Posted by JD on June 26, 1999, at 16:13:14
In reply to OCD symptoms brought on by stress?, posted by Deb on June 26, 1999, at 14:56:26
Deb,
All of the behaviors you describe are pretty classic ones for OCD, and I think it's not at all uncommon for such behaviors to wax and wane with stress levels. I wouldn't worry too much about whether you need an "official" OCD diagnosis, but the general situation is probably worth looking into with a doctor or therapist. OCD and Panic attacks both seem to be related to some kind of dysfunction of the serotonin system, which can be highly affected by stress-- for this reason, you might even want to look into to an SSRI medication (like Zoloft, Paxil, or Prozac), but this is something that would need to be decided between you and a professional. It may be that you just need to find better ways of managing your stress, which isn't always easy I realize...
Best,
JD> I have not been diagnosed with OCD, but I have noticed that when I am under severe stress I start doing things like checking the door over and over again to see if it's locked, and getting up from the bed several times at night to see if the burners on the stove are turned off. I know when I'm doing it that it's silly, but if I don't follow through I fly into a full-blown panic attack. A couple of times, while driving, I became convinced that I had run over someone and actually turned the car around, got out in the dark and searched the ditches for them. I know it sounds funny, but it's really not. Anyone else have reactions like this to stress?
poster:JD
thread:7884
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990601/msgs/7889.html