Intrusive thoughts, OCD Fear they are permanent?

Anyone had severe anxiety causing intrusive thoughts, mine mainly centred on thinking may have harmed someone, not intentionally!!! Started mildly when made to CT then intensified greatly when went on anti depressant and since coming off it been bad. Did try CBT type therapies but haven't helped in my case. Seem to be getting more bad waves recently so hoping it's case reaches a peak then starts subsiding. Have occasionally taken a zop maybe  4 times so probably didn't help and the AD  caused lot problems. Never suffered with it before stopping zopiclone. Distractions helped at first but not so much as time goes on. Just getting so worried they won't ever go away?

 

These symptoms are very common when taking psychotropic drugs or abandoning them as a result of the neurotoxicity of these substances.

Does no one else suffer these making me think they are permanent?

I've noticed you and Perth make these new posts very often about the same symptom. Maybe you should start a thread and just keep updating it?

I’m 41 months off and still get anxiety and intrusive thoughts, mine is about loved ones dying. It really upsets me and I’m starting to worry that it is permanent.

there is a success story called "scar tissue is stronger...." anout a man who had them in wd and a taper and is healed 100%

Sorry you are in that state. But yes, intrusive thoughts, OCD, depression, anxiety still at 50+ months doesn’t inspire confidence it’s coming to an end, especially when it’s been getting worse since July 2019. But in fairness I’ve had a long history of depression and anxiety before Benzos came into play. One can always hope.

I wish more people would post about this, if they have it. It does make you feel like you are alone and not sure if it was the medicine or not. Mine started while still on benzos I was in between doses and I think I was withdrawling and didnt know it. I had only taken xanax for about 2 weeks once at bed time and about 2 weeks of ativan (including the short 1 week taper of the ativan) at bed time once a day and between doses I got horrid intrusive thoughts that were more like images, since I guess my imagination is very vivid. I spent the past 6 weeks ruminating on what caused it didnt think it was the meds, and wondering what it meant about me and if it was going to stay this way, the thoughts changed a lot but the same overall theme. I didnt even know what an intrusive thought was. Mine are getting a little less intense, but i researched and thought maybe i have pure ocd now because its what it seems like, but I dont think I had this before. I definitely worried before about my health and stuff but never ever had the types of thoughts/images I had during this time ever, very distressing to me, cry every day. I am still torn wondering if it was the medcine or if i developed OCD due to the high stress I was going through, taking the med started because I lost my mom suddenly so the stress and anxiety over that is why i started taking the meds.  I dont know if its important to say that during the past months i tried zoloft which i was in the middle of trying when the thoughts started but stopped after a week. and prior to that i had tried lexapro (before intrusive thoughts) because I had been on lexapro for years 6 months prior but again it gave me weird side effects so i stopped it 10 days in. Im not sure, but I know that these thoughts leave you with a lot of anxiety and a lot of questioning. I just keep trying to tell myself they are not mine, and its because of the meds and the overexcited nervous system. But of course I doubt and think I just have OCD now or something.... wish more people would talk about this.

Think mine  def caused by meds , not true OCD, as tried CBT and exposure therapy didn't help at all. Did try starting a support group as doesn't seem much discussion about mental symptoms, but no one responded. So sorry to hear about your mother . I did try anti depressants but they made the OCD lot worse in my case. Think mine is more case severe anxiety triggered by withdrawal, rather than actual OCD, which why therapy didn't help.

They arent. There is a fb group called Christian healing from benzo and psych drugs and there is woman's post named breean she healed

You are reinforcing OCD by being on these boards. Any good therapist will tell you to get the hell off them.

 

 

Jbreezy, I suggest you read the Mission Statement for the BenzoBuddies website below.  We work to maintain a supportive environment here and try to not frighten or discourage our members.  Please keep you comments within this framework as stated below:

 

 

BenzoBuddies: an inclusive, nonjudgmental mutual-support environment for those who wish to withdraw from benzodiazepines.

Members of the BenzoBuddies community are encouraged to exchange ideas, information and support during the process of withdrawal and recovery.

 

Although outside of the immediate scope of BenzoBuddies, members are free to discuss their wider medical problems and needs as they relate to benzodiazepine use and withdrawal.

 

Taking or quitting any medicine—including benzodiazepines—should be a personal decision made in consultation with a suitably qualified medical practitioner.

 

Through a peer-support model, we strive to help members achieve their goals.

 

I’m 41 months off and still get anxiety and intrusive thoughts, mine is about loved ones dying. It really upsets me and I’m starting to worry that it is permanent.

I can relate, I am so scared of accidents....I try not to think about it because I am a bit supersticious and don’t want to attract those vibes. It’s very hard

I can tell you from someone  that is is 100% healed they do go away.  The best thing to do is to keep distracted.  I never played so many mindless games in my life and when I was healing.  CBT did work for me even though it was withdrawal related, it was hard work and took time but I was slowly able to redirect my thoughts to a more positive place.  Learning to let go is the best thing I have ever done.  I have come out the other side a much stronger person than before benzoyl. 

Glad it worked for you. Sadly not for me. Maybe because I've been on meds for lot longer and not allowed to taper?

I also did cbt. It didn’t help at all. I felt my problem was different due to withdrawals. I did try very hard for cbt to work ,but had no luck. As time went on , my mental health issues started to disappear

How long did yours take to ease. I think if it's traditional OCD not caused by benzos  that CBT can help, but as mine is chemically induced didn't  help,  as it's fuelled by anxiety. Have read if you didn't have it before will eventually go.