About John Expertise I am only too familiar with the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) formerly neurosis. I understand the various treatments available and medication therapies being used and other co-existent problems along side OCD. I can help you identify it in yourself and in others and where to get help.
Experience I correctly identified it in a family member when it was still though to be a rare illness. I later identified it in my daughters classmate and some co-workers. One of which kept being fired because of it. I have watched the progression of the disease and the areas it creeps into and the effect of medications on it on a person. If you see it in a person especially a child you need to intervene quickly. I did and now the one child just graduated magna cum laude at a state university.
Publications I would suggest a separate heading for this disorder under the heading of Obessive Compulsive Disorder.
Question Hi John,
I am a male,27 yrs recently married (7months) to the love of my life, love my work,did not have a bad childhood,raised in deep Christian faith. 3 months ago me and my wife(whom i love to death) went for a vacation, and i was having a some serious bad thoughts that i am going to hurt myself/her, but in a day or two while i was busy having fun, it just faded away. Now after 3 months i am having this episode of bad thoughts(hurting myself/wife),fear about my future again, but this time it's been like that for almost 8 days non-stop. My greatest task in the day is how not to think like that, and i can see i am getting stressed. My BP shoots, have mild headaches.
My religious convictions have helped me a lot, but i still get those panic attacks all of a sudden. i was treated for anxiety a year ago when i was in a lot of stress(father expired,marriage was due in 5 months,financially helping my younger brother's college education,looking for a new job), but now i am trying to settle in my new job and i am getting this episode again.
I sometimes show some symptoms of compulsiveness e.g.,(making 3-4 times sure that door/car is locked), but i don't do it every time, rarely. I am not in any medications. I am getting mad at this, but i have become a more god fearing person through this episode. Is there something that can help me?
Thanks,
Answer First of all stresses can bring on illnesses both physical and emotional. In light of what you are describing you need to see your primary care physician and let him or her know what is going on. They should refer you to see a psychiatrist and make the appointment for you. You will get in to see one faster than trying on your own. Most psychiatrists are a little quirky or snooty if you call up out of the blue. They typically want a referral. You can then let the doctor know all you have been experiencing. If you are having panic attacks some physicians prescribe Propranolol(Inderal) which is a beta blocker which slows down your heartbeat. For the other problems you are having your doctor will probably recognize them as OCD but you have not shown what some people do who have OCD. That is they may check to see if a door is locked a hundred times or more. They lock it then unlock it then lock it again and unlock it again. Having thoughts that are upsetting and seem to come from nowhere and thoughts of harming someone are also part of OCD. You need to be on some medications to keep this from getting worse which is what can happen if its ignored. You cannot deal with this on your own. Most people who achieve success do so with a combination of medication and behavioral modification therapy. Prayer is fine and holding faithfully to ones religious convictions is fine but that is not going to help with the OCD disorder and your psychiatrist needs to make that diagnosis to be certain you have it. There are plenty of meds available today that were not available twenty years ago. All have side effects but most people become acclimated to the med after a while. The hallmark of OCD is "doubt". You are not sure you actually did something or not, therefore you have to keep doing something over and over again to alleviate the anxiety. If your primary care physician is at a lot of who to refer you to then if you live near a teaching hospital you should try to see the chief of inpatient psychiatry (not that you need to be an inpatient but these people are familiar with the latest research on OCD and they often have teaching responsibilities at the medical college attached to the hospital. He or she may or may not be able to se you. If not then ask for the names of some doctors who have had success in treating persons who have OCD/anxiety disorders. Thank you for your question.
