Just got diagnoised and I am a little confused

[Guest Jericko1]

I was just diagnoised with Geralized Anxity Disorder, ADHD (both types), Panic Disorder, OCD and possible Bipolar (she wants to wait longer to see if there is cycleing). I am confused on why I got OCD. I definatly have the obsesive side with out a doubht. It is with sexual fantasies, collecting thing and learning as much aas I can about a topic that intrest me. I quistion the compulsion side because while I will check my alamr clock more than once, it is a result of someone turning it of on me once. I will get a movie in my DVD/ Blu ray collection in my head and I will have to find it (I have 5000 movies so this can take up to an hour at times) but that is vecause someone stold from me once. I obsevvly collect moveis on a lists like the AFI top 100, best picture winner, etc, but is more impulse control. I will litterly spend over $2000.00 on a credit card that I just opened up. I always thought my impulse control was do to ADHD and bi polar. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dancesintherain]

The "just diagnosed" world is one of the worst. Though the second episode of a depression is really crappy too--becuase it shows you it's a life-long issue, rather than a single episode.

That said, I'm afraid I'm not familiar w/ OCD. What you describe sounds OCD-like to my non-psychologist brain, but it might not hurt to post something in the forum specifically related to it to see if you get a better reply.

[Catnapper]

Welcome to the boards, I think you'll find a lot of good information here. There are "pinned" topics at the beginning of all the different forums that have some basic info to start with.

I hope you are seeing a good psychiatrist (pdoc) since they're the most qualified to diagnose (dx) any type of mental illness (MI). My regular doctor knows I go to a pdoc and is happy that I do since he has said he doesn't know enough about the various MI treatments to provide the care I need, and therefore isn't comfortable prescribing the multiple meds that you will notice many people here use.

I know it's easy to get hung up on the dx, or to self-dx, but the main thing is to get your symptoms under control so you feel good again. My dx was changed a year and a half ago from MDD recurrent (major depressive disorder) to BP II (bipolar II) even though I've never been hypomanic. But since I've had several depressive episodes, the pdoc said there is clearly a cycle going on so added a mood stabilizer to my meds. It's working great, so I don't really care if I have MDD recurrent or BP II, as long as I feel normal again.

It's really tempting to self-dx, but it's also really hard because you can't be objective about yourself. Also, it's not necessary to have all the symptoms of a MI to have that MI, as in my own case where I have never experienced mania or hypomania but have been dx'ed with BP II due to recurrent atypical episodes of depression.

Having said that, it's also to good to talk to your pdoc about the doubts you have with your dx. Your pdoc can explain how they reached your dx based on the symptoms you have. It's not unusual for your dx to change over time as your pdoc gets to know and understand you better, and also based on your response to meds.

Welcome and good luck to you.

[Catnapper]

P.S. Why don't you go ahead and register, you'll find you get more and better responses to your posts if you do. We don't bite!

[olga]

Hi,Jeriko! Catnapper is right---if you become a member you will be a part of our community and the other members will be more likely to respond to your questions.

Do some reading in the various forums and I bet it will answer some of your questions.

Please contact one of the mods if you don't understand something or have an issue.

olga

[gizmo]

Well, we have an OCD board that lists the six different kinds of OCDers on the main page. So you don't have to be a "typical" OCDer to have the condition. Introduce yourself to the board, and they will have a great deal of knowledge and information to pass along to you.

If it makes you feel any better, many people with biploar (myself included) go into neurotic OCD-like behavior when in a mania. I personally go into frenzies searching for hours for pieces of paper (rent slips, warranties, receipts for things I have bought, boxes for things I'm gonna sell on Craigslist) and I will spend 15 hours a day and tear apart my house looking for it and get nothing in return. My other favorite OCD-like task while manic seems to be cleaning tiny (like 2 foot by two foot) areas of my 15 X 20 kitchen tile cabinets for hours to no noticeable difference. Meanwhile, I I have scrubbed the painted area behind my stovetop a million times with a millions products and nothing removes grease. You think I would apply my energy to painting that area or something... nope. It's useless energy being spent.

[crazylinda66]

I have heard that people with Aspbergers syndrome get obsessive over things and need to learn everything about it. That is a form of autism. Many people probably have never been properly diagnoses with that. I am not saying you have it though. I have had bouts with OCD. My latest thing is making sure my bladder is empty before I go to bed. I might have overactive bladder, but sometimes even if I just went I have to get up again and squeeze out a few drops and can do that several times before I can relax enough to get to sleep. I used to be light switch and outlet crazy after my son was born. Also door locks too. I have gone through several relationships that I can see where I obsessed over the guy and drove him away and then went into a deep depression before I set my eyes on another fellow to chase around. Lately my obsession is with horses and getting to work with them. I have been tossed from one place because I made them "uneasy" even though I can't see what I did wrong. Another place told me that I tried to come across as having more experience than I did and took too long to groom 4 horses. I had good cries over that. I have had bouts of anxiety and depression through out my life and have recently been tentatively diagnosed with bi-polar and have been put on Lamotrigine and Lexapro. A low dose and it has only been a week and really hasn't seemed to help much.