Update (sort of)

[EtainSkirata]

Hey all,

So I reached out to my pastor regarding finding a therapist, but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. I reached out to my doctor as well and she suggested the Psychology Today website to find one. I found a guy who I can email to set up a free consultation.

Thing is, I don't want to do this. I want to join the Air Force SO BAD. I've felt like this is what God wants me to do. I feel like I'm selling myself short by seeing a therapist, because once I have a diagnosis of OCD, it's game over for the Air Force.

I don't feel hope about getting better, I feel like I'm letting an opportunity (air force) go when I don't need to. And that makes me really sad.

 

[pdudgeon]

were I in your shoes, I would see the therapist, and give that a try first.

The reason is that going into the Military (any branch) is not a walk in the park.
Boot Camp is stressful all the way through. There are no easy days.
And if you start out with OCD and you don't have the tools to handle it, things
just get more stressful the further along you go in Boot Camp.

IMHO, it's just better to get the tools necessary to handle your mental illness first, and
then try boot camp if you still want to.

 

[Tolworth John]

Thing is, I don't want to do this. I want to join the Air Force SO BAD. I've felt like this is what God wants me to do. I feel like I'm selling myself short by seeing a therapist, because once I have a diagnosis of OCD, it's game over for the Air Force.

You have two options either you have OCD or you don't.
If diagnosed you won't get in the air force, but if you join and they discover you have OCD it will be a medical discharge.
Either way you will not be in the air force.

Bite the bullet and pay for a consultantation. That way you will know one way or the other.

 

[Mari17]

Can you not join the Air Force if you have OCD?

 

[EtainSkirata]

Can you not join the Air Force if you have OCD?

Well, from what I've read on the internet, no. I might be able to get a waiver, but... I dunno.

Sort of related: I was talking with my parents about moving out of healthcare into something else, and one of the options I briefly mentioned, my dad said it wasn't really for someone with anxiety. So they definitely know something's up.

 

[Not Perfect]

I would make sure that you are fully sure that getting into the Air Force is absolutely not an option before discounting the possibility of a professional diagnosis.

Otherwise, one potential option is finding a private-pay counselor. These counselors do not take insurance, and you pay for everything out of pocket. This means that some of them do not require a diagnosis to treat you, because they are not constrained by the rules set by insurance companies. In many cases, a licensed counselor should have the skills to recognize what your problem is and treat it without a diagnosis.

The downside is that, because private-pay counselors don't take insurance, they can be expensive. However, if you are in a difficult financial situation, many providers have a sliding payment scale or provide discounts to patients in need. The upside, of course, is that you can seek help without getting a diagnosis that might follow you around and be a hassle in the future (you will have to check with the particular provider; some may still require a diagnosis). I would definitely do your own research to verify that such an option would be viable for you (as I neither know much about your situation, nor am I particularly familiar with the ins and outs of how these types of practices work), but it might be a feasible possibility for your situation.

 

[EtainSkirata]

Well, they do ask about counseling in the application form. They go through your medical history with a fine toothed comb. I had to get ALL my records from everywhere. And I'm currently being held up by a delay: since I was prescribed paroxetine for anxiety back in 2018, even though I only took one pill, I did fill the prescription. So I have to wait either 2 years since '18 or 3. I texted my recruiter the other day about that and he hasn't gotten back to me. Granted, it's been months since we've spoken.

So I dunno. I'm a firm believer in "you can do anything if you put your mind to it," meaning I could get through basic training. But I'm also afraid of a metal kitchen scrubber in our house and doing dishes becomes a chore of over rinsing in case there's bits of metal. So there's that.

I did reach out to two people, one replied (the other I messaged today, so the holiday had to have had an effect); my pastor sent me an encouraging email and said he was available to talk, too. So those are good things.

 

[Mari17]

Well, from what I've read on the internet, no. I might be able to get a waiver, but... I dunno.

Sort of related: I was talking with my parents about moving out of healthcare into something else, and one of the options I briefly mentioned, my dad said it wasn't really for someone with anxiety. So they definitely know something's up.

In my opinion, people with OCD can do really well if they learn to manage their OCD. I can't change the requirements for the Air Force, though. But, basically, you CAN learn to manage your OCD. That doesn't mean you won't have flare-ups at times, but you can learn the tools to manage it, which can help you lead a fulfilling life. I think you already know a lot about how to manage it, right?

Also, do your parents not know about your OCD? Or they just aren't very supportive?

 

[EtainSkirata]

In my opinion, people with OCD can do really well if they learn to manage their OCD. I can't change the requirements for the Air Force, though. But, basically, you CAN learn to manage your OCD. That doesn't mean you won't have flare-ups at times, but you can learn the tools to manage it, which can help you lead a fulfilling life. I think you already know a lot about how to manage it, right?

Also, do your parents not know about your OCD? Or they just aren't very supportive?

Oh yes, I definitely agree! I find I'm rather detail oriented at work sometimes, which is helpful. And as far as the air force goes... I guess we'll see what happens... I know of several tips and tricks to combat it, but it's continuous, and it's been relatively bad for some time now, so I'm kind of done trying to wrestle it on my own.

My parents know I'm anxious, but the kinds of stuff I post about here on these forums... they pretty much know almost nothing about. (I'm 25 btw and live at home, just to give a bit of context.)

But, yeah, this is the current state of affairs. I have a consultation this Friday.

 

[Mari17]

Oh yes, I definitely agree! I find I'm rather detail oriented at work sometimes, which is helpful. And as far as the air force goes... I guess we'll see what happens... I know of several tips and tricks to combat it, but it's continuous, and it's been relatively bad for some time now, so I'm kind of done trying to wrestle it on my own.

My parents know I'm anxious, but the kinds of stuff I post about here on these forums... they pretty much know almost nothing about. (I'm 25 btw and live at home, just to give a bit of context.)

But, yeah, this is the current state of affairs. I have a consultation this Friday.

Glad to hear you have a consultation! I hope it goes well!! It seems like it would be helpful to share with your parents - or not, depending on what they're like??