Has anyone else been significantly harmed by meds?

I feel like I'm the only one on here to actually experience significant harm due to meds I took 3 months ago. Its weird because it kind of erased most of my emotional range so my OCD is in remission like 95% of the time but its honestly miserable feeling completely neutral all the time. I go to support groups occasionally but I feel like if I bring this up I'm going through I'll just be scaring everyone else about their meds which isn't my goal. Its severely debilitating and the emotional issues are only one side of it, wish someone on here could help me navigate how to go about this situation and hopefully provide insight on what the this sort of process looks like and what to do cause I'm kind of at a loss for ideas, I've been trying behavior activation and ERP and the most it does is just keep me from doing nothing, since I have no motivation but it doesn't really create or foster motivation when I'm not even capable of feeling motivated.

Nica

Date posted: 3d

Medication doesn’t work on me or the side effects are so bad, I got off the medication. So, no, you aren’t the only one. Are you still seeing an OCD specialist? Weekly? Possibly twice a week for a bit depending on how bad your OCD is. You also need to do a bunch of life style changes on or off medication that must be keep up for the rest of your life.

Anonymous

Date posted: 3d

Yeah I still see an OCD therapist regularly but honestly ever since discontinuing medication some of these side effects have worsened. I exercise regularly, eat healthy, work, school, engage in hobbies, spend time with my partner and family. I do everything I normally do through discipline but I feel very little to almost nothing most of the time while doing so. I'm not even depressed its just complete neutrality, music sounds like sound most of the time, I dont get angry at things that would usually bother me, I don't get sad easily. I've been a musician all my life and could always feel music even during deep depression but on meds and coming off it's just sound. I have short term memory issues and vision issues now too.

Nica

Date posted: 3d

Over the years, I’ve collected a bunch of things that I’ve been taught by my therapist and other OCD professionals that have worked for me regarding lifestyle changes. We want as many tools in our tool belt to help us on the journey to recovery, and to stay recovered. Remember that some things might work and other won’t work, so you have to try it out and see how it goes: -Drink more water/stay hydrated, -Cut back and eventually all compulsions, -Minimum 7 hours of sleep per night, -Get on a daily and nightly routine (as in you have a schedule and you go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time unless you’re sick or on holiday), -Cut back on sugar and carbs and focus more on protein, healthy fats, and veggies, -Go outside for at least 30 minutes a day, -Exercise every day or every other day. This includes weight lifting, cardio, and stretching, -Pick up a hobby or two (or more!) that can be done with others and by yourself, -Check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube for free yoga content, -Check out either the Calm app or Insight Timer app for meditations (20 minutes per day as the end goal but start with 5 minutes and work your way up. It WILL take time), -Practice mindfulness all day, every day. And this is a life long process, -Seek out therapy (also for life), -Medication if it works for you, -Look into grounding techniques for when things get hard, -Spend more time with loved ones (it does not have to be blood related if you have abusive family members).

Love1another<3

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 3d

I’ve seen a lot of people, especially on other sites like Reddit, describe how medication has negatively affected them. So you’re 100% not alone. Feeling emotionally numb is a common symptoms. Medication has helped a lot of people but not everyone so I personally think it’s extremely important for people to know that medication comes with risks. It’s always safer to know both the pros and the cons of anything in life - before you go into it. So I hope one day you will feel more comfortable sharing your medication experience with people so they know what they’re getting into. You making this post is an amazing starting point :) I also highly suggest talking to your psychiatrist about whether or not you can wean yourself off of medication

Anonymous

Date posted: 3d

Unfortunately I've been off of them for 3 months already with no improvements. I was kind of pushed to take meds and told that there were no long term risks. My psychiatrist was really unhelpful and gaslit my symptoms after I stopped. I now just see my GP but there isn't really anything I can do. Had I been warned I could lose my identity and personality I never would have tried meds in the first place. Everyone made me feel like I couldn't treat my OCD without meds.

Love1another<3

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 3d

@Anonymous Oh that’s awful to experience I’m so sorry to hear :( It is definitely hurtful to be gaslighted especially from a trusted professional. And many people have recovered from Ocd without medication. I pray that things get better for you, my friend ❤️

Anonymous

Date posted: 3d

@Love1another<3 Thank you, praying it improves too. Its just difficult when the professionals who are supposed to help caused the problem then can't fix it.

