Anxiety

A question to any OCD sufferers... How do you perceive anxiety? I did a quick look-up online with the query "what is anxiety?" and the following were the symptoms described. Do OCD symptoms generally replace the symptoms below, or do they accompany them? I ask because sometimes it's difficult for me to objectively evaluate what is going on with me when I am in the midst of some OCD loops.

Apprehension
Worry
Tense muscles
Trembling
Churning stomach
Nausea
Diarrhea
Headache
Backache
Heart palpitations
Numbness or "pins and needles" in arms, hands or legs
Sweating/flushing


Am I tense? Am I apprehensive? Am I nauseous? It's hard for me to recall. Does anyone else experience memory difficulties when recalling their OCD behaviors?

Hey,

Anxiety and OCD go hand-in-hand as far as I'm aware. I'm diagnosed with anxiety and OCD, for example, and you'll hear of many others who have OCD and also claim to be anxious. Anxiety - in fact - is a consequence of many types of disorders. I've suffered the difficulties in remembering things, the heart palpitations, etc. too. I had to take medication for four years to get my OCD under control, but I'm passed the most extreme of it now.

Kevin

Thanks, Chucky. One of the hardest things for me to understand are the correlations between my OCD symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and the triggers for them. Each of these events seem to happen separately from the other, so I find it hard to make a coherent map of what's happening to me and why, if that makes sense.

I haven't tried any meds yet, though. Even though I know many people have been helped, I just feel stubborn about them. This also leaves me wondering if I'm more OCPD than OCD, since what I understand is that OCD is ego-dystonic, whilst OCPD is ego-syntonic, also keeping in mind that they can be co-morbid, but not often.

Hope I'm not rambling too much.

Hi,

You're not rambling, but I'm going to make a general observation: You seem to know too much about the different categories of mental illnesses, but that this is to your detriment. For example, you implied how you find it difficult to 'map' your symptoms, but I believe this is because you're thinking too rigidly about them. Each symptoim doesn't have to fall under the category of OCD, OCPd, or Anxiety, for eample. Your symptoms are unique to you, and the symptoms as written in the diagnostic and statisics manual (DSM), etc are only a guideline really.

I can see how OCD could be seen as ego-dystonic - and OCPD the opposite - and I read that eating disorders are egosystonic too.

Kevin

Ah, yes. Excellent observation Chucky. The rigid thinking is my ever desirous need to keep things packaged all nicely in little tidy boxes. It's disturbing to me to think that my personality might be chaotic and undefinable. Mapping is one way I cope with that. But I suppose you are correct. It's important to not get caught up in the labels. I guess I see the labels as a convenient way to "file" information for later processing. Sometimes I fathom that I'm in the midst of one huge investigation into the existence of life as per myself, and every mili-second is a byte of information, that when collected all together will reveal to me the meaning of the universe, or allow me to unlock my infinite potential. I think it's why I'm so tired everyday lols.

Hmm, if every millisecond was one byte of information, then you'd need one heck of a hard-disk to store a life's worth of stuff. Oddly enough, I have thought about life in this way too. I suppose it's easy to view the brain as a hard-disk too, but a very silly one that seems to be incapable of deleting painful memories.

The 'rigid' thinking is a classic symptom of OCD and other illnesses, which i'm guessing you knoew already. How I overcome this is by accepting 'messiness' (or non-rigidity) in some parts of my life, but rigidity in others. Everything doesn't have to be rigid. If you tried to have it that way, then you'll slip down into a deep depression I'm sure.

Kevin

Chucky wrote:Hmm, if every millisecond was one byte of information, then you'd need one heck of a hard-disk to store a life's worth of stuff. Oddly enough, I have thought about life in this way too. I suppose it's easy to view the brain as a hard-disk too, but a very silly one that seems to be incapable of deleting painful memories.

Yea, it's probably a bit much. You are right. The brain is so damn silly. Plus it forgets stuff way too often. I do wished I had a better memory.

Chucky wrote:The 'rigid' thinking is a classic symptom of OCD and other illnesses, which i'm guessing you knoew already. How I overcome this is by accepting 'messiness' (or non-rigidity) in some parts of my life, but rigidity in others. Everything doesn't have to be rigid. If you tried to have it that way, then you'll slip down into a deep depression I'm sure.

Kevin

Quite right. Quite right. It's work though for sure. To allow the chaos.

When it concerns anxiety there are several variations of the disorder. Additionally, there are numerous stages and states when it concerns each type of anxiety. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is one the most physically and mentally draining forms of anxiety. An individual with a severe case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder may find it difficult to even leave their home or to even maintain a healthy diet. These compulsions usually involve repetition. For example, a person who suffers from OCD may have to open and close doors a specific amount of times before going in and out a door. Another example involves sufferers constantly washing their hands after touching items.