Answered questions(5)
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Dr. Steven, my name is Alejandra and I haven currently started seeing a therapist for obsessive thoughts, anxiety and rumination. I have been told by the therapist that I show ocd tendencies. I believe I have Pure-O ocd because all of my obsession are mental. They range from obsessing over an underlying illness that I may have, to doubting my love for my partner, to questioning my sexuality-regardless of a completely heterosexual past/present, to the latest thing that has crossed my mind, fear of attraction to my own brother. It is horrible and these feelings make me feel extremely upset with myself and I believe along with the ocd/anxiety, there is mild depression. Yesterday, I had a good day, but today has been a setback. I am emailing you because ultimately, one of the most important things to me is my relationship with my boyfriend. He is so wonderful and when I am not doubting everything, I come to acknowledge how deep my love and affection for him is. My biggest fear I guess, is losing him to the ocd/anxiety. I lack hope and faith lately, which may be because of the depression. I know I am seeking reassurance, and I know that reassurance backfires... But I need some hope. Some motivation/advice/anything. I want to feel good, how I felt yesterday. And I want to feel secure with what I know I want and who I know that I am, without doubting every single thing. Help me keep my relationship/my sense if self. My boyfriend has always been there for me, and he brings out the best in me. I no longer want to be plagued with questions and "what if's."
Read answer →Do I have OCD?
I’ve always been a bit of a double checker of things, but it’s gotten to the point now that I have a lot of trouble leaving the house. I have these crazy worries that I left the stove on or the iron is plugged in or the electrical wire is dangling out of the socket. Before I leave the house and before I got to bed I have to check and recheck everything like 5 times – and I’ll usually end up getting out of bed or unlocking the door after leaving to go back and check things a few more times before I can reluctantly leave it alone. I used to really like to smoke marijuana but I had to give it up because it just drove my anxieties about this kind of stuff into super overdrive and I’d literally stay up for hours into night just so I could monitor the house so it wouldn’t burn down. If I use the stove at any point near when I have to go I have to check that it’s off and cooled down an insane number of times. I’ve told a few friends about what I go through and they laugh it off and say they do the same thing…but I don’t think they could to the same level, because I really have a hard time even leaving the house anymore. Oddly enough, if I am with someone else and they do the checking, I don’t worry at all and can leave without distress. I also brought it up with my doctor at a recent check-up but he said that people with OCD are much more affected and that my behavior remains within the normal range. He recommended relaxation exercises as a way to overcome compulsive feelings. Based on what I have described, do you think I have OCD? If so, will medication help me?
Read answer →I can help
I have panic attacks and bad social phobia and I am addicted to valium and marijuana and I just found I am pregnant. I am probably about 7 weeks pregnant and I have been using my normal 60mgs a day the whole time and also smoking 5 or 6 joints every day. This pregnancy is accidental but abortion is not an option I would EVER consider. I know I need to tell a doctor about this but I am so scared at the thought of giving up the valium. I have tried before and it is HELL on EARTH when I try to stop. I do not have a doctor right now. I just took the pregnancy test this evening and I am still in shock. Have I done any damage to my baby yet from the marijuana and valium and will I have to stop valium all of a sudden or will I have to taper down? If I have to taper do you know how quickly I will have to do this. I am very scared at the idea of withdrawals because when I stopped completely a year ago I felt like I was going to die but I want to do the right thing.
Read answer →More info needed
I lost most of my belongings and when my apartment burned down in a fire started by the guy next to me who got a little bit exuberant with his deep frying and ignited the curtains when his French fry oil went up in flames. I had no renter’s insurance so I lost all my stuff and I have no money for a deposit on a new place so I have been living in a weekly rate motel while I try to save up to rebuild my life. The motel is a scary place. I am pretty sure the guy next to me deals drugs because he has a non-stop stream of visitors all night long. I cannot wait to get out of here but it will be at least another month before I can. I am generally a pretty high strung person but since the fire my stress levels have been through the roof and I have even had a few stress attacks that have left my gasping for breath. The weird thing now is that I also don’t feel like I am living inside my own body anymore. It is like things are happening to me but that it’s almost like they are happening to someone else and I am kind of just observing what’s going on. It’s like I am living in jello and it’s not real or something. It doesn’t sound that bad but it actually really sucks. Is this happening because of the stress I am under/ What can I do to not feel like this anymore?
Read answer →Help for OCD - Recommendations
I have OCD. A friend told me to check out something called the Mary Reed protocol. Basically she believes that OCD is caused by thin myelin covering nerve endings. According to this protocol, a specific program of foods and supplements are used to repair the myelin and to detox and improve liver and intestinal functioning and from what I have read it really seems to be helping a lot of people. I would like to get an expert’s perspective on this protocol. Is this something that makes any sense to a professional? Would you recommend its use?
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