Posted by Dinah on March 29, 2004, at 9:18:58
In reply to Practical obsessiveness, posted by milahra on March 28, 2004, at 21:19:24
I've got OCD, and it flares up under stress. I wish it were helpful OCD, like wanting the house clean or something useful. :) Mine is always things like I'm sure I've done something that will bring disaster to my family. And cause me enormous shame. And sometimes it is the most ridiculous thoughts you can imagine. Things that just wouldn't be at all likely, if even possible.
The way I think they might be practical is that they divert energy away from my growing stress and perhaps the underlying issues I'm trying to avoid. So when I brought my OCD under control I started having these nasty meltdowns, which are the result, I guess, of not having that energy drained. Not that OCD related panic attacks were fun. But I think they were safer to me than the meltdowns are.
I think very few psychologists or psychiatrists look at this part of OCD any more. They just look at it as a chemical imbalance, because it responds to SSRI's. Or they see it as something purely physical because they can see it on a brain scan.
And maybe I'm all wrong. I'm only judging from my experience.
poster:Dinah
thread:329625
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040327/msgs/329777.html