Worrying about dry eye making it worse

[dgreen97]

Anybody ever think that their worrying about dry eye is actually making the problem worse (or seem worse than it really is). I have OCD and ADHD so when I get a problem I tend to obsess about it and overworry. I'm wondering if my constant worrying about my eye strain and dry eye is causing it to actually be worse than it really is. What do you think?

[dave25]

I have often wondered this myself. I know that high amounts of stress can be very unhealthy, I'm just not exactly sure what it does to the eyes specifically. I think I have read in the past that people with dry eye have an increased amount of cytokines in their eyes and stress can increase these levels even further. So I really think the best thing to do is to try to reduce stress as much as you can because it will most likely make your entire body healthier, including your eyes.

Definition of cytokine -

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/...ticlekey=11937

[willwork4tears]

Have you tried cognitive behavioral therapy to learn techniques to manage and redirect the obsessive thoughts? I know it can be effective for ADHD and OCD. My undergraduate degree is in psychology and I know that CBT is one of the most effective therapy methods.

Anybody ever think that their worrying about dry eye is actually making the problem worse (or seem worse than it really is). I have OCD and ADHD so when I get a problem I tend to obsess about it and overworry. I'm wondering if my constant worrying about my eye strain and dry eye is causing it to actually be worse than it really is. What do you think?

[Lucy]

I think it does make things worse. I don't know from studying like someone above, but in being on boards such as this for 10 years, we see lots of trends.

The hardest thing to tell someone who is suffering from horribly painful dry eyes to "try to do something to get your mind off it." They'll think you're nuts because they can't do anything but think of their eyes.

One must find something they can manage. When my eyes were the worst, I could usually manage to go to a movie with someone. I'd wear goggles and take my eyedrops and even shut my eyes if I had to. If all I could do was listen, then it still got my mind off my eyes for a couple of hours.

Someone else may be able to shop, go to the beach, have coffee or lunch with someone. You have to try and find your "thing" you can do, even if you don't want to. Being focused on nothing but your eyes is not helpful. Please don't take offense at anything I've said. I've lived it all. Lucy

[Pinky]

Hi dgreen,
Have you considered taking NAC? It is supposed to help blepharitis and I have also read that it is used to treat OCD. I started it recently, and have noticed that I feel a little more relaxed and less worried about my eyes. Also, I think it is helping the eye pain.

Pinky

[fed up kate]

hey

well i can promise that im the same i worry 24 7 about my eyes to the point where its driving me insane,i suffer from panic attacks and had it all under control before i got this problem and now im a wreck,im depressed miserable and irritable with everyone around me cuz i get so frustrated that no one understands how it feels.
i say to my partner wish you could have it just for 1 day to see what i have to deal with.
i know im makin my self worse but its so hard not to worry.

its like if you get a sore arm or leg you just dont use it but you cant not use your eyes or foreget about them so how can you forget about the problem.

your not alone

[GinaJ]

Hi. I have another neuro/pain condition and this. Anyhow I went to a pain program and part was learning to not focus on your pain and condition. Now for me this is hard but a work in progress I guess. First though it did not take away the physical pain I did go back to a psychiatrist and got on mental meds for anxiety and depression. It has helped my outlook and coping. Also I remind myself to stay in the day and get through that day. My pain doc said something to me that I try to remind myself. He said on your good pain days do the most you can and on the bad pain days do the best you can. With both of my conditions I fear making it worse too. I try to just be careful but do more things in life slowly to build up my confidence and that I can do more then I think and not harm myself. Feel better

[msienkiewicz]

At my worst, I too was having panic attacks. I volunteered in my kid's school kitchen for months so I wouldn't have to be alone. I would then rest in the church for an hour before school got out. This went on for months.

Finally, I started seeing a counselor who had a disability herself. She helped immensely. She said the same thing. Enjoy the good days, and make the best of the bad days.

Have a back up plan for the bad days. It helped me to feel more in control of the situation. Sometimes, my husband would take me for a walk, and I would spend hours of the day with my eyes closed listening to TV or a book on tape.

Slowly, I started gaining confidence to deal with this, but it took help for me.

Take it in baby steps, and remember we're here for you,

Melissa

[dgreen97]

I haven't tried CBT for OCD before. That is a solution I should look more into. Right now I'm actually taking a very small dose of celexa to try and combat the worrying and anxiety problems. Since I'm really the only one I know with this problem it's good to talk with others who share similar issues and have some of the same worries that I do.

[nycdryeyegirl]

Hi!

I thinking participating and belonging to a wonderful community like the DEZ forum creates an opportunity to interact with others who have similar dry eye signs and symptoms and hearing how they cope with similar problems, thus possibly reducing the stress and anxiety associated with a oftentimes chronic disorder/condition.

Pam

[GinaJ]

I haven't tried CBT for OCD before. That is a solution I should look more into. Right now I'm actually taking a very small dose of celexa to try and combat the worrying and anxiety problems. Since I'm really the only one I know with this problem it's good to talk with others who share similar issues and have some of the same worries that I do.

Another good therapy is biofeedback. I agree about how others in similar help one feel less alone

[irish eyes]

It's a difficult call yet I'm sure it's a goal we all want to reach. The nature of the discomfort can draw us away from whatever we are focusing on - work, relationships, conversations etc.

Some days, my burning eyes seem to interrupt everything and even the smallest task becomes a struggle. I have a very satisfying job working with students. On occasion, I feel that my world has become too much about `me' and I worry that my ability to relate to others has faded somewhat. It can feel very insular and lonely.

As GinaJ said about her pain doctor's advice; on the good days you do the most you can and on the bad days - just do your best. My students can drive me to distraction - and then it only takes one of them to make me laugh......and I feel 100% better.

[peepers]

I constantly think about my eyes.They're the 1st thing on my mind in the morning & the last thing at night.I wake up every morning hoping that my eyes wont be red.Its taking over my life.I feel i cant look people in the eye when im talking to them because im afraid they'll think 'oh my god look at her eyes'.Its quite depressing

[dgreen97]

its hard to stop thinking about them when they are constantly irritating and feeling like crap. i've tried to put it out of my mind but when you have to use your eyes at work for computers and stuff like that the only other thing to think about is doing your work (which is using your eyes) lol

[Lucy]

Dgreen, you are right about needing to use your eyes at work. I remember once when I was still working, I closed my eyes to hopefully catch a few seconds of relief and the office "B" came up and said very loudly, "we're taking a nap are we?" Needless to say, I could have slapped her. She ad all the others knew of my problems.

I used to have a soft blue gel icepack in the office frig and on break and lunch, I'd go to the ladies room or my car and put this over my eyes. This was the way I made it to the 5 year mark after Lasik. I slept most of the time as soon as I got home from work and weekends.

In my post here, I detailed how I tried to get my mind off my eyes by doing something different. I had to use eyedrops every 20 minutes working those 5 years in a high profile office. One day one of the VP's said "why don't you do that in the ladies room?" Duh, VP and just who will be here to answer the President's phone while I'm in the "john?" I understand it did not look good, but I tried to do it out of the gaze of others.

I still think we need to TRY as best we can to do something. Go bowling, to a movie, visit our Grandma, and there will be times you think "oh, I forgot my eyes a bit, even though they still hurt." Most of us have had to work with the dry, gritty eyes. I was a secretary in the President's office of a college. 90% of my work was computer. I filed for disability at the end of 5 years after a medically necessary eye surgery made my vision worse. Try not to dwell. Lucy