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OCD
Hello all, I’ve come with info about medications. First off, do not settle for a med provider who is not a psychiatrist, you NEED a psychiatrist. So one thing is if you have not taken or tried Prozac (fluoxetine), you probably should it’s the first line SSRI for OCD. Some family docs or whatever you are using if it’s not a psychiatrist might give you sertraline first because it’s a safe option. That is the wrong drug to try first, Prozac should be the first thing to try (it is first line). I had an NP prescribe me sertraline and never even thought to try Prozac. I kept asking to see a psychiatrist until they finally fit me in, and my meds were completely fucked up. My meds are now getting fixed by this psychiatrist and I feel WAY better. This is why I keep saying to get a psychiatrist, I think it’s super important for us for recovery. Here’s me saying it again: meds for OCD are complicated, you don’t just have anxiety, you have OCD, get a psychiatrist and don’t stop pestering them until you get one. SSRIs has a side effect that is super common. The one I want to tell you about is usually misunderstood. People usually say it kills your libido and you’ll have no sex drive. SSRIs don’t kill your libido, they make it hard to finish. Another thing that is important to know about SSRIs that might not be communicated well is that it takes roughly 1-2 months for the medication to build up and start working. This fucking sucks, but you can do it I fully believe in you, whoever you are. This is some stuff I’ve learned that I wanted to pass on. Again meds are complicated and meds might take some trial and error not everyone is the same, get a psychiatrist. There is hope I mean it, please please please don’t lose hope.
I’m going to list some tips, if other people want to add feel free. 1. Get a diagnosis from a professional 2. Make sure your med provider is a psychiatrist this is extremely important as NPs are using their union to force through strange legislation. 3. Take your meds, they will help. And if they don’t, tell your psychiatrist there are always options. 4. Make sure your therapist of choice knows how to actually treat OCD. The current gold standard is ERP. 5. Know you aren’t unique, there are themes because everyone always falls under one or more of those umbrellas. 6. Know you will get better and stay hopeful. Thanks my spiel for the first post in the community. Stay safe guys and I’m rooting for you.