OCD and depression

[marcb]

OCD and depression have been shown to be clinically related. Depression can result in intrusive thoughts that are disproportionally negative about one's self and one's situation.

I have had ocd for as long as I can remember, but I am guessing that my ocd got significantly worse and more out of my control when I experienced my first significant depressive episode; at the very least the depression and ocd fed each other. I had the same intrusive thoughts, but a totally different reaction.

It's as if I enjoyed my obsessive nature until I got depressed and obsessive thoughts turned from creative and productive to negative and "self-destructive."

Would you consider taking the time to reflect and respond to the following (it may be helpful to us all):

1. Did you have (or do you think you had) a depressive episode along with your OCD?

2. Can you recall if you experienced a depressive episode, event, or noticed a general decline in your mood or feelings of self-worth prior to a worsening of your ocd?

3. Do you think these are leading questions? I am truly sorry if they are. Please try to answer (1-3) as objectively as possible.

God is unchanging, yet He loves us in spite of our ever changing moods.

God bless, and thank you for reading and responding.

Marc

 

[ObsessedButBlessed]

OCD and depression have been shown to be clinically related. Depression can result in intrusive thoughts that are disproportionally negative about one's self and one's situation.

I have had ocd for as long as I can remember, but I am guessing that my ocd got significantly worse and more out of my control when I experienced my first significant depressive episode; at the very least the depression and ocd fed each other. I had the same intrusive thoughts, but a totally different reaction.

It's as if I enjoyed my obsessive nature until I got depressed and obsessive thoughts turned from creative and productive to negative and "self-destructive."

Would you consider taking the time to reflect and respond to the following (it may be helpful to us all):

1. Did you have (or do you think you had) a depressive episode along with your OCD?

2. Can you recall if you experienced a depressive episode, event, or noticed a general decline in your mood or feelings of self-worth prior to a worsening of your ocd?

3. Do you think these are leading questions? I am truly sorry if they are. Please try to answer (1-3) as objectively as possible.

God is unchanging, yet He loves us in spite of our ever changing moods.

God bless, and thank you for reading and responding.

Marc

I understand what you are saying. I had a lot of what I like to call "neutral" or "positive" obsessions growing up. When I was a teenager, it had to do with male celebrities or whoever my current crush was at school. I often wondered how I could feel so emotionally obsessed with someone I barely knew. That continued on into college with more neutral obsessions, like if I picked up a new hobby, it was all I thought about for weeks and weeks until I got bored with it.

My first OCD episode came after an ex-boyfriend dumped me. I had always been an anxious person, but I was waking up with panic attacks, was so depressed, and obsessed about it constantly. I even remember thinking to myself that it wasn't normal to be obsessing about it so many months after it happened. When OCD began and stuck 2 years ago, I was majorly depressed from it. Now, I only get depressed when an "episode" happens - my OCD tends to come in cycles and can go away for a few months and then come back without warning. A therapist I saw early on asked if I was depressed and I said I was depressed because I felt this way. If I didn't have OCD, I don't think I'd be so depressed.

So, to answer your questions...

1. Yes, depression does accompany my OCD. I stop doing the things I love, I can barely get out of bed and function. I just want to watch TV to distract myself from the awful thoughts. I've honestly even thought that being dead could be better than having to live with the thoughts.

2. I notice that when OCD attacks me is when I begin to feel anxious about something else. For instance, OCD reared its ugly head at the end of April when I was feeling extremely anxious about some possible heart issues. I was already panicking and upset about the possibility of there being something wrong with my heart, and OCD snuck in and the bad thoughts started happening again. Likewise, when it reared its head again at the beginning of June, I was feeling very anxious about a family situation. It seems as though whenever I feel anxious, depressed, or irritable, I want to check to see if it's because of my obsessions.

 

[marcb]

God bless you, Sad. Thank you for sharing your experience. I pray that God will help you break this cycle so you can return to what is important to you. Being able to see that OCD tends to strike when you are anxious about something else seems to be important progress and understanding. That really helps. Thank you.

Marc

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:6-7 ESV

 

[gracealone]

1. Did you have (or do you think you had) a depressive episode along with your OCD?

Yes, most definitely. I agree that they are linked. The tremendous anxiety is so overwhelming that I begin to despair that I might not ever feel well again. All my other emotions get shoved aside by the anxiety and it's hard to find enjoyment in any of the things that I normally like to do.

2. Can you recall if you experienced a depressive episode, event, or noticed a general decline in your mood or feelings of self-worth prior to a worsening of your ocd?
It all begins with a creeping in of the anxiety with me. I begin to obsess over things that I can normally just let go of. I begin to have stomach problems, problems sleeping, loss of appetite, overall general nervousness, more nocturnal panic attacks etc. Then when the anxiety has gotten a good grip on me I begin to also experience symptoms of depression. I believe with me it's triggered by cumulative life stress. I also believe that one of the causes for me is that I bottle so much of my emotions that eventually my brain rebels and it needs to let off steam in the form of an anxiety disorder.
I know I've been depressed in the past when my OCD was bad but I never really thought much about the depression. This time I became extremely anxious that I was depressed and I began obsessing over the fact that I was depressed. The very word "depression" scared me. The fact that I was depressed actually became a part of my OCD obsessions. This was a new twist for me, but for now, I've overcome that obsession for the most part.

3. Do you think these are leading questions?

No Marc, they aren't leading they just cause us to recognize that if the anxiety is dealt with the depression will usually go away also.

God is unchanging, yet He loves us in spite of our ever changing moods.
Amen!!

God bless, and thank you for reading and responding.

Your welcome... thanks for asking them.
Mitzi

 

[stacii]

1. I know for a fact that if I could have prevented the depression, I could have avoided the OCD. I honestly only ever feel the anxiety lurking around the corner when I feel depressed. It's an ongoing battle. Even if there is a day I'm just a normal sad (it's raining outside, I'm tired, whatever) I get so nervous that I'm going to get all anxious that I sort of bring it on myself. I need more work on that. I am running out of steam with therapy right now.

2. I may have been very mildly depressed in high school once, but nothing like this. This past depression has completely changed how I react to life's many transitions. Like I said above, now when I'm just in a regular blue mood I freak out that I'm never going to feel right again and begin obsessing about it. Then I obsess about other things...ugh.

3. These questions were not leading to me. These are all things I have been battling over recently actually and have been wondering myself. The fact that you asked them is almost a relief to me. I like knowing that I am not alone.

 

[jenzbugrulz1978]

1. Did you have (or do you think you had) a depressive episode along with your OCD?


Constantly! the two go together for me even to the point of a suicide attempt before they first dx'd me with ocd as a teenager. I was so mentally exhausted at that point from the ocd...

2. Can you recall if you experienced a depressive episode, event, or noticed a general decline in your mood or feelings of self-worth prior to a worsening of your ocd?

Mine is the opposite. My mood tends to decline after I start to get a really bad ocd spell. I think it is because my mind and body gets tired of dealing with the ocd

3. Do you think these are leading questions? I am truly sorry if they are. Please try to answer (1-3) as objectively as possible.

No I don't believe they are leading qyestions! Very good ones in fact!

 

[Ketsagirl]

For me it feels like I have a lot of anxiety in me then I get obsessive/compulsive to maybe deal with anxiety/life, then I feel very depressed I cant stop and am overwhelmed by my own brain. All of these are so intertwined I cant tell which is the first and which the last. Does that make sense?