Has it gotten better?

[Emma!]

Just wondering for those of you who have had OCD as a child whether it got better with age and/or closeness to God?

 

[seajoy]

Just wondering for those of you who have had OCD as a child whether it got better with age and/or closeness to God?

My ocd started when I was about 12. It got bad when I was about 16, then got a bit better again. At 21, it went full-blown horrible. (hospitalizations etc...).

At about age 29, I was diagnosed properly, and put on meds, and therapy. I then started on my way to recovery. I know God was with me through all of this, and He directed my life as He saw fit. It was hard, but I thank Him for the lessons I was taught.

I have heard that ocd naturally gets a bit better once you hit middle age or so. I think I read that once.

May I ask why you are asking?

God's blessings
seajoy

 

[Emma!]

Thank you for sharing, im asking because my family and i have always thought that i was a bit OC about somethings. Never did anything about it or thought too much about it. Then only the other day i came accross some stuff on it and i was blown away by all that it can include (thoughts etc) and it seems to explain alot from when i was a kid.

My mum and dad were concerned when i was a kid but they never knew (and still dont) that it comes under the banner of OCD so nothing was ever done. Thinking back there is quite alot of things that fit with this, but i notice that now the symptoms have changed and quite alot have gone away compleatly, so its heaps less. Thats why i was wondering if this is common that it just lessens as you age.

I have been a little freaked out since reading this stuff. I dont really know what to do, i would like to just ignore that i ever read the stuff and go on. Is there any benifit to getting any help if you are well controlled anyway? But the thing is there maybe things that are affected that i dont associate to OCD... i dont know

Thanksfor your reply
God bless you

 

[seajoy]

Thank you for sharing, im asking because my family and i have always thought that i was a bit OC about somethings. Never did anything about it or thought too much about it. Then only the other day i came accross some stuff on it and i was blown away by all that it can include (thoughts etc) and it seems to explain alot from when i was a kid.

My mum and dad were concerned when i was a kid but they never knew (and still dont) that it comes under the banner of OCD so nothing was ever done. Thinking back there is quite alot of things that fit with this, but i notice that now the symptoms have changed and quite alot have gone away compleatly, so its heaps less. Thats why i was wondering if this is common that it just lessens as you age.

I have been a little freaked out since reading this stuff. I dont really know what to do, i would like to just ignore that i ever read the stuff and go on. Is there any benifit to getting any help if you are well controlled anyway? But the thing is there maybe things that are affected that i dont associate to OCD... i dont know

Thanksfor your reply
God bless you

Thanks for opening up, Emma.

If ocd is affecting you, and those around you, you should seek help.

OCD definately does change to differant obsessions throughout your life. When I was young, it was things like...I couldn't shut the TV or radio on a "bad" word like death, hell, cancer etc. I had to turn it back on and wait for a "good" word.

In my teen years it went to my health. I thought I was dying of every possible thing there was to get. I checked my neck for lumps so many times everyday, that I had bruises.

In my 20's the OCD went full-tilt religious. That was the most horrible.

May I ask what types of thoughts you have? Have you ever seen a doctor for your ocd?

Meds and therapy saved my life. I praise God for directing me to the right people, and for giving me the strength to do what I had to do to get better.

seajoy

 

[Emma!]

Thanks for opening up, Emma.

If ocd is affecting you, and those around you, you should seek help. OCD definately does change to differant obsessions throughout your life. When I was young, it was things like...I couldn't shut the TV or radio on a "bad" word like death, hell, cancer etc. I had to turn it back on and wait for a "good" word.

In my teen years it went to my health. I thought I was dying of every possible thing there was to get. I checked my neck for lumps so many times everyday, that I had bruises.

In my 20's the OCD went full-tilt religious. That was the most horrible.

May I ask what types of thoughts you have? Have you ever seen a doctor for your ocd?

Meds and therapy saved my life. I praise God for directing me to the right people, and for giving me the strength to do what I had to do to get better.

seajoy

Hi thanks for your reply.

Anyway thanks for your ear and help, this is all new to me (kind of)
Bless you, i am so happy that God lead you to the meds you needed to make you feel better. Praise God!!

 

[seajoy]

Hi thanks for your reply.

No i havent seem anyone about OCD, i have told my pastor before that i think i may have it. I dont think that it does effect me that much (or im used to it ) at the moment its washing my hands and avoiding all germs/germy things in general. Double/tripple checking things like doors, windows (that they are closed and locked) etc... when i was younger it was switching lights on and off several times, checking and rechecking things, thinking random bad thoughts to the point of tears (not self/other harm thoughts), other random stuff like saying amen at the end of prayers 3 times (for no reason). I dont know there are other things... worrying about family and their safety alot etc... now not wanting to be apart from my husband for long because of that. There are probably more, just cant remember now.

Even though that sounds like a list it really doesnt feel like it affects me that much, im wondering though about some other things... like does OCD make you kind of want to control things... like i get cranky if my husband tries to make food in the kitchen im not sure why, i think its because he might contaminate something/him, or might not do things my way etc... is that related do you know? Like do people who have OCD tend to like to control situations like that?

Also i tend to feel overly responsible for people... like i need to make sure they are ok, or i need to advise them, help them etc... i know that sometimes it seems to be out of fear of them getting hurt if i dont (by their situation). Is that related at all?

It would really help me to know if those things are symptoms of OCD or not. Because at the moment although i do some things (hand washingetc...) that fit into that catagory im not sure that there is any benifit in doing much about it (except for not playing to it). I find that if i just go against the things (like dont wash my hands, then it does get better over time) but if i play to it and just do it, it gets worse. I feel well controled, and praise God i dont often get those horrorable thoughts like when i was a child!!

How do bad thoughts even fit into OCD?

I dont know even if i have it...
Anyway thanks for your ear and help, this is all new to me (kind of)
Bless you, i am so happy that God lead you to the meds you needed to make you feel better. Praise God!!

Opps sorry its so long!

Emma,

Though you've never been diagnosed with ocd, it sure appears that you have it. I would suggest you see a psychatrist just to see if he/she thinks this is affecting your life too much.

I'm just going to say something here, please don't take it wrong, but my guess is that you say it doesn't bother your life too much, so that way you don't have to change anything, because that would make you terribly anxious to change your ways.

The things you mentioned do look like they are affecting your life, and those around you. I would nip it in the bud, before it gets out of hand.

Just my 2 cents.
May God go with you!
seajoy

 

[Emma!]

Thank you for your advice seajoy
Bless you

 

[OnlyHuman]

The only time it really got better majorly on the long term was when i got on meds and began Cognative Behaivor therapy. Praying and so froth is what helped me get through it when it was bad, but it just went through different cycles appearance bad intensity.

 

[SweetBella]

yes, it was much worse when i was a child. after i became a Christian in my late teens, i felt it go away a lot... still had some issues but not as many... now, i am finding that i still have it but it has changed a bit but i have been having other problems that is making my ocd worse than it really has to be right now. i truly feel the closer i am to God, the less my ocd affects me.

 

[Ceili]

Oh hon,I think I've gotten worse!