Obsessive thinking and Compulsive behavior are powerful components of my Bipolar Disorder that also contributed heavily to my two addictions. I sought to self medicate my way out of the mental torture they inflicted upon me.
I lived this private hell from ages 6 to 26, when I was introduced to Cognitive Behavioral and Exposure Therapies. These maladaptive ways of thinking and behaving have subsided significantly over the years (I am 53). But they never really “go away.” Eased and mitigated by diligent efforts to think and behave differently? Yes. Cured? No.
JM
Check out this great read:
OCD is not a witty hashtag. And it’s not a cute way to describe the desire to have things just a certain way. It’s a private hell of obsession and compulsion that invades an individual’s mind and life and puts up a fight, overpowering every ounce of reason, willpower and love that comes its way.
INSPIRATION AND EMOTIONAL COURAGE: MENTAL ILLNESS, ADDICTION, AND RECOVERY 