, is still in training and in my opinion isn't very good at cbt.

Anyway thanks for the kind words everyone

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:51:33 #
Unregistered

Could you change your therapist? You have the right to receive good quality treatment so if you can look into changing to someone else then give it a try.

All the best, Helz

Fri Mar 12 2010 16:59:14 #
freddy
Member

Yes OCD does take over, A friend of mine always used to say to me that I wasn't being logical when worrying about stuff. Once my anxiety faded I could then think logically about my worry and realise that actually it wasn't a worry after all and just my OCD taking over.

Fri Mar 12 2010 17:02:56 #
Truddles
Member

All logic goes out of the window whilst OCD is in control Once we'er in control then we are able to see things logically

Fri Mar 12 2010 17:09:44 #
The-Worrier
Member

Changing therapist is just what i'm looking to do Hetz. I had my 5th cbt session with her yesterday and i was nearly crying the same night i'm desperate for a strategy to allow me to cope with my problems but i'm just not getting one,

My Psychiatrist said he thinks he's tied everything medicine wise and if i come across a new medicine in the research i often do on ocd to let him know. When i suggested a change in medication to my psychiatrist because fluoxetine had stopped working he said he wants me to stay on what i'm on, and said he didn't want a Michael Jackson indecent because of the repercussions it could have on HIS family let alone me. That's nice of him i though, completely contradicting what he said earlier (wish i taped sessions)

Therapy wise i saw the ONE cognitive therapist in the city (Coventry) she recommended a book, put doubt on to whether i actually have ocd despite a five year diagnosis and then went on annual leave to Spain. I told the doc i was unhappy and he promised no group therapy and me one on one treatment with someone good and said "she'll sort me out" TWO MONTHS of delays later i start therapy and find out she's a trainee of the therapist i saw in the first place!

When i politely challenged i'm saying things are going too slow and not good enough he came back with he's pulled a ton of strings and i'm the only person getting this "special" one to one treatment in the city. So i give it more time, three sessions later and i'm nowhere if not worse breaking down while all this time is wasted and i get better advice from one phonecall.

It looks like i'll have find different docs in another city. I'm willing to travel, does anyone know somebody who's open mined and good at what they do?

Mental health services in Coventry are terrible.

Fri Mar 12 2010 18:52:31 #
Unregistered

Sorry to hear how you're being treated but sadly it is a familiar story. Maybe Jude the OCD Action Advocate would be able to help you. I think you can contact her via this forum or you can get her details from this website.

Fri Mar 12 2010 19:10:34 #
mama
Member

There are some excellent books out there too...i would also go to http://www.ocfoundation.org ...there is a link to another support group based out of the US that has 3 doctors helping to moderate (along with two others who are not doctors but are very well versed in OCD) and will answer questions. They have been doing this for over 10 years so sometimes are very frank in their answers, but are happy to give information as needed. Also they have many resources and book lists that you can ask for as well.
It is difficult to find therapists that know what they are doing anywhere..it helped me to join that forum and read responses and past interactions and ask my own questions for a few months...even though everyone deals with different forms of OCD you start to see patterns and how to apply the therapy to your own situation. Its not a quick solution, but any information is helpful...There are many links on this forum as well that I have not looked into yet myself, and as I understand there are various group sessions around England that you may be able to join in...Good luck, and keep posting...you are among friends, and we will help best we can.
Andrea

Fri Mar 12 2010 19:36:12 #
Joel
Key Master

Hi The-worrier and welcome to the forum
I Just wanted to say that we do not record calls on our helpline. After the call is finished, our volunteers log the call to help us keep count of the calls we take and whether they are from people with OCD / carers / diagnosed people / people who think they may have OCD etc... we do not record any information that would enable anybody to trace a call to an individual.
This is important as callers needs to feel comfortable talking to us about their OCD especially when this involves abhorrent intrusive thoughts.

Thanks
Joel

Fri Mar 12 2010 19:47:42 #
Caps
Key Master

Hi The Worrier,

I can assure you that OCD Action treats your call and any contact you make with us as fully confidential. We will not make your details or content of any contact with us available to any other organisation or individual.

Best wishes,
Caps

Fri Mar 12 2010 20:56:28 #
Blueskies
Member

Hi The Worrier

just a quick, Hello and welcome!!!

Fri Mar 12 2010 22:22:23 #
Unregistered

Hi The-Worrier

Drop us a message. I too have intrusive thoughts. Mine evolve around paedophillia and the fear that I may molest children. I've had this for 8 years. Before that Trannsexualism, Homosexuality, mass murder. Helz recommended me. I'm probably not the best person to speak to, but I'll do what I can to help

Giles

Fri Mar 12 2010 23:16:17 #