OCD: General Discussion Thread

Hi, I'm v**** and I deal with OCD... Just joined the group. My mind feels like it's bursting at the seams from all these ghosts of the past and present... I'm on the verge of seeing a psychiatrist because I can barely function in society, but I wanted to see if anyone here has experience with Aktivin H. Does it actually help with OCD? Might try that before I finally give in and see a doctor... any advice?🙄

brightsailor9 said:Hi, I'm v**** and I deal with OCD... Just joined the group. My mind feels like it's bursting at the seams from all these ghosts of the past and present... I'm on the verge of seeing a psychiatrist because I can barely function in society, but I wanted to see if anyone here has experience with Aktivin H. Does it actually help with OCD? Might try that before I finally give in and see a doctor... any advice?🙄

Hard to say. You could just pick some up at a drugstore and see how it goes. Or better yet, ask the pharmacist there if they know anything about it. You could also check back here on the Kauai forum or ask someone studying pharmacy if Aktivin H has any effect on OCD.

Taken from http://www.depresija.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=299:

"Since most antidepressants carry relatively heavy side effects and can be quite toxic—plus their effectiveness is hit or miss—there is a growing trend toward treating mild depressive symptoms with plant-based remedies.
Hypericin is the primary component found in St. John's Wort extract. It works through a dual mechanism: on one hand, it mildly inhibits monoamine oxidase (similar to an MAO inhibitor), and on the other, it slightly blocks serotonin reuptake (much like SSRIs).
Hypericin lifts the mood by tackling low spirits, sadness, melancholy, anxiety, irritability, hopelessness, and lethargy (that total lack of interest in daily life), as well as related issues like insomnia, frequent crying spells, fatigue, and appetite fluctuations. Because it has sedative properties, it’s a solid choice for mild depressive episodes characterized by restlessness and anxiety.
Even though hypericin is usually marketed as a 'natural remedy,' don't be fooled into thinking it's harmless. In fact, hypericin makes the skin extremely sensitive to UV rays, significantly increasing the risk of severe sunburns. Furthermore, there are reports of serotonin syndrome occurring in individuals using St. John's Wort preparations. There have also been observations that hypericin-based products can cause hair loss, and numerous reports highlight dangerous interactions between hypericin and other medications.
Therefore, while hypericin should be favored over traditional antidepressants, you must strictly follow all pharmaceutical and medical instructions.

Because it acts like a mild SSRI, it might help with OCD to some extent, but recent studies suggest its efficacy is often no better than a placebo. Honestly, just go consult a psychiatrist about proper medication therapy...
Especially if there is comorbidity, meaning other disorders alongside the existing OCD... I'm not saying it hasn't 'worked' for some people—maybe at higher doses—but please, don't DIY your own treatment... or perhaps use it only as a mild antidepressant/anxiolytic...

And obviously, if you are already taking any SSRIs, do NOT accidentally take additional drugs or alternative supplements due to the risk of serotonin syndrome...

"Also, apparently hypericin-based supplements can cause hair loss..." 🙂 Beautiful. Just my luck with the banana diet too. From what I've gathered, OCD falls under personality disorders. I've been running a bunch of online tests for PD and I'm mostly "failing" them... For the most part, I hit about 90% of the symptoms for obsessive-compulsive and avoidance behaviors. Has anyone else here taken similar tests? What were your results like? As for the OCD itself, I’m actually back to how I was when I was ten... like, I used to have to flip the light switch off-on-off three times just for good luck. Eventually, that turned into doing it nine times. Then there were all those superstitious rituals, washing my face three times, just spending the whole day acting like a robot performing mindless math equations... 😵🙈

David Nelson74 I can't even begin to process this nonsense because honestly, it’s just another day in this chaotic mess we call life, and frankly, I'm exhausted by how much people try to sugarcoat things that are clearly broken from the ground up.
Just give it a shot. But what are we actually talking about here? Are you trying to pull this off entirely on your own, or are you planning on leaning on some pills to get you through it?

Hypnotherapy can actually fix this whole mess if you'd just listen, but honestly, Ena and Sacreus wouldn't know the first thing about explaining how that works even if it hit them in the face.

