Harm OCD - My OCD Story

Summary

The speaker, who has OCD, shares her personal journey with anxiety, focusing on the specific challenges of harm OCD. She discusses her onset at 22, the intrusive thoughts, and the impact on her relationships. Initially misdiagnosed and mistreated with Celexa, she faced a severe exacerbation of symptoms. She emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing OCD, not just as a cleanliness issue, but as a complex mental health struggle. The speaker hopes her story can help others facing similar battles and plans to share more about living with and coping with OCD.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The video discusses the personal struggle with OCD, specifically focusing on harm OCD.
• 🎯 The onset of the creator's OCD began at the age of 22, with a history of general anxiety throughout life.
• 🏥 The creator's OCD symptoms escalated after being prescribed Celexa, an antidepressant, for travel anxiety.
• 🤔 The term 'pure O' is mentioned, indicating OCD with less visible compulsions, such as rumination.
• 🔪 Harm OCD involves obsessions about causing harm to oneself or others, which can be distressing and lead to compulsive behaviors like checking.
• 🐾 The creator's personal harm OCD manifests as an irrational fear of intentionally hurting loved ones or pets.
• 🚑 The creator had a negative experience with a doctor who misdiagnosed and stigmatized their symptoms.
• 🧩 OCD can disrupt relationships and daily life, as the creator's relationship with their mother was affected.
• 🌱 The video aims to connect with others who may be experiencing similar struggles, providing a sense of community.
• 📹 Future content plans include vlogs about living with OCD, including its impact on travel and everyday activities.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is anxiety, specifically focusing on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and the personal struggles of the speaker with harm OCD.

Why did the speaker decide to create this video?

The speaker decided to create this video to share their personal experiences with OCD, as they felt there were not many relatable stories available when they were going through the worst of their symptoms, and to potentially help others who might be experiencing similar struggles.

At what age did the speaker's OCD onset occur?

The speaker's OCD onset occurred when they were 22 years old.

What is the difference between 'pure O' OCD and other types of OCD according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, 'pure O' OCD refers to a type of OCD where compulsions are not visible actions but rather internal thoughts and ruminations. Other types of OCD may involve visible compulsions, such as repeatedly touching things or checking if something is done correctly.

What does the speaker mean by 'harm OCD'?

The speaker refers to 'harm OCD' as a type of OCD where the obsessions revolve around causing harm, either to oneself or others. This can include fears of hurting someone intentionally or through negligence.

How did the speaker's OCD affect their relationships?

The speaker's OCD affected their relationships by causing them to distance themselves from loved ones, including family and pets, due to the fear of causing harm to them.

What was the speaker's experience with medication that led to the onset of their OCD?

The speaker was prescribed Celexa, an antidepressant, for travel anxiety. Shortly after starting the medication, they began experiencing intrusive thoughts and visions that marked the onset of their OCD.

What was the speaker's initial reaction to their doctor's suggestion that their symptoms might be indicative of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia?

The speaker was upset and disagreed with the doctor's suggestion, as they had never experienced anything like this before and believed it was a reaction to the medication they were given.

How did the speaker's experience in the emergency room affect their perception of the medical system's understanding of mental health?

The speaker felt that the medical professionals in the emergency room were ill-prepared to help them and lacked understanding of mental health issues, which left them feeling unsupported and further distressed.

What is the speaker's current approach to managing their OCD?

The speaker is still struggling with OCD and mentions that managing it is a daily challenge. They are considering making more videos to share their experiences and potentially offer insights on how to cope with the condition.

What future content does the speaker plan to create regarding their experiences with OCD?

The speaker plans to create more videos, including Vlogs, about living with OCD, traveling with OCD, and how anxiety affects them in general, especially during new experiences and in different environments.