ocd explanation?

Hi

Can you tell me what GAD is then I can hoopefully answer your question

Thanks

Jill

Hi theboydonut,

OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and GAD for Generalised Anxiety Disorder - both are anxiety related.

With OCD the person experiences obssesive, anxious thoughts - could be obsessive thoughts about contamination, or doubt - has a task been completed.

The obsessive thoughts are coupled with compulsive, repeated behaviours, such as washing, checking things ( for example has the door been been locked?), putting things in a very specific order. For a person with OCD, the compulsive behaviour is carried out to prevent some awful, imagined event from happening.

GAD is a more general term for excessive high level anxiety.

okay so for example if I came obsesive about the symptoms of anexity for example heart palpitations which i am and became increasingly concered whether i had an illness would that then begin to slip into OCD? or am I just generally anxious about things?

Hi boydonut,

OCD will usually have both elements - obsession and the compulsive, ritualistic behaviour.

It's quite common for people who are anxious to be anxious about their anxiety.

I wonder if it would be more fruitful for you to look for a solution, rather than a label for what you are experiencing. If you're concerned you have an illness you might consult a doctor.

If you're sure that the anxiety is just misuse of your imagination you might consider what you could do to be free of those feelings. Have you looked at the Anxiety and Panic Attacks article and the Free Panic Attacks program with advice on reducing anxiety.

Best wishes

hi theboydonut

anxiety is like water in that in needs a channel to flow down. If there is no real threat in the environment then the mind will create a channel for the anxiety. This 'channel' may be a worry about anything at all. Worrying, as Mike said, is a way of mis-using the imagination. The 'antidote' is calm. When you are calm and relaxed you are free to imagine anything without having to frighten yourself through worry.

I teach clients to think about what worries them whilst feeling very relaxed. This is easier than 'trying not to think about it' and unhooks the emotional arousal from the contents of the imagination.

Mark

i understand what you mean I find it difficult to except that i experience these things through worry and believe im actaully suffering from an ailment of some sort I know this sounds like the classic response but how can i convey these worries to my GP i feel as though the doctors have missed something?

I was the same i was so sure there was something wrong with me.
My doctors were very good i explained i thought it may be panic attacks and the thought of something wrong with my heart eas making it worse.
They were great i did an ECG and a tred Mill test, on the tred mill i completed the standard that a piolet of a Boing 747 has to pass so nope no problem there.
Was i convinced nope i was still sure something was wrong. Just took time and a few good spells. If each attack was a heart attack i would be dead 100 times over . Ask for a tred mill test it can help

thats the real problem for me i rarely get panic attacks now but im always getting missed and added beats which really scare me even after my ecg and i always feel like my heart is struggling and i feel breathless trouble is when do i except its anexity? or do i just have to?

Get as mant tests done as you think you need.
Yes my heart seems to bounce all over the place esp if i get worked up.
Have seen lots of docs over the last 12 months but still its the same " NO PROBLEM WITH HEART" they keep telling me, and like you have only had 2 full attacks in a long time but the heart skipping worries me all the time- like what if its not happening while test is done, they would miss it, but have been told and assured that tred mill test would have picked anything up even if not happening at that time. If i think about my heart i seem to not be able to get my breath and that makes it work like i have to THINK or i wont breath???? so if any of that sounds the same then just get more tests done untill your happy. Sorry not much help.