OCD - Intrusive thoughts?????

[sambo86]

Hi guy's I haven't been on in a while I could not log in and didn't receive the forgotten password email to reset, however, obviously I've managed to sign back in. I have been currently taking sertraline for around 8 months going from 50mg to 100mg after a couple of months. Most of the time I feel fine however, every month or 2 I feel a little down and the intrusive thoughts seem to get me down a little. It seems like for so many weeks I feel ok then I feel I take a little step back. I had CBT therapy at the beginning of the year and that seem to help lots, however, my therapist advised that she thought i was doing great so the sessions stopped.

I'm not sure whether this is it, and I will have days / weeks were I feel not as happy as I did the previous month? I think I have it in mind that because I'm on medication I shouldn't feel low sometimes???

Many thanks for reading, any comments will be hugely appreciated

Sam

[Lucinda07]

I do not take antidepressants, but believe it is still possible to have low spells.
Dark, winter weather, ups & downs, hormones all play their part. It isn't always easy to put CBT into practice, but mostly you are successful.
Perhaps a different strategy eg mindfulness, exercise may help.

[rbm]

i fell like that too !!

i've been taking sertraline for anxiety for 3 mths and i have a low right now! i took xanax for a while, not anymore, but i have these recurring thoughts...my main problem is attention, concentration, memory, cognition and what always comes to mind is that i have dementia, can't seem to shake it off...

everyone has ups and downs, we are just sooo afraid of relapse... it's normal for changes in weather, hormones or social events to affect us , as we are only human, but i for one , can't seem to be able to stop letting fear run my life !! don't let it do the same to you ! it's hard not to ask why it's happening but ever harder not dealing with it ! find a way to control your response to these thoughts and they will stop intruding ! i'm trying that too...

[sambo86]

Thanks for your responses guy's that's very helpful. I've heard mindfulness is fab for OCD thoughts I think I shall give that a go.

[sauly1991]

I know exactly how you feel. I can 100 percent agree with the comments here on mindfulness/meditation.. I use Headspace on my iPhone but there are lots of other alternatives. The one great thing I love about meditation and mindfulness is that even if after 10 mins worth I don't feel an immediate effect, I know I have sat there for 10 minutes and stayed in "the moment" and have been present. Which proves that the thoughts are not always there. I highly recommend it, and if you are able to carry on with CBT I highly recommend that.

I've learnt that meds are all well and good, but they are not a magic wand. Ever since I started "taking control" through CBT/mindfulness therapy, I feel I have made more progress than ever!

I'm new to this board, if you are able to private message (not sure if you can), do not hesitate to get in touch :-)