OCD, anxiety and sad thoughts

[andreas]

Hi all!

I am in contact with a girl who is dealing with OCD (are there something named excessive compulsion disorder?), anxiety and sad thoughts. She has told my from her childhood that:

BACKGROUND:

* she was training

* she was singing in a choir

* She was in the red cross

* she was very social

* she was teased at school because she went so often to the toilet

* there were a lot of quarelling among her parents, so she had to take care of her younger brothers (that is the way she felt)

When she was 17 she developed an eating disorder - that led to general anxiety and compulsion.

She has had long stays at institutions, but she has been out of instituion for the last 2 years and is now working as a nurse. She managed to take the exam when she was in institution.

NOW:

* working as a nurse

* she is afraid of infection (always washing (even with desinfection water) and showering)

* sits on newspapers or boiled towels (afraid of germs)

* afraid that someone will come into her appartment to hurt her

* overly nice (can you say that?)

* condemning herself - it is my fault

* can be irritated - especially when you question her illness and her belief in God

* exhausted

* sad thoughts

* tells what is wrong to her to everybody

I QUESTION THIS:

How can she work as a nurse but has to sit on boiled towels at home?

How can she concentrate at work (I guess she have to?) but has problems concentrating at home?

How can she read chat but is not able to read the Bible, scriptures or christian teachings (she says she can`t concentrate)I give her?

I WONDER IF IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SHE IS PLAYING A GAME HERE.

To me this story doesn`t line up, because she wouldn`t be able to do some things and not others.

Is she gaining pleasure from messing with peoples heads and hearts?

 

[Mike]

Adrease .. yes there is such a thing as o.c.d. . In every situation , there are underlying circumstances . There are all types of o.c.d . Some worst than others , however they can be overcome . Some of the background that you shared can , but doesn't always lead to obsessive compulsion disorder , or
[ o.c.d.] . These problems can be controlled by medications such as [celexa , zoloft , effexor , paxil, and prozac ] just to name a few . Some of you're friends behavior doesn't seen consistent with this kind of disorder , however is very consistent with abuse , whether physical , or mental , dysfunctional childhood or home , and early exsposure to violence . I am not an expert at this however i have had allot of this in my family history . Whatever the problem , GOD has placed you in this so you can pray for you're friend , and be a witness for JESUS . I hope I may have helped a little . For more info . on this , you can look up the mayo clinic online and get more insight on this disease . BROTHER

 

[TheDrew]

I am fighting with OCD and anxiety disorder also.. it is very strange illness and can seem like the person with it is just full of nonsense to someone that has never went through it..


for me i have issues with contamination in my food and in public places. I do not wash my hands all the time but any time i go out in public and say touch stuff in like a department store or door knobs i have to wash my hands before i touch anything or eat anything when i get home.. it aslo will get to the point at times where i will pull my coat sleeve over my hand when opening a door so i dont actually touch it with my bare hand.

with food i can not eat food i didnt not make myself like in a restaurant.. forget it.. i will get the "what if" thoughts.. like "what if the cook did something to my dinner?" and they are so strong it becomes very hard to fight and pass them off as just a thought..


this is pretty much what sparked the anxiety disorder in me.. i am pretty much anxious all the time but in different levels.. somedays i can over come it and just say to my self "Bah! its nothing i have delt with this before" and other days it hits so hard i cant even function in normal everyday life..

i have been recieveing treatment for both for a while now (without drugs) and one of the things that helps is the controlled breathing to calm yourself and relax. (id post a link to what i am talking about.. but ya know the rules and such)
and also to ask myself "is this anxious thought true? how can i be sure?"
it does help because when i really think about it.. how can i be sure that door knob/food is contaminated? its just a thought and nothing more and must let it pass.

the sad thoughts are not uncommon either they come because of obsessing about your problem and feeling there is no hope and then obsessing about the fact you think there is no hope.. its like a vicious circle but can be over come with treatment and prayer.


anyway to answer your question.. yes with this disease it is possible to do some things and not others it just depends on the level of anxiety a person with OCD feels in each situation and how much they can control it..

i am not a Dr. but i hope that helped you some.. if you have any questions feel free to hit me up on here or AIM or PMs.

 

[Chad]

I dealt with this "online girl" 2 years ago who pretty much matches with this kind of behavior. She lied about cancer for 6 months that we chatted over the phone, 6 months of sending her 1.800.Flowers nearly every week (and you know those guys are way expensive), 6 months of lies, 6 months of faking tears (but GOD forgive me if they were genuine tears from something else buried inside her that I do not know of til this day).

However, you need to pray for these people. Something is certainly wrong and you can make it right on your part by praying, GOD will do His part by miraculous works in Jesus Christ's name.

 

[JudyB]

Regardless of her lying (which is wrong by the way) ....we have an obligation as Christians to pray for her and forgive her of her wrong doing....afterall, Where would we be if God didn't forgive us of our "wrong doing"...I hope this girl is okay, and I hope she has the support she needs, she sounds very lonely in the things she is going through. It is hard within itself dealing with OCD, i know because my husband has OCD...I empathize with this girl and Pray that God touches her life and rids her of this opression.

God Bless you all

 

[mymakersdaughter]

I have worked with young kids with OCD, anxiety disorders, the disorders are not logical. We must continue to pray for those that need help, it can be a debiliated illness.
I understand what you are saying TheDrew about hands touching things..I hate having to touch the door knob coming out of a bathroom, I will use my sleeve.
Sister JudyB put it nicely that we are to pray the God rids her of this oppression, it must be terrible to live like this everyday.

 

[andreas]

Thank you very much for all your good answers! I appreciate it very much!

May God bless you in abundance!