OCD, ADD, Fatigue
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Hello.
I know that there's threads dedicated to these specific problems already but I decided I'd come over to this forum and inquire more since I figured there'd be users who could potentially give me more specific advice from their own experiences.
Anyways, since my early teen years I've had issues with OCD and fatigue. I don't want to get too personal just yet but it arose from around the time I was made to adopt a generally eremitic lifestyle; such changes appeared to have made my already present nervous tendencies go into overdrive and it allowed for the development of new maladaptive features, such as my aforementioned fatigue. These difficulties have only gotten worse over time with the OCD for instance taking on a life of it's own from more harmless superstition and strange ritualistic behaviors to slowing me down significantly throughout life with the constant cycle of uncertainty and anxiety it creates. As to the ADD, that is something I've always had to deal with.
So what would you recommend for someone like me? Personally this seems to check out: https://area1255.blogspot.com/2018/04/ocd-matter-of-low-activation-syndrome.html
Unfortunately for the suggestions in the link above it has come to my knowledge that the Adderall given out now is essentially just a sugar pill so it may not be the best use of my time to actively seek out a prescription for it. Not necessarily Peaty either but I'm aware of Amphetamine analogs which tend to be outright illegal or in a legal grey area, another roadblock. An old friend of mine recommended combining caffeine with a certain set of supplements to create a similar effect to these substances but I forget the supplements he listed unfortunately. I'm aware of one user here recommending Kanna for OCD but stimulants appear to be the best way of killing two (or rather three) birds with one stone.
Other than that there's of course the equation of diet. I see Keto usually recommended for mental illnesses/disorders and fatigue so I'm curious what users with similar ailments have used to their success from a more Peatarian angle.
Thank you for any advice in advance and if I haven't been specific enough then please inform me.
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@Shemesh Welcome to the forum. Do you want to go on a date sometime? I have OCD problems, runs in the family.
The supplement combination may have been PEA (phenylethylamine, not palmitidyletholimide) plus selegiline (MAOI, drug). Some compare it to cocaine. For me it didn't have any effect. Some say it can dangerously increase blood pressure. Potentially can increase intracranial pressure and caused damage to the user who reported this concern. You can read about it on Reddit and RPF.
Selegiline on its own can damage dopamanergic tone similar to cocaine at very low doses and high doses and isn't safe longterm in my opinion because of that.
100+ supplements and drugs over the years and nothing has touched my OCD. Even had a miraculous cure of chronic anxiety and depression for a few days due to niacin supp. but my OCD was remained unaffected...
I have a family member who got good results from a therapist who specialized in OCD.
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@Shemesh said in OCD, ADD, Fatigue:
Thank you for any advice in advance
No advice, but well trying to understand. For other readers:
OCD = Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
ADD = Attention Deficit Disorder, outdated term for ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553162
Sorry not being able to help. I was just trying to understand what OCD disorder referred to and what it implicates, what the “science” says. That being said, I have no perspective to “offer” …
Perhaps one reader will be able to witness how he manages or one knowledge manages to adapt …Excerpt
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder affecting 1% to 3% of the global population, characterized by intrusive thoughts, known as obsessions, and repetitive actions, or compulsions. These symptoms affect patients not only by consuming a significant portion of their time but also by causing marked distress and functional impairment.
Obsessions refer to intrusive and repetitive thoughts, urges, or mental images that are challenging to control. These thoughts often lack a clear purpose and are accompanied by distress.[3] Compulsions involve repetitive actions or mental events that individuals with OCD feel compelled to perform to alleviate the distress caused by the obsessions or to prevent a feared consequence from occurring.[3] Additionally, individuals with OCD may also engage in avoidance behaviors of obsession-triggering situations.[2]
A striking 90% of individuals with OCD meet the criteria for at least one additional psychiatric disorder, with anxiety disorders, mood disorders, impulse-control disorders … -
@Shemesh Hi.
I, too, have fatigue, and had (too early to declare victory?) OCD. I'm not sure which one came first. Both got worse over time. The only two supplements that helped me with OCD are kanna and passionflower. Kanna also helps with fatigue; passionflower didn't.
I found passionflower before I found kanna. You can read about my experience with passionflower here:
There's a small study which suggests that passionflower can also help with ADHD.
It seems like you've seen my thread about kanna and OCD. But just in case you didn't see this specific post from the thread, here's a link:
Kanna might also act as a monoamine releasing agent.
And it seems to help some people with ADHD, but apparently not everyone.
Kanna and passionflower were very helpful for OCD. And I mean very helpful. But even so, they didn't eliminate it completely.
What seemed to finally free me from OCD was a realization that occurred to me while I was reflecting on my situation at that time. Since then, I haven't done any rituals/compulsions that would have previously been triggered in those situations.
