I spoke with my psych...

Well, I had an appointment with the psych doctor today, and informed him of my trouble with OCD. He gave me another prescription for Seroquel, 25mg, and Cymbalta, 30mg. He wants to see if the combination will help. If not, then when I go back in a month, he'll put me on Luvox.
Another thing. These thoughts I'm having? When I explained them today he said "suspicious?" I said yes. And that was news to me because I didn't even know they came under "suspicions" and that it's a part of OCD too. I explained that I'm in a new relationship since past July and although he has NEVER given me any reason to be suspicious (actually before he left to go somewhere for a few weeks, he actually called me and said "I want to assure you that there's nothing for you to worry about regarding our relationship") yet here I am thinking all kinds of stuff.
Actually though, this isn't my first time with anyone, and not just a man too. I have the same thoughts with friends and family. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! I want to be free!

People with OCD can experience irrational and obsessive suspicions of their loved ones. It sounds like that was what your psych was talking about? It took me seven years to really trust my (totally blameless) partner, and that was a long, difficult, and self-conscious process of reflection.

My only advice is to try and not let it take you seven years. Your partner sounds like a good guy. Push yourself to trust him, and rely on what he shows you instead of what your mind tells you. Try to catch yourself if you start inferring things from innocent remarks, or wanting them to prove loyalty they've already earned. If you think you've treated him poorly at any point, explain clearly that you know your suspicions are irrational, and that you're working on them. Don't fall into the trap of constantly going to him for the reassurance you need to find in yourself.

You can do it, it'll just take time in effort.

Relationships raise your endorphins which lowers your Serotonin, this causes you to obsess more, which is what you are doing. Relationships are risky for ocd recovery.

Okay, I'm sorry to directly contradict another poster, but the above is pseudoscience. OCD is an incredibly complex mental and neurological object, it's not reducible to any one neurotransmitter, let alone any one chemical interaction involving that neurotransmitter. I'd never heard that endorphins reduce serotonin, but even if that's the case it's no reason to avoid intimate relationships.

Relationships are not risky for recovery unless the relationship is already unhealthy in the mundane sense. Supportive relationships are one of the great joys in life, and also an excellent motivation to fight OCD obsessions and compulsions.

.

Bert the Turtle wrote:Okay, I'm sorry to directly contradict another poster, but the above is pseudoscience. OCD is an incredibly complex mental and neurological object, it's not reducible to any one neurotransmitter, let alone any one chemical interaction involving that neurotransmitter. I'd never heard that endorphins reduce serotonin, but even if that's the case it's no reason to avoid intimate relationships.

Relationships are not risky for recovery unless the relationship is already unhealthy in the mundane sense. Supportive relationships are one of the great joys in life, and also an excellent motivation to fight OCD obsessions and compulsions.

Thanks you for this response. As someone hoping to save a wonderful marriage damaged by my own OCD I was horrified at the thought that maintaining my relationship might make it harder for me to heal. Your response reassured me in a way I cannot begin to verbalize. I can't thank you enough.

There is abundant scientific evidence about endorphins, dopamines, lowering serotonin in the book, Why We Love, the chemistry of romantic love. By Fisher. Great book.

Babyjane101 wrote:Thanks you for this response. As someone hoping to save a wonderful marriage damaged by my own OCD I was horrified at the thought that maintaining my relationship might make it harder for me to heal. Your response reassured me in a way I cannot begin to verbalize. I can't thank you enough.

Thanks for your thanks, I'm just glad I was able to help some. Please treat anyone online, or heck even any actual therapist, who pushes you toward such a radical and personal life decision with due skepticism. I can tell you from experience that the support of my own partner is the only reason I'm not a literal raving lunatic. I wish you all the luck in the world with your own.

I'll give one last response to Orwell's second post before I cut myself off.

Even if I just go ahead and credit it that you could lay out a simple graph that showed OP's serotonin declining in a straight line in relation to the number of hours they spent with their partner or what have you, that wouldn't show that relationships exacerbate OCD.

The relationship of OCD to serotonin is not as simple as was once assumed. Scientists are now also looking at other neurotransmitters like glutamate and norepinephrine, physical brain structure, emotional habits, and the immune system, just to name a few. There is no magic key. If serotonin was it then SSRIs would work like for everyone, instead of providing ambiguous benefits for some, and often in combination with therapy. And that's a good part of why you have to cite a book about generic brain chemistry for indirect support, instead of appealing to one about OCD specifically. Because no reputable OCD therapist or researcher would ever say that.

I feel that I should add that even implying to someone in an OCD crisis that they should dump their partner if they want to get well is outright shamefully irresponsible. That's strongly worded, and I dislike being so directly confrontational, but there it is.

OP did not ask for advice & I did not give any. I never suggested to anyone they drop their relationship either.

SSRIs or SRIs are tricky because Serotonin is very complex & more people says it's involved with OCD than not. The amounts of endorphins and serotonin in circulation in the body are different for everyone and are highly affected by physical activity and nutrition. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with the pleasure centers of the brain. It is responsible for feelings related to love, joy, pleasure, reward and motivation. Serotonin is also a neurotransmitter and helps to regulate mood, irritability, impulse, obsession and memory.

Orwell1984 wrote:OP did not ask for advice & I did not give any. I never suggested to anyone they drop their relationship either.

Implied, not advised, whether intentionally or not. Many people who come here are in OCD crisis and desperate for a way out; that's enough to make anyone suggestible, and makes it incumbent upon responders to chose their words carefully. But the odd thing is, I'm sure you already know that, because I've seen you make plenty of careful, helpful and incisive posts, especially on the OCD Action forum. So in summary:

Babyjane101 wrote: I didn't even know [suspicious thoughts were] a part of OCD too.[...] I'm in a new relationship since past July and although he has NEVER given me any reason to be suspicious [...] here I am thinking all kinds of stuff. I have the same thoughts with friends and family. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! I want to be free!

Orwell1984 wrote:Relationships raise your endorphins which lowers your Serotonin, this causes you to obsess more, which is what you are doing. Relationships are risky for ocd recovery.

Babyjane101 wrote:As someone hoping to save a wonderful marriage damaged by my own OCD I was horrified at the thought that maintaining my relationship might make it harder for me to heal.