OCD type symptoms

Just wondered if anyone suffered OCD as result of withdrawal doesn't seem much mentioned on the site. Been randomly cutting out zopiclone some days for several months now on properly tapered dose taking every night. Developed fear of driving gradually over this period thinking I'd knocked someone down, several other srange things, thinking if I brushed passed someone on the pavement I'd actually pushed them into the road. Also if I'm out and use a public toilet thinking I'd left tap on. Had on line and face to face CBT which did absolutely nothing to help. Sure it is withdrawal as none of CBT suggestions worked. Just wondered if anyone else experienced this as seems to be getting worse as I'm tapering off tablets.

You've not seen anything about OCD thoughts in withdrawal? Yet, it sure is a very common symptom. OCD, looping thoughts, intrusive thoughts... irrational thoughts...

 

Fear of driving is pretty common... as is focusing on details like whether you have left the tap on or not. Some need to go through some pretty wild checking rituals, checking not once but perhaps 10 or 50 times...

 

I'd advise you to plan your taper rather than randomly cutting out zopiclone... don't give up on CBT either as it could help while the OCD is there, but all in all, it should get better as you heal, provided you didn't suffer from that prior to being medicated.

 

Best wishes!

Julz xx

 

Thanks I am gradually tapering now, quite difficult as tablets are tiny. Was exacerbated because my doctor retired and new doctor refused to give me any more pills got told to just stop was horrendous. Made appt in a month and will try get lower dose tablets from another doctor in practice. Good to know it is a common symptom. Didn't have it before I started cutting out the tablets. Afraid CBT just made symptoms lot worse didn't work for me at all, did as was instructed and no improvement. Think because it's caused by withdrawal rather than a behavioural thing. Seems that long taper not advised with Zopiclone as they have short shelf life and more difficult than benzos to come off.

Meant to say shorter half life!!

Oh yes. I am 19 months off and still have some of these. My main fear is I'll loose my control and do something bad to my fiance or myself. I had very deep fear of knifes because of the same thing, what if I lost my mind and do something with that knife. Driving is also very very scary, not that scary anymore though!

 

It went away couple months ago, and those came back again, but it's like 10% of it what it was.

 

We definitely heal, there is no question about it! All the best healing! There ia no need to panic! 😄

This was by far my worst symptom through out it all. Without anafranil and ERP therapy, I would have went apawwg

 

https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/ocd-treatment/erp/

 

https://iocdf.org/ocd-finding-help/find-help/

OCD stuff IS very common in benzo wd. Why? I am not sure of this. I suspect that benzo people may TEND to be sort of OCD BEFORE they go off benzos. I know that was true of me. But back then, thanks to benzos, I didn't really REALIZE I had OCD tendencies. Now I sure do. Benzo wd made this very clear to me. I actively became super weird about house cleaning during benzo wd. I used cleaning as a major distraction back then. god knows I was lousy at cleaning! Who can be good at that in benzo wd???LOL!

As I slowly healed I became more and more aware of my OCD stuff. I look back and see that perhaps I even took benzos due to OCD stuff. "If something makes you feel better, do it over and over again." Right? Well. benzos gave me good sleep for once in my life so I just did that over and over until it almost killed me.

 

I am now 7.5 years post cold turkey and I STILL have OCD stuff. It doesn't consume my time, but it is present and always with me. BecauseI RECOGNIZE it for what it is now, I can cope with it so much better now. Benzos no longer control me. Thank God!

east