Or at least I didn't do any of them with conscious choice. I've done some out of habit, when not fully aware. But, with an effort to stay aware and focused, I've been able to decrease that too.
I don't feel like I have OCD anymore.
I don't think these kinds of realizations can be forced, but it's possible to change oneself in such a way to allow for more spontaneous insights to emerge. For more information, see this post and follow the links within it:
@NoeticJuice said in On creative thinking and childlike imagination and play:
practicing being aware of my entire visual field . . . started by practicing it every time I walked in the nearby forest . . . 2 or 3 times a day, 15-30 minutes at a time.
The practice described above might seem very simple, and it is, but it had a significant positive effect on my mental wellbeing. It also made the world look better.
The realization I mentioned earlier was possible because I already knew what direction I want my life to follow--a direction that I wouldn't give up for anything.
If you don't know yet what you truly want in life, I recommend you observe yourself and find out.
I hope this helps, and I wish you all the best.
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Prolactin can be a key driver of fatigue. If it's elevated. it's indicative of hypothyroidism.
Thyroid is worth experimenting with, along with making sure you are eating properly. Danny's article is essential reading if you are going to try thyroid, I think.
https://dannyroddy.substack.com/p/demystifying-thyroid-supplementationAt the risk of throwing too many things at you, pregnenolone, progesterone with or without DHEA and maybe something to lower prolactin like Lisuride might also be something to consider.
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A clue, as part of the imbalance in neurotransmitters:
Excess glutamate and deficiency in Thiamine (+ excess lactate)OCD and glutamine
Glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, has been linked to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Research suggests that imbalances in glutamate levels, particularly elevated levels in certain brain regions, may play a role in the development and expression of OCD symptoms.
GABA imbalance
Glutamate's effects are often considered in relation to GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), an inhibitory neurotransmitter. In OCD, there's often an imbalance, with elevated glutamate and reduced GABA, which may contribute to the dysregulation of neural circuits involved in OCD.
Brain regions
The ACC and SMA are involved in decision-making, habit formation, and the balance between conscious goals and automatic behaviors. Dysregulation in these areas, potentially due to glutamate imbalances, may contribute to the compulsive behaviors seen in OCD.
ACC = anterior cingulate cortex
SMA = supplementary motor area
Source: Cortical glutamate and GABA are related to compulsive behaviour in individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder and healthy controls.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38695-zHow to modulate glutamatergic stimuli
In OCD, glutamatergic signaling is thought to be dysregulated, and several pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches are being explored to modulate this system. These include glutamate-modulating medications like memantine, ketamine, and riluzole, as well as therapies like N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and deep brain stimulation.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC): A cysteine donor and precursor for glutathione, it can modulate glutamate levels through its interaction with the glial cystine-glutamate antiporter and has shown potential in alleviating OCD symptoms.
Source: DOI: 10.1007/s00213-005-0246-6Thiamine
How to modulate glutamatergic stimuli in ocd disorder with HD thiamine
When eating carbs, we often lack 50 % B1 needs to assimilate sugar. While thiamine itself isn't a glutamate modulator in the same way as drugs like riluzole or memantine, it plays a role in glutamate regulation, especially in the context of thiamine deficiency.- The lower parts of the brain responsible for coordinating the autonomic nervous system are very sensitive to thiamine deficiency.
- Thiamine deficiency can lead to autonomic nervous system dysfunction, abnormal vagal tone, and reduced acetylcholine synthesis.
Thiamine's Role
Thiamine deficiency can impair glutamate uptake in the prefrontal cortex. Studies using animal models of thiamine deficiency have shown impaired spatial memory, which can be linked to glutamate dysfunction.
Indirect Modulation
While not a direct glutamate modulator like the drugs mentioned above, thiamine plays a crucial role in neuronal function and can indirectly influence glutamate activity.
Thiamine, especially in the context of deficiency, could be considered as part of a broader strategy to modulate glutamate in OCD, potentially alongside other glutamate-modulating medications or therapies.
Figure: Thiamine deficiency and lactate
Note: While there's no direct causal link established between excess lactate and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), some studies suggest a potential connection between lactate metabolism and anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, which shares some overlapping features with OCD.
Sources:
https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1781(91)90020-P
https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.13.1.2
=> Mechanisms of the exaggerated lactic acid response in panic disorder include a disturbance of mechanisms regulating intracellular pH and factors increasing intracellular cyclic AMP.
Useful info on thiamine:
https://mirzoune-ciboulette.forumactif.org/t2015-vaut-le-detour-it-s-worth-the-detour#29416
Excerpt (In French, translator needed): - The lower parts of the brain responsible for coordinating the autonomic nervous system are very sensitive to thiamine deficiency.
- Thiamine deficiency can lead to autonomic nervous system dysfunction, abnormal vagal tone, and reduced acetylcholine synthesis.
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) is a monoamine releasing agent, rather than only a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor