Sean’s OCD Recovery Story

Hi my name is Sean and I overcame OCD and Generalised Anxiety Disorder

“I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOUSE, EVEN MY ROOM, TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS LIKE MY OWN PRISON”

Hello, my name is Sean, and I’m from Warwickshire. I suffered from anxiety for about a year at the age of 26; the anxiety prevented me from doing so much. I was trapped inside my house, and even my room, to the point where it was like my own prison.
 
The anxiety really controlled my life; I stopped seeing friends, I couldn’t go out for meals or even something as simple like going for a walk. My anxiety symptoms mainly consisted of OCD, and that later led onto generalised anxiety disorder.

I would wash my hands relentlessly, anywhere between 10-20 times in-between doing absolutely anything. I would also have to wipe everything down with anti-bacterial wipes before touching anything.

Every day became so complicated for me because of this and I really didn’t enjoy doing it. This definitely wasn’t how I wanted to live my life.

It affected my family so much, seeing me in that condition was very hard for them, especially because they felt as if they couldn’t do anything to help me. They just had to watch as I suffered. I was later diagnosed with depression around 2 years ago, and was put on anti-depressants, which made me feel terrible. I ended up having almost all of the side effects, and yet they still didn’t help with my anxiety.

I was then referred by my GP to go to talking therapy, which at the time felt like it helped me a little. Therefore, I decided to go for another session and that made me feel so much worse than I did before going. Having to talk about how I felt just brought all the negative thoughts to my mind and that really didn’t help how I felt.

“I WAS WASHING MY HANDS LESS AND WOULD TOUCH OBJECTS AND NOT FEEL THE NEED TO WASH MY HANDS STRAIGHT AFTER”

After everything I had tried, I was finally recommended The Linden Method by a family member, who found it while searching online for help. At the time, I was just so desperate for an answer to my anxiety, as everything beforehand had failed and made me worse. I needed