So, what, am I supposed to pop pills just to make this happen? Is it really all about willpower alone, like some kind of mental toughness thing? Because honestly, I don’t have the luxury of time to mess around with anything else.

Paul King8 said:

David Nelson74 I can't even begin to process this nonsense because honestly, it’s just another day in this chaotic mess we call life, and frankly, I'm exhausted by how much people try to sugarcoat things that are clearly broken from the ground up.
Just give it a shot. But what are we actually talking about here? Are you trying to pull this off entirely on your own, or are you planning on leaning on some pills to get you through it?

Hypnotherapy can actually fix this whole mess if you'd just listen, but honestly, Ena and Sacreus wouldn't know the first thing about explaining how that works even if it hit them in the face.

So, what, am I supposed to pop pills just to make this happen? Is it really all about willpower alone, like some kind of mental toughness thing? Because honestly, I don’t have the luxury of time to mess around with anything else.

Willpower? Pure grit??? You’re working hard to find an answer right now, but unfortunately, you aren't getting much traction. And trying to shake off OCD using nothing but your own resolve without any support? That's going to be a hell of a lot harder than just finding the answer you're looking for. 🙂

Paul King8 said:

David Nelson74 I can't even begin to process this nonsense because honestly, it’s just another day in this chaotic mess we call life, and frankly, I'm exhausted by how much people try to sugarcoat things that are clearly broken from the ground up.
Just give it a shot. But what are we actually talking about here? Are you trying to pull this off entirely on your own, or are you planning on leaning on some pills to get you through it?

Hypnotherapy can actually fix this whole mess if you'd just listen, but honestly, Ena and Sacreus wouldn't know the first thing about explaining how that works even if it hit them in the face.

So, what, am I supposed to pop pills just to make this happen? Is it really all about willpower alone, like some kind of mental toughness thing? Because honestly, I don’t have the luxury of time to mess around with anything else.

Try teaching yourself to just say "screw it" whenever those FBI compulsions start acting up.
For example:
An OCD thought: "Did I leave the stove on?" 😱
Shutting down the thought 🙂: "Screw it, worst case scenario, the stove uses a little extra $0.67electricity, and I can handle the bill. "

As you can see, besides rationalizing the potential damage, the real key to the whole process is that specific moment when you tell yourself: screw it. 😁

Rebecca Roberts2 said:Try teaching yourself to just say "screw it" whenever those FBI compulsions start acting up.
For example:
An OCD thought: "Did I leave the stove on?" 😱
Shutting down the thought 🙂: "Screw it, worst case scenario, the stove uses a little extra $0.67electricity, and I can handle the bill. "

As you can see, besides rationalizing the potential damage, the real key to the whole process is that specific moment when you tell yourself: screw it. 😁

Look, even now, before I walk out the door, I absolutely have to go check the stove to make sure it's off, but honestly, I don't give a damn if you excuse these constant intrusive thoughts about whether I turned it off, locked the front door, or where my keys went—it happens a million times a day, it's freaking exhausting, but I'm telling you, I just say, f*** it, did I turn it off or not, who cares! Once we went away for a weekend and I didn't check the stove, and I spent two whole days praying and eating myself alive wondering what was happening! And I should mention once I actually drove all the way back home because the stove anxiety was killing me, only to find it was actually left on, so at least there was one silver lining to the OCD!
But for me, it feels somewhat normal because I've been dealing with this nonsense since high school, like having to check the doorknob five times in a row or stuff like that, but only now that I've read more about it do I realize just how often these situations and behaviors happen to me!

If anyone wouldn't mind telling me what I should actually do, and when someone with OCD finally goes to see a doctor, what does that treatment process actually look like? I'd really appreciate some detail!

Thanks!

brightsailor9 said:"Also, apparently hypericin-based supplements can cause hair loss..." 🙂 Beautiful. Just my luck with the banana diet too. From what I've gathered, OCD falls under personality disorders. I've been running a bunch of online tests for PD and I'm mostly "failing" them... For the most part, I hit about 90% of the symptoms for obsessive-compulsive and avoidance behaviors. Has anyone else here taken similar tests? What were your results like? As for the OCD itself, I’m actually back to how I was when I was ten... like, I used to have to flip the light switch off-on-off three times just for good luck. Eventually, that turned into doing it nine times. Then there were all those superstitious rituals, washing my face three times, just spending the whole day acting like a robot performing mindless math equations... 😵🙈

If I can ask, what exactly is PD, what kind of tests are we talking about, and where can I find them?
And do they have these tests available in American English, and which specific website should I look on to find them?

