My success story

Lilame · Newbie User Joined: Nov 09, 2006 Posts: 4

Hi all,

First of all, please excuse any misspelling or grammar mistakes because English is my second language . I just want to share with you my story because I want to help to make you feel better . I will try to be succinct but I will answer any questions , if you are interested .

I was diagnosed with OCD 4 years ago . I had no previous mental problems or symptoms whatsoever . My main obsession was about hurting people , especially the more vulnerable ones which are children . I did not want to hurt them, I was terrified at the taught that I could hurt them in any way , but I doubted myself . “ What if I lost control and I suddenly hurt someone ?” that was my obsession . I thought I was going crazy .

I did some research myself and I realized I had OCD and that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works for OCD . I went to the Public Library and I read all the books on CBT and OCD I could get my hands on . This helped me a lot because I realized that I should not avoid frightening situations. So I started doing “ dangerous “ things , like shaving my husband and I also bought a new set of knives . However , I also had a few sessions with a RN who does CBT for 15 years with people with OCD . Before her I had seen 3-4 other psychotherapists but I think they knew less about CBT than I did . This RN , even thou she is not a psychotherapist she has a lot of experience in OCD and I loved her . She made me understand a few important things which helped me a lot . she also gave me hope . In the first year I saw her maybe 5 -7 times . My luck was that I acted very quickly and I was totally determined to fight this disease . The next year I saw her 2 times, and the next one only once .

To make a long story short , I started from being extremely afraid of children ( because I could harm them ) . I got depressed because of my OCD and because I was sure I would never be able to have children . I totally overcame my worst obsession and now I have a 1 year old child .

I also had other obsessions, but those were much easier to overcome , some of them I barely remember . I have periods of 6-8 months OCD free and then I get an obsession , but it is so much easier now . It is like having a migraine for a couple of days . A migraine goes away , it does not get you depressed and it does not destroy your life . I never took any kind of medication and I am not depressed at all, on the contrary I am a very happy person .