Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.

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Obsessed.

MorningSadness00
MorningSadness00
I'm terrified i am having a stroke. I am only 22 years old. The reasons why i am terrified of having is a stroke is because, I have numbness on the left side of my face, my tongue feels numb, my jaw feels numb on both sides, and it hurts, and both of my hands feel numb and my fingers on both hands.. and im freaking out about this.
It's been going on for a little over 3 days.

My bottom jaw feels really weak, i feel like when i talk i am not talking right and when i sing or anything like that i can really feel the weakness in my jaw. I am also getting random twitches and numbness everywhere that are freaking me out.

My therapist told me that if i can put my arms up in the air with no problems, if i can smile, and if i can stick out my tongue i am not having a stroke, and i can do all those things perfectly fine. But i am still terrified i am having a stroke. I keep doing those things to test myself to just to make sure i can do them, and its driving me nuts.

I went to the ER a few weeks ago because i was afraid of having a stroke, I was seeing flashing lights and couldn't form words rights, and they wouldn't do a CT scan on me because i had one done in May of this year for the same thing and nothing was wrong with my brain.

I'm loosing my mind. Am i going to have a stroke and die? I am so terrified. I can not sleep because i am so scared..I really hope i am not having a stroke. I hope there is nothing wrong with me. I am so scared right now.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hey there, I know how you feel. I used to stay up all night for several nights in a row absolutely convinced I had a brain aneurysm that was going to burst at any moment. The symptoms you are describing sound like they could be anxiety related. I have done tons of online research(and of course that does not qualify me to make a medical diagnosis) and all the things you are describing can be a result of anxiety chemicals releasing in your body. Please, take your therapist and your doctor's advice. You most likely are not having a stroke. If you were, there would be serious brain damage or death by now. If you had the same symptoms before and the brain scan showed now problem, you have to believe that. You are only 22 and that is way too young to have a stroke. I am 23 and I have had the same fears. Please take a deep breath and try to think positive thoughts and reason with yourself that it is highly unlikely that it is anything other than your anxiety working against you. Go for a jog, watch a funny movie, talk with a friend or go shopping. Taking your mind of of your worries will really help. Much love, and peace to you! :)
miller23
miller23
yea its defently anxiety man numbness tingling etc. i had a simliar obsession. it just your brain.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hey!! I know exactly how you are feeling!! I use to have bad anxeity and thought I was gonna have a heart attack at any moment!! I was always scared about having a heart attack!! I stayed up alot at nights having fear and being obsessed about my heart!! I even went to the emergency room cause it was real!! But it wasn't though!! Its all in your head!! Your not gonna have a stroke!! Its just anxiety!! Ask God to help you!! He helped me soo much!! And now I am not scared at all about that anymore!! Just know that its anxiety and it can't hurt you!! I hope this helps!! Much Love, Lacey!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
First off, you have OCD. All the time spent thinking about having a stroke is obsessing. As you obsess, you create anxiety and panic. Panic and anxieety confer physical symptoms which can be very confusing. Numbness is one of those symptoms. So, right from the get go, you can dismiss these physical sensations as anxiety or panic. Do you want to become a full-blown hypochondriac? I've been there and done that. The only thing that helped was exposure therapy. An example of a type of exposure therapy you could do yourself is to pretend you're truly having a stroke. Do this throughout the day and make it your play acting a little silly and exaggerated.

Have you been on medication for your OCD? Are you seeing a therapist who specializes in the treatment of OCD?
deleted_user
deleted_user
a lot of times, people with severe anxiety can suffer symptoms that very closely resemble a stroke or heart attack. usually the chest pain, or the numbness. a lot of people also have slurred speech and delayed ability to control your limbs.

it is scary. i use to rush to the er thinking i was dying of a heart attack. it was always just a panic or anxiety attack.

hang in there.
mybeach
mybeach
Could be a type of migraine- I have them and they have all the same signs of a stroke. You can have migraines without the actual headache although I get the massive headache.