Paul King8 said:Look, even now, before I walk out the door, I absolutely have to go check the stove to make sure it's off, but honestly, I don't give a damn if you excuse these constant intrusive thoughts about whether I turned it off, locked the front door, or where my keys went—it happens a million times a day, it's freaking exhausting, but I'm telling you, I just say, f*** it, did I turn it off or not, who cares! Once we went away for a weekend and I didn't check the stove, and I spent two whole days praying and eating myself alive wondering what was happening! And I should mention once I actually drove all the way back home because the stove anxiety was killing me, only to find it was actually left on, so at least there was one silver lining to the OCD!
But for me, it feels somewhat normal because I've been dealing with this nonsense since high school, like having to check the doorknob five times in a row or stuff like that, but only now that I've read more about it do I realize just how often these situations and behaviors happen to me!

If anyone wouldn't mind telling me what I should actually do, and when someone with OCD finally goes to see a doctor, what does that treatment process actually look like? I'd really appreciate some detail!

Thanks!

Are you living in a small town or a major city? And are you looking to see a private specialist or go through the public healthcare system?

If you decide on a private practice: -- you could check local listings in something like the Sunday edition of the New York Times or even just look at local business directories,

Ask your primary care physician to give you a referral for a psychiatrist,

You can browse this forum’s thread on "recommendations and experiences with psychologists and psychiatrists,"

Or just Google "private psychiatric clinic" or "specialized mental health practice."...

You don't need a referral for private care; you just call them up, book an appointment, and wait a few days—maybe a week or two at most. Rates are usually around $200 $83 per hour, though I heard about one guy who charges by the minute....

If you go through insurance/public health: -- you visit your family doctor first and ask for a referral to see a psychiatrist. They'll likely be in the same medical center or community clinic. Once you have that paper, you take it to the psychiatrist and wait about a month. I don't think there's any co-pay involved, but the wait times are brutal, and you'll probably be waiting a month just to get in the door. It’s also possible you’ll only spend five or ten minutes in the office, but that's life. There are only a few hundred psychiatrists in the whole country... I don't know what else to tell you. This is just based on my own experience, so it might not be the case for everyone......

David Nelson74 said:Are you living in a small town or a major city? And are you looking to see a private specialist or go through the public healthcare system?

If you decide on a private practice: -- you could check local listings in something like the Sunday edition of the New York Times or even just look at local business directories,

Ask your primary care physician to give you a referral for a psychiatrist,

You can browse this forum’s thread on "recommendations and experiences with psychologists and psychiatrists,"

Or just Google "private psychiatric clinic" or "specialized mental health practice."...

You don't need a referral for private care; you just call them up, book an appointment, and wait a few days—maybe a week or two at most. Rates are usually around $200 $83 per hour, though I heard about one guy who charges by the minute....

If you go through insurance/public health: -- you visit your family doctor first and ask for a referral to see a psychiatrist. They'll likely be in the same medical center or community clinic. Once you have that paper, you take it to the psychiatrist and wait about a month. I don't think there's any co-pay involved, but the wait times are brutal, and you'll probably be waiting a month just to get in the door. It’s also possible you’ll only spend five or ten minutes in the office, but that's life. There are only a few hundred psychiatrists in the whole country... I don't know what else to tell you. This is just based on my own experience, so it might not be the case for everyone......

Are you serious? That is such a small number.

David Nelson74 said:Are you living in a small town or a major city? And are you looking to see a private specialist or go through the public healthcare system?

If you decide on a private practice: -- you could check local listings in something like the Sunday edition of the New York Times or even just look at local business directories,

Ask your primary care physician to give you a referral for a psychiatrist,

You can browse this forum’s thread on "recommendations and experiences with psychologists and psychiatrists,"

Or just Google "private psychiatric clinic" or "specialized mental health practice."...

