"Now I'm afraid I'll lose anyone at any time. I have OCD and all my rituals are focused around keeping my mom, sister, husband and current cats safe and alive. I text my mom constantly, and if she doesn't answer for a few hours, I panic. I've started crying and hyperventilating if she didn't send her usual I'm OK morning text by the time she always does; I'm ready to drive to her apartment, prepared to find her body."
"I understand how exhausting starting over in therapy can be. But, from what you've written, it's clear that some form of intervention is needed. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and its symptoms can be treated with psychotherapy, but also with medication and, sometimes, intensive outpatient programs. So, since you're already working with medical providers, talk with them about your other options. You're also navigating an intense amount of grief right now."
Sudden losses of a beloved pet and a parent triggered intense anticipatory grief that now fuels obsessive-compulsive safety rituals focused on preventing family and pets from dying. Repeated reassurance-seeking, constant texting, panic, crying, and hyperventilation impair daily functioning and magnify existing health burdens. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptoms can respond to psychotherapy, medication, and intensive outpatient programs. Grief-specific supports, including local or online groups, provide ways to process emotions and reduce anticipatory anxiety. Coordination with current medical providers can identify feasible treatment options that fit limited time and health constraints and combine grief work with OCD-targeted interventions to restore functioning.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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