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.
Expert: John Date: 2/22/2008 Subject: OCD or anxiety and what to do?
Question I am a 24 year old mechanical engineer currently not doing any job. I have a history of getting stressed up before exams since high school. Some three years back when I was in the middle of my undergrad studies and the pressure of studies was the highest, I started having epi gastric pain which got serious to the extent where I had to get hospitalized twice within a month. One of the doctors suggested psychosomatic disorder since no other apparent cause or symptom was there. My stomach ache vanished during the semester break, once the exams are over but kept on recurring whenever I had some kind of work load. I hardly managed it with the help of antacids.
Just at the same time, before I was hospitalized, I also started exhibiting symptoms of ocd which did not have any specific pattern. I mean I wasn’t hooked on a particular type of activity but generally do a variety of unnecessary activities (like adjusting the fan speed, lamp light, straightening my night suit, going to the toilet even without the actual need, drinking water again and again in small gulps due to dryness in my throat and adjusting my posture on the bed). I engaged in these rituals more seriously whenever I had to get up early in the morning for something important. Strangely on weekends or during holidays it reduced to the merely 10 or 15 minutes of preparations before going to bed which during its severe days (such as the night before a tough exam in early morning) took up to 1 to 2 hours as a result of which, I slept little, remain tired, become stressed up and next time do even worse before going to bed.
I completed my studies somehow but find it extremely difficult to follow strict job timings which require me to be in the work place earlier in the morning. I cant even manage to go to bed and give myself a fair enough chance to fall asleep before its too late or near morning.
I also consulted a psychiatric consultant who gave me some SSRI but in the face of huge stressful days, they had no positive effect on me except to make me feel more drowsy and tired. During my holidays, I was almost ok even without a single medicine.
Can you please tell me what I am suffering from and what I should do in the current situation to live a normal life?. I really need some help because it is affecting my career. At this initial phase of my profession, being a mechanical engineer, I may ask for a good salary or good experience but how can I demand a flexible routine or less working hours without disclosing my illness or inadequacy atleast which I cant even share with my own family.
I am looking forward to some good advice on this problem.
Answer Rehan, first of all do not share anything about your medical history with a potential employer. Employers are not looking for people they need to make special accomodations for. As far as your history I suggest you see a psychiatrist and tell him or her about what you have been experiencing at it relates to stresful situations and yet when you are not under stress you see to do well. They may prescribe for you an anti-anxiety drug such as Xanax or Valium . Both are avilable in low cost generic form and you should take the least possible dose that wil alleviate your anxiety. Unless you are suffering from depression or have been diagnosed with OCD you should ask why are you being put on an SSRI. By the way there are plenty of these out there and many are in generic form. They are all chemically similar but not identical. Some will not make you tired. You can look up information about them in a library or online. I suggest you look at a copy of the latest Merck manual. It can be found in any bookstore and has been used for years by general practioners. You will find a listing of SSRI's in there and whaich side effects each one has and suggest or tell your doctor you cannot afford to be tired and drowsy at work. If you are put on something like xanax or valium it is important to let it work. Do not just take a second one and do not consume any alcoholic drinks which taking this medicine. If you have trouble finding a psychiatrist I suggest you go to the nearest teaching hospital and see if you can get an appointment with the chief of inpatient psychiatry and ask him or her if they are taking any new patients or if not then ask for the names of some psychiatrists in your area that he or she would recommend to you. As far as learning to relax in your off time i suggest you start taking up some hobbies that require you to work with your hands. Such as painting, sculpture, any kind of artwork, working with wood, ceramics, etc. The reason is that whenever our hands are occupied our minds are also occupied in the thing we are working on. It could be as simple as cleaning and waxing or polishing the exterior and interior of your automobile. Or painting rooms in your home. You may want to take an art course at a local college for a low cost. The idea is to do something you look forward to and that is enjoyable. If its drugery then do not do it. You also get to see the results of your work. many people have jobs where they never see what they have been working on. I also suggest you purchase some cd's that have only sounds recorded on them of sounds of a stream or of a forest or of waves breaking on a beach or sume such thing and buy a pair of headphones that cover your entire ear. Lie down on your bed and close your eyes and just listen to the sounds and let it repeat. Shut off your phone as to not be disturbed. If you are a church goer then find a few churches you feel comfortable in attending. And get into the habit of attending on a regular basis. Make sure you have a time of daily prayer. Give thanks for the gift you have received of knowledge and the ability to work as an engineer. Not many have this ability. If you have continued epigastric problems it might be because of gerd which is gastric esophageal reflux disease. An endoscopy would tell this yes or no. If so a doctor may put you on some medicine that inhibits the production of stomach acid. Antacids are of little value if you have gerd. You need to find out if all your problems stem from stress or being high strung or is it something else. You may just be a person who has to be perfectionistic and a person who is driven. You can be like that but you also need a time when you do absolutely nothing which is impossible of course but what i mean is you need to work at relaxing by working on some hobbies and listening to soothing sounds not necessarily music. I hope this gives you a few ideas.
