[21F] Experiencing chronic emotional and dissociative symptoms

What might be happening

Based on the information you've provided, it seems like you may be experiencing the following:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): This is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and thoughts of death or suicide. The symptoms you've described, such as apathy, sadness, and emotional numbness, are common in MDD.

  • Treatment typically involves psychotherapy (talk therapy), medications such as antidepressants, or a combination of both.

• Anxiety Disorder: You've mentioned having OCD and experiencing severe anxiety due to intrusive thoughts. Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations.

  • Treatment typically involves psychotherapy, medications, or both.

• Dissociative Disorders: These involve problems with memory, identity, emotion, perception, behavior and sense of self. Dissociative symptoms can potentially be a part of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event.

  • Treatment for dissociative disorders often involves psychotherapy and sometimes medication.

Please note that these are potential explanations based on the symptoms you've described, and a healthcare professional would need to evaluate you to make a definitive diagnosis.

What you can do

1. Seek help from a mental health professional: It's important to reach out to a healthcare provider who can provide a thorough evaluation and appropriate treatment. This could be a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a licensed mental health counselor.

2. Reach out to trusted individuals in your life: Let them know what you're going through so they can provide support.

3. If you're feeling suicidal, it's really important to reach out to professionals immediately. In the U.S., you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

What you should look out for

If your symptoms worsen or if you start to have thoughts of harming yourself or others, it's important to seek help immediately. You can go to the nearest emergency room or call a local emergency number. In the U.S., this is 911.

Remember, it's important to reach out to a healthcare provider for a definitive diagnosis and treatment. This information is intended to be educational and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.