zoro863

hello everyone,
i have severe ocd symptoms.wide range of obsessions.things get worse everyday.trying to stay sober.alcohol makes the obsessions milder or dissapear.wondering if some of you can relate.i dont want to drink again.going totally nuts scared like hell.anxious nervous.no appetite......
i eat before i go to sleep.only then i feel hungry.i dont know what the future might bring.it makes it so much harder to stay sober........

Dee74

Hi Zoro

I don't know much about ocd I'm afraid - but I also self medicated for a wide variety of reasons. It was never very effective.

Do you have a Dr or a therapist you could speak with?
I think seeking professional help is always better than trying to self medicate

D

Anna

Hi,

I hope that you talk to your dr about how you feel. As Dee said, self-medicating with alcohol is not a good idea, and perhaps medication and/or therapy could help you.

sugarbear1

OCD is a form of anxiety. xa speakers....look for burns b. He's a doctor who is a member of a a and explains how the disease affects the human body. 2 downloads, take a listen!

zoro863

thanks will download.......cheers brothers and sisters

ACT10Npack

Obsessive-compulsive disorder - PubMed Health

Above is a government link about the subject of OCD. You may want to read about it.

bayliss

Hello Zorro,
I was hoping to write sooner and I hope that you still check this thread...
I know EXACTLY what you are going through. I suffer from OCD as well...I do the compulsions but mostly suffer from Pure-O.
To be honest though, I found that my OCD was a lot worse while I was drinking...drinking and getting drunk only masks the OCD...thus making it far worse when you have to deal with it while sober...and this is the entire problem...or rather, solution...once you stop drinking you have to deal with your OCD in healthier ways...you will be able to work on it and it will get better...
I found also that after drinking my hangovers would harbour extreme anxiety which also feeds into the OCD.
OCD is another form of an anxiety disorder...people drink to get away from their OCD as well as their anxiety, to feel "normal"...
You should probably read up more on OCD - there are some greats books out there, also talk to your doctor as well as maybe a therapist that specializes in CBT. I would also recommend the forum "Stuck in a Doorway" - it definitely helped me A LOT.
I am doing a bit better...the OCD come and goes...as does anything...but once you quit drinking for a longer period of time it does get better. You need to get a handle on your anxiety and by reading about what you can do to help that, it will help!
Exercise, meditation - that stuff makes a world of a difference.

You can always PM me if you want to chat or if you have any questions.
Hang in there!
And CONGRATS!!! You are doing amazing with your sobriety.

SeekSobriety

Hi Zoro I can relate with your share. What really helped me was getting into therapy. Look into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. You can contact a local medical school ask for the Psychology dept director, they can point you in the right direction to find a group or refer you to a Doctor. There are also lower cost group sessions that are helpfull. CBT many times can also be augmented with medications if needed, the Dr will usually make that determination with you. You are not alone , in fact many alchoholics and substance abusers self medicate to try and control depression, ocd, anxiety etc. Problem is that it usually does not work for long (a well as having bad side effects and negative consequences on ourselves and our families)

My two cents