Posted by cab on October 30, 2002, at 10:44:53
In reply to Re: I FEEL SO SUICIDAL! OCD IS HELL! » freedom2001, posted by Fenny3 on October 30, 2002, at 7:53:01
I think the recent flare-up could easily be because of switching to a different form of fluoxetine. I think you need to see a pdoc and probably either adjust your dose or, as you say, switch to a different SSRI (have you tried Luvox?). That's the first thing to take care of.
In the meantime, as the person who posted the last message said, try to remember that your obsessions and ruminations are symptoms of the disease, and, horrible as they feel, they will come and go. I don't have OCD except a little bit as part of my depression, but I do know how it feels to have horrible feelings and thoughts you can't control. While you're waiting for the medication to be sorted out, when you feel your symptoms spiraling out of control try to talk to yourself as calmly as you can, and "accept" the thoughts and feelings as part of the disease (though, of course, you don't have to like them!). You might read this post and think, "I can't "accept" them! They're awful!" But what I mean is, try not to make it worse by thinking "Oh my God! I'm crazy! I'm having these horrible, crazy thoughts! They'll never go away! Etc." Instead, try to maintain a rational part of yourself that says things to yourself like, "O.K., I'm having these thoughts that are part of the OCD I'm struggling with. OK, I'm wondering whether it's possible to put my pill box in the right pocket of my other pants. That's OK, it's a weird, bad feeling but it won't last forever," etc. as much as you can.
Hope this helps.
poster:cab
thread:125774
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021025/msgs/125811.html