Love1another<3

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 3d

@Anonymous 100%! I’ve experienced that exact same issue. It’s crazy how relatable that statement is to me. It’s a lonely feeling when it happens but there’s a lot of people like us

Anonymous

Date posted: 16w

ROCD policies suck

I am struggling to live life and do my ERPs. I am taking medication and doing ERP still along with therapy (had 10+ years of PTSD therapy). I don't have anything to look forward to. I've accomplished a lot in life but they don't matter to me anymore. There's little to no reward or there's stimuli of feeling or being treated badly even if I did good. Coping skills have become maladaptive. My values have changed and there is nothing I really want but my ex for the past years. ROCD is making my body react as if I am unable to be happy without my ex. He helped me through hard times and heal from trauma, but he was his own mess of trauma that I could not heal (he needs a real therapist and to go consistently). Yet when I was with him ROCD (didn't know about it at the time) kept telling me to leave from his unreasonable actions. Hard time sitting in limbo as I'm unable to decide and hard to keep doing nothing without something to look forward in life. I feel self abandonment whether I go back to him or stay away. I want to be able to live with myself even if I'll never end up with anyone. I hate not doing something of self care or feeling anything but apathy or worse every day despite doing things anyways. I worked hard to get safe only to have no joy in life anymore.

ocdnomore1

Date posted: 10w

How abou you?

I suffer since 10 - 15 yrs from specific fears. It was years that my OCD constantly wanted to be checked if I have HIV or not. I had a lot of sex and I thought this is normal. But I ruminated in my backhead about and was testing like 5 - 10 times a year. After the test I felt everytime so relieved. In Corona I was addicted to porn and even I lost control and was watching pretty hard stuff. I was chatting with a girl and we fantasized about really disturbing things. I never wanna meet her and for me was sure it's just kinda onlinestuff. I was in a relationship 3 years now. And I lost fear of HIV. But then came Morality OCD, Real Event (this chat) and after some times POCD. This combination was knocking me out, I felt like the badest person on earth. I did everything wrong and searched for relief and reassurance. It put me to the point of suicidal. I never ever hurting somebody, but my brain was making me a monster. I had to quit the relationship because I just couldn't give her what she deserved. I was in a clinic for 3 months. And we tested medication with ERP (before I took escitalopram for years). Anafranil was working first, then too many side-effects. I tried even without meds, but was so depressed. Now on sertralin for 5 weeks, but only 2 weeks on therapeutic dose 200mg. And wow, now I really feel so confused in the brain. I feel like how big my OCD became. The specific thoughts are not anymore, BUT it sticks on EVERYTHING atm. It's delusional how it feels in the brain. I really hope so deep my brain makes finally a reset and I need to wait it out. I could live with OCD for a long time but the last 1-2 yrs it took absolutely everything. I remark that POCD doesn't stick anymore like before but my brain is now constructing a very bad future because of past mistakes (that I all discussed with family, friends for relief over and over and over again). So it's like my OCD is now Real Event (The sexchat) again. Anyone was on the same point in life?

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 8w

Just looking for someone to relate to :)

I recently got diagnosed with OCD back in May of this year. What started it was a month prior, I took an SSRI which triggered an extremely intense couple of days due to panic attacks I’ve never had before. I’ve never had panic attacks but pretty intense anxiety. That’s when I started experiencing DPDR and hyper awareness. I’m good some days, but other days it’s so so hard. Especially because I have no one around me that understands. The DPDR and awareness of every feeling, thought, and just overall awareness of my existence gets really overwhelming. I feel like I’m losing my mind. It’s really hard to sit with my thoughts especially when they’re on a constant loop of every little thing I’m thinking and doing and on top of that feeling like I’m in a dream. I desperately just want to go back to how I was 4 months ago, but I know that’s just not possible right now. If anyone has experienced this and is doing much better now or even currently experiencing this please let me know! I need someone to relate to lol

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Has anyone else been significantly harmed by meds?

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