OCD/Intrusive thoughts support group

Ive noticed that intrusive thoughts and OCD are common symptoms during benzo withdrawal.

I wanted to create a group where those of us experiencing these symptoms can discuss them and exchange information on how to best manage them.

 

Personally, I  most often experience intrusive thoughts about something in my past that I regret and experience severe guilt over.

I also have issues with hearing/seeing relatively normal things (a bug, car alarm, etc) and questioning if they are real or if I'm developing schizophrenia (I have no family history of this) then asking for reassurance that the sound/thing  was real.

That coupled with the obsessive fear of developing an illness (hypocondria) have left me barely functional.

What are your OCD symptoms? How do you cope?

Hi' I've only just noticed this. I've had awful intrusive thoughts the whole time. Mine is fear that I've hurt people. Unable to drive at the moment. Make myself go out every day but can be very distressing as have to check people I've walked passed to make sure I haven't pushed them over. Never had any problems prior to stopping zopiclone. Tried therapy, mindfulness, CBT, lots self help books nothing worked just kept getting worse. Reluctantly started  citalopram very low dose 5 weeks ago. Think it's helping a bit do get some days still feel very low but was literally getting suicidal as nothing I tried helped. Apparently can take couple months really kick in and know friends been on it and stopped no withdrawal symptoms. So fingers crossed!

A gentle reminder to those who’ve posted and will be posting that thoughts of self-harm and/or harm to others are not allowed due to potential triggering of other community members.

 

Thank you.

Want to make it clear I have no intention of hurting other People it's purely the withdrawal making think I may have I understand this is quite common according to therapist I saw. So do find it hard you are insinuationg I am encouraging others to hurt themselves or others. Merely wanted to make it clear the reason I tried the anti depressant was because I felt very low. Think people posting need support not criticism. The thoughts are merely I may have pushed someone over not attacked them!!!

It's a bit pointless allowing a support group for intrusive thoughts if people then aren't allowed to discuss them or compare symptoms. Sorry the response has made me a bit cross. Someone having thoughts that they are seriously ill isn't going to make me feel the same we all have individual symptoms!

Leann, my comment is a general one.  It reminds forum members to not bring up self-harm (suicide/suicidal thoughts) which your post mentions.  This subject is not to be discussed on the forum.  We aren’t trained to deal with it and it’s a trigger for others who are fragile. It is also in the membership agreement.

Challis

I have extreme OCD from the benzos.  Hyperaware of thinking sensorimotor OCD, earworms, and racing thoughts.

Do think it's bit of an over reaction I was merely indicating the thoughts made me feel really low and have seen other posts from people indicating they felt same in the past and cetainly wasn't encouraging self harm. people posting on here are generally not in a good place anyway so don't really think what others say will make lot difference. But respect your point of view and won't post anything else on the subject

I have looping thought: the devastating benzos and how to get off of them in a mild way. I also have a health anxiety disorder.  What used to be called hypochondria. So have had lots of tests done. They all came back negative. But still there's that doubt,  that just won't go away. What if they missed something?  Did they check properly?  CBT only helped for a short while. Will have to visit the psychologist again. Not feeling any better doesn't help to make this anxiety go away.

Worst part for me! It's been better and not so good once again. Thoughts mostly about self-harm, and harming my fiance. It changes, depends the day and a place is it about me or the others.

 

Also have thoughts about my fiances health, and about my own health. Do she or do I have a cancer. What if I just loose my mind and do something completely insane.

I can feel it in my legs that I am going to somewhere do something what I really don't want to. It feels like a magnet that is sucking me into that stuff.

 

And in 2 days I am 2 years off, it makes me a bit more hopeless. ☹️

 

But still I am very sure it is the withdrawal, and will go away all by itself.

 

Claire Weekes -book "Hope and help for your nerves" has also helped a bit. Everybody shoukd chevk it!

 

All the best healing eveeybody!

Lightman, it's been a long time since we spoke. I know what you mean about the feelings you describe. I hate the what if I do something insane feeling. So scary. It's like a magnet is pulling you to do something bad or crazy. Just complete torture. And you know you won't really do anything but you can't stop the fear and it compounds and gets worse and worse. What's hard for me is my depression has turned into anger. I think it's anger about never feeling good or connected with people and things and also anger about the horrible thoughts.

My question is does the OCD we have no matter what the theme is go away on its own or do we have to practice mindfullness, erp therapy etc?