You don't need a referral for private care; you just call them up, book an appointment, and wait a few days—maybe a week or two at most. Rates are usually around $200 $83 per hour, though I heard about one guy who charges by the minute....

If you go through insurance/public health: -- you visit your family doctor first and ask for a referral to see a psychiatrist. They'll likely be in the same medical center or community clinic. Once you have that paper, you take it to the psychiatrist and wait about a month. I don't think there's any co-pay involved, but the wait times are brutal, and you'll probably be waiting a month just to get in the door. It’s also possible you’ll only spend five or ten minutes in the office, but that's life. There are only a few hundred psychiatrists in the whole country... I don't know what else to tell you. This is just based on my own experience, so it might not be the case for everyone......

Thanks!
I already knew most of that, but what I really want to dig into is the actual difference between that 5-10 minute rush with a public doctor versus spending a full hour with a private specialist—like, what are they actually going to ask me, how does the conversation go, and what's the vibe?

hollowgardener7 said:Are you serious? That is such a small number.

Here’s a direct copy-paste from the American Medical Association: ".........The shortage of psychiatrists is deeply felt, notes Dr. Zoran Bujas Petković, and instead of the current 450, we should have at least 800."

@Paul King8 - they ask what kind of issues you're dealing with, and if you just give them honest answers, there shouldn't be any trouble. They'll ask things like whether you're struggling with sleep or insomnia, what you do for a living, how your mood is, or your appetite; you basically just describe your daily routine... It’s like going to the dentist. They just ask which tooth hurts and how the pain feels—if it's a dull ache or sensitive to hot and cold...🙂

@Paul King8, PPD is a personality disorder... there's a thread somewhere near this one. Most of the test links are in English, though... might help clear things up if you check them out.👍

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ''others are merely our mirrors''

So I finally tackled that assessment, though let me tell you, my English isn't exactly my strongest suit, so I ended up pulling something close to a hundred percent which isn't exactly stellar—though honestly, there's a good chance I just completely misread the questions and gave them the wrong answers anyway!

Gotcha, thanks David Nelson74, but hey, tell me this—do they actually offer any kind of talk therapy over there, and if so, what's the deal with how that works? Sorry, I know I'm hitting you with a million questions here! My bad!

There’s this health section on the CNN website called "Your Questions!?"... take a look at the Q&A there. You can even submit your own inquiry. I tried it once, and instead of posting it publicly, they just sent a direct response to my inbox...

I haven't scrolled through this whole thread yet, but honestly? I'm all for it. I was prescribed Paxil for my own issues with anxiety and depression.
Basically, OCD covers everything from those constant, nagging compulsions—like checking if you turned off the stove or locked the front door—to those intrusive, dark thoughts that just hijack your brain. You know, when these horrible scenarios start playing on loop in your head out of nowhere and you just can't make them stop.

Paul King8 said:So I finally tackled that assessment, though let me tell you, my English isn't exactly my strongest suit, so I ended up pulling something close to a hundred percent which isn't exactly stellar—though honestly, there's a good chance I just completely misread the questions and gave them the wrong answers anyway!

Gotcha, thanks David Nelson74, but hey, tell me this—do they actually offer any kind of talk therapy over there, and if so, what's the deal with how that works? Sorry, I know I'm hitting you with a million questions here! My bad!

Yeah, there are options. It’s called psychotherapy. If you go through a private practice, you can usually skip the massive waiting lists and get an appointment much faster, plus you actually get a full hour to talk things through. Here is a list of some numbers you can call...

Tamara Tić Bačić, MS, MD, Psychiatry Practice at Tagora Medical Clinic
210 Main St, Seattle, WA 98101, 206-555-0199

Specialist Inc. Psychiatric Practice – Dr. Marijan Montani
123 Main St, Washington, D.C., 202-555-0199

Dr. Ramiz Bučuk - Psychiatric Practice
18 Milutin Barač St, San Francisco, 051 21 17 30

Dr. Albert Čeperić - Psychiatric Practice
5 Monjac St, San Francisco, 051 26 14 03

Dr. Slobodan Elezović – Psychiatric Practice
18 Milutin Barač St, San Francisco, 098 32 76 02

Dr. Spomenka Grubišić-Bilić.
4 J. Leović St, Indianapolis, IN 46204, 316-555-0198

Helena Dedić, MD
1 American Mučenika St, Savannah, GA 31401, 202-555-0199

Josić Dragan Palmotićev
32a Palmotićeva St, Washington, D.C., 202-555-0198

Dr. Predrag Jovanović - Psychiatric Practice
12 Vajnera Čik St, San Francisco, 94102. Reach me at 555-0199.

