Therapists confuse me

[blakeage]

I was diagnosed with OCD in 1995 with homosexual doubt. Eventually, as I got older, I realized (and through therapy and medication), that it really didn't matter. Of course, it wasn't that easy when I was consumed with the obsession.

The problem is, now, whenever I tell a therapist that I had this doubt, and tell them I have OCD, they say, "It's quite common for a person to have these kind of doubts at that age", as if to say, everybody has that, it's not OCD?? So I'm left wondering, do I have an illness? Do my therapists not agree on my diagnosis?

When OCD is defined, it's defined as not being preoccupied with real life issues. To quote wikipedia:
"The thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems."

But the compulsive hand-washer is pre-occupied with the real-life concern of getting germs. I don't get it?

I was preoccupied with a real-life concern - that I was gay. Then, it morphed, and it was "do I really want to be with my girlfriend?". Now it's "I hate my job, and I'm never getting out of here". So, is the hate my job an obsession, or a preoccupation with real life? And, if so, did I have OCD all along?

 

[de-vin]

My pychiatrist would ask "whats wrong" I would tell him then he'd nod his head as if to say "yea i've heard this before, its just fine so don't worry"
But as you said, when ur obsessed with it it isn't ok, its fuhking terrible...

 

[AvinaKo]

"But the compulsive hand-washer is pre-occupied with the real-life concern of getting germs. I don't get it?"

Ahahahaah. I laugh out of irony; that pretty much sums up what I am.

I think that the therapist is just trying to get you to be not-so-worried about your worries.

How often do you think of your job? More than ten-twenty times a day?

 

[blakeage]

Yea, at least...some days probably 100s ...

 

[AvinaKo]

Then, it is kind of an obsession. Eh... It's kind of hard to judge if it is or not-- because it's something so many people think about.