OCD Action

Pippy
Member

Hi everyone,
I suffer principally from CSP but do also have some milder OCD symptoms. I have intrusive thoughts of the kind that are clearly symptomatic of OCD, I'm sure you know the kind, that horrify you and you try to block out, don't think I need to go into any detail! However I also experience just a word popping into my head repeatedly over a day or longer. And this is often not a distressing word or one that I am particuarly bothered by, it's often something quite obscure like the latin name of a plant or a foreign word I learnt some time ago, or a technical word that I don't know the meaning of. I was wondering whether you think this is part of my OCD or not? It doesn't bother me too much as obviously it's not quite the same as distressing violent or sexual thoughts that you immeadiately fight against because you are disgusted with yourself for thinking such a thing. It's more just out of interest as I am getting to know my disorder and what is and isn't an aspect of it. I'd appreciate any ideas about this? Thanks guys
Pippy xxx

Thu Jun 18 2009 19:27:19 #
brennie
Member

hello pippy, if these intrusive thoughts ( being one word or otherwise ) are bothering you and feel like ocd .... it usually is or could be, if the thoughts are distressing you you are right too ask.

love brennie x

Thu Jun 18 2009 21:16:22 #
Pippy
Member

Thanks for the response brennie. i think that it may well be an aspect of my condition. Thanks for your input, it's good to share ideas about this condition because it's so complex and I think there's still a lot we don't know about it.
Pippy xxx

Sat Jul 4 2009 17:21:33 #
brennie
Member

Pippy, i have had this condition since i was 12 yrs old... i am now 60 yrs old , but yes your right we are never too old to learn from each other.

love brennie x

Sat Jul 4 2009 18:25:28 #
Pippy
Member

I appreciate that you have been dealing with the condition for many years and so undoubtedly are greatly more experienced and knowledgeable about it than me, I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I meant more that the causes and manifestations of the condition are so complex and I don't think we (as sufferers, society as a whole, and the medical profession) understand it entirely. Perhaps I'm wrong, I don't know, but this is how it seems to me.
Pippy x

Tue Jul 7 2009 21:26:40 #
Unregistered

Pippy, I agree with you, the manifestations are so complex and no-one can understand everything about OCD. I've suffered from it for fifty years and have experienced obsessions of many kinds, but I certainly could never know everything. I was upset by the author of a book who claimed she knew all there is to know about OCD (that and the fact she plagiarised seven pages of my work!!). As a fellow sufferer she probably knows a great deal, but I think it rather presumptuous to claim to know everything.

Experts bitterly argue over who knows best about the treatment and the cause. It's rather sad (and our loss) that they won't unite and realize that they all have good ideas and as we are all different we may find when one of the expert's therapies doesn't help us another's might. For example, mindfulness works well for many, for others the best therapy is exposure and response prevention.

Tricia x

Wed Jul 8 2009 15:17:48 #
Unregistered

P.S. Sorry, I forgot to answer your original question. I would say it is a symptom of your OCD. I experience the same. Even a song stuck in our heads can be, although I appreciate others experience that, too. I read of one man who had a song stuck in his head for years (I can't recall the number, and I don't want to exaggerate, but it was a long time) and he was diagnosed with OCD. I believe that was his only symptom. I think many would say 'lucky man!' but the song caused him great distress and affected his marriage. He was unable to concentrate on conversations because of the music in his head. Tricia x

Wed Jul 8 2009 15:28:39 #
Unregistered

I worded the sentence about experts and therapy badly. Most therapists use the ERP technique, the difference lies in how the patient is encouraged to respond. Some experts believe we should remain focused on what we fear whilst avoiding the compulsion. However, the mindfulness approach is distraction, to do something else and focus on that rather than the fear.

I've tried both and neither have worked for me. Fifteen minutes of distraction is encouraged, fifteen years wasn't enough for one of my fears. An expert who believes in focusing on the fear has told me I am not focusing well enough. His only reason for making such a judgement is that the fear never left me. The fact that I was too terrified to concentrate on anything else didn't seem to convince him. Another expert told me the reason I like pictures to hang straight is because I fear harm will come to a loved-one if they don't. No amount of telling him that's not what I think seemed to convince him.

Sorry, Pippy. I've drifted off the subject! However, it proves that you are right. No-one knows everything.

Wed Jul 8 2009 16:13:12 #
lioness
Member

I think that is ocd, I have had the same. Sometimes I get songs going round and round my head and other times just a normal word like you describe but it keeps popping up. The word itself is not always distressing but I find it distressing that it keeps popping up for no reason and start to imagine that I'm just going to have that word going round and round forever but usually it fades again eventually.

Thu Jul 9 2009 12:41:43 #