Knežević Ivica, MD - Psychiatric Practice
6 Baštijanov St, San Francisco, 555-0199

MARČINKO HELENA
Helena Valbandon, 13 Mimoza St, Carmel-by-the-Sea, 93924, 555-012-3456

Veljko Ljubićev, PhD.
10 Ljubićeva St, Miami, FL 33101, 305-555-0199

Healthy mind, healthy body.
15 Mesnička St, Washington, D.C., 20001. 202-555-0199.

Dr. Darinka Rotar's Psychiatric Practice - Specialist Inc.
4 Krimeja St, San Francisco, 051 21 71 30

The Kocijan Hercigonja Clinic handles neurology, psychiatry, occupational medicine, sports medicine, and internal medicine.
17 Lipovečka St, Washington, D.C., 01 36 46 817

Psychiatric Clinic of Dr. Kovacevic
77/2 kralj Zvonimir St, Miami, FL 33101, 305-555-0199

Zdenka Ave 22
22 Zdenka Ave, Washington, D.C., 01 65 23 144

Branko Potočnik
1 55 Crikvenički St, Washington, D.C., 01 30 24 971

Private Psychiatry Clinic
4 Meštrović St, Savannah, GA. Reach me at 420-212-712.

Dr. Boris Jerbić’s Private Psychiatry Practice.
34 Antun Augustinčić St, Savannah, GA. You can reach me at 555-0199.

Dr. Ilenka Stipanić Hrabrov’s private psychiatry practice.
16 Stjepan Radić St, San Diego, CA, 023 23 53 33

Private Psychiatric Practice of Radojka Galić-Miljanović
6 Vatroslav Lisinski St, San Francisco, CA 94102, 555-012-4134

Private Psychiatric Practice by Specialist Inc.
15 Petrov St, Washington, D.C., 01 46 35 617

Psychiatric Practice
11 St. Radić St, Annapolis, 21401, 410-555-0199

The psychiatric practice of Boris Zmijanović, M.Sc. Dr.
Brodarica, 123 Main St, 555-0199

Dr. Biserka Rebić-Jardas – Psychiatric Practice
11 Viktor car Emina, San Francisco, 555-0199

Dr. Slavo Repušć
Dr. Josipa Mladinov, 20 Asheville, NC, 012-841-600

Dr. Željka Smerdelj
11 Kastavski St, Washington, D.C., 01 36 38 687

Specialist Inc. Psychiatric Practice of Boris Čizmić
Prince Miroslav Square bb, 21310 Omiš, 021 86 27 22

Specialist Inc. Psychiatric Practice of dr. Gordana Šikić
14 Avelina Čvrka, 51000 San Francisco, 051 26 14 03

Dr. Smiljana Stanković-Lukin - Psychiatric Practice
4 Fiorella La Guardie, 51000 San Francisco, 051 21 35 54

Dr. Marica Tomulić-Kurelić - Psychiatric Practice
Mali Palit bb, 51280 Palit, 051 72 49 10

Dr. Gordana Varena - Psychiatric Practice
5 Monjac St, 51000 San Francisco, 051 26 14 03

David Nelson74, you're a total genius—always looking out for everyone and offering a hand. 🙂

Amanda Walker said:I haven't scrolled through this whole thread yet, but honestly? I'm all for it. I was prescribed Paxil for my own issues with anxiety and depression.
Basically, OCD covers everything from those constant, nagging compulsions—like checking if you turned off the stove or locked the front door—to those intrusive, dark thoughts that just hijack your brain. You know, when these horrible scenarios start playing on loop in your head out of nowhere and you just can't make them stop.

Can you dive into that a bit more?