Posted by matthhhh on September 24, 2003, at 19:40:14
In reply to Re: ADD/SocialPhobia/OCD, posted by rianny on September 24, 2003, at 17:49:26
hey there, yeah it seems like you have a similar condition to me- body dysmorphic disorder and ocd.
My bdd used to be really bad, i used to have these bad thoughts about my appearance (obsessions) about certain parts of my body and have to check the mirror constantly to reassure myself that they were not true (compulsions). I would think weird things that my nose was too big, my eyes were too big, my posture looked funny, my adams apple looked big.
Anyways, so i went through all the ssri's and it was like taking a whole bottle of sleeping pills! and the ignorant doctors said " oh well sleepiness is usually not a side effect of this drug, and if u do have it it will definately go away the longer you are on it." What a bunch of bullshit that was, i was on off them for like three years. They did, however, control my bdd, ocd symptoms great for the first couple of months but then went downhill from there. I got a glimpse of what it was like to be normal, and then they stopped working and i got overwhelmed by the side effects. No wonder people commit suicide or feel depressed after taking these drugs!
Ive read books on the disease too, Jeffrey Swartz and the broken mirror, and have used some of the things they said to do, like avoid compulsions of checking the mirror and stuff and so my symptoms have diminished a bit from that. I still feel social anxiety phobia though. I mean when i talk to people i cant seem to connect and stay with what they are saying. I feel very tense physically, and just really disconnected.
Ive experimented with ephedrine ( a herbal stimulant) and it relieves ALL of my symptoms, and makes me really confident. Its kind of interesting because stimulants are usually only supposed to be for those with ADD.
There was also a period when I was taking marijuana for a couple months. It helped with my ocd a lot, i was more confident and able to speak fluently with other people. But it made me kinda tired, but not nearly as tired as the ssris.
Ive also tried all the herbal stuff, 5htp, st johns wort, sam e, tyrosine, dlpa you name it- didnt really help.
Anyways, about a month and a half ago i started klonopin 1 - 1.5 mg which has helped a bit with my social phobia, but i still feel i cant really connect with other people, or feel the need to socialize. About a month ago i augmented it with wellbutrin which has helped somewhat in the connection part of things, but still feel anxious/disconnected around other people, and still feeling some drowsiness from the klonopin.
Another thing that i notice and wondering if you do too, is that certain parts of my body are very tense a lot of the time, sort of like im hyperaware of them. I think this triggers negative thoughts that particular body part. Does this happen with you?
Well thats my life story on my symptoms and what ive done to try to get rid of them and i think i may try nardil or parnate next.
poster:matthhhh
thread:262950
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030923/msgs/263045.html