Menopause and OCD
To all the women out there, sorry men but don't think this would apply to you. Is anyone having issues with menopause and a worsening of their OCD. I believe I am periomenopause, and am having a really hard time with my OCD. I wake up in the middle of the night with night sweats and then the anxiety starts kicking in and my OCD is out of control. Anyone who has been there or could offer me some insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Krisse, I believe that when you enter peri-menopause that it intensifies things that you already have a slight problem with. My anxiety hit the roof when I entered this stage. I started having fears I never had before. I now realize that I have had anxiety most of my life but never knew what it was until recently. But when my hormones became unbalanced due to peri my anxiety skyrocketed. Meds make me worse so I have turned to supplements, herbs and vitamins. They have helped me alot. Just keep thinking positive and know that it is just a faze that our bodies are going thru. It will get better.
Yes, menopause will definitely create more anxiety and even some depression. You are safe through all this and there is help. Everyone handles it differently and I, too, have chosen not to use the drugs. I tried them for awhile. I will say that the Atenolol calmed my heart down. ( I experienced rapid heart rate in the middle of the night.) But I have chosen to handle it with the breath work now and an understanding that it will not hurt me and I'm doing very well with that. I don't do HRT per se but have added 100 mg of progesterone daily (taken at bedtime).
Obessive thinking can also be handled well by using your thought stoppage, calm breath work and taking your attention to something outside your head. If it's the middle of the night when you are awakened and having obsessive thinking, start to hum softly, put in a relaxation tape and play it quietly. Sometimes I hold a rubber ball and focus on that ball in my hand and also you can focus on your breath flowing in and out.
Obessive thinking can also be handled well by using your thought stoppage, calm breath work and taking your attention to something outside your head. If it's the middle of the night when you are awakened and having obsessive thinking, start to hum softly, put in a relaxation tape and play it quietly. Sometimes I hold a rubber ball and focus on that ball in my hand and also you can focus on your breath flowing in and out.
"Life is not about comfort. It is about living." Dr. Howard Liebgold