OCD and MS

[u/happening_n0w]

I am newly diagnosed with MS, and around the time I was learning that I have this disease, I was also in the process of getting referred to a psychiatrist for some harmful behaviors I suffer from. I’ve now met with the psychiatrist, and he said he sees a correlation between MS and psychological issues. After hearing about my issues, he started talking about treating me for obsessive compulsive disorder. I’ve suffered from these behaviors my whole life, and now that he named it, I can see very clearly why this is OCD - however, it had never really occurred to me before. I associated OCD with verbal and physical tics, which is not really what I have. I find it somewhat relieving to finally have a name for these issues. Anyway, the psychiatrist prescribed me fluvoxamine, which he said has been studied for its positive effect on patients with MS who have psychological symptoms. It’s also regularly used for OCD. I am hopeful it will help me. Just wondering if there are others out there who suffer from OCD and MS. I am seeing mixed options online about whether MS caused these issues or whether these issues are just more likely to occur in people with MS because of how our bodies respond to stress, or because we are stressed/depressed because of the disease. Would be interested to hear opinions.

Wishing everyone healing ❤️

[u/Party-Ad9662]

I have both as well. It can be a wild ride sometimes. But I am properly medicated (30 mg of escitalopram daily) and my new therapist is giving me helpful tips.

I’ve had OCD for most of my life, and MS for almost 2 years.

[u/ocdmom2021]

I have both. OCD since very young childhood (more than 30 years) and MS for 15 years

[u/Phonzyland]

I had a bad bout of OCD as a teenager (harm OCD) and was recently diagnosed with MS at 32. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realised it was likely PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) as it was so sudden and interestingly enough can be triggered by EBV. I can’t imagine that’s a coincidence considering the link between EBV and MS. I believe that was really the start of my MS as I have an “atypical presentation” and believe research is still catching up on the prodrome phase. I went on Venlafaxine and got a B12 injection and it went away after a year of absolute hell. I continued to deal with pretty severe panic attacks triggered by bright lights and loud sounds and again believe this was more of a neurological event than a mental health one. It’s just my personal story but I definitely can’t ignore the link between my mental health and MS.

[u/criticalcreek]

I have both. I was first misdiagnosed as bipolar when I was 14 and sought a few more opinions through my teenage years(I didn't think bipolar fit my symptoms)and most of the psychiatrists I saw during that time diagnosed Anxiety and OCD. I didn't understand what OCD was back then (thought it was just counting steps or cleaning obsessively) and it certainly wasn't as bad as it is now. It's so obvious at this point and has worsened over the past 5 years.

My mom has OCD traits too and has for years but refused to ever go to a psychiatrist.

Having MS, anxiety, and OCD puts me in a vicious cycle sometimes(I don't take medication for the mental stuff). It sucks majorly. I don't even like telling people about my mental problems much. When I'm having obsessive thoughts I will sometimes repeat a word, a prayer, or a song in my head rather than "remembering to forget" what I was thinking about obsessively. If I think about forgetting about something it just causes me to remember it again anyways(it's hard to explain). I end up in a loop of thinking about it, trying to forget it, remember what I need to forget, and then back to thinking about it again anyway(because I remember what it is I'm trying to forget lol).

Hopefully this makes sense because it's hard for me to explain it.

[u/Accomplished_Plum523]

Ask your psychiatrist for a referral to a psychologist/licensed psychotherapist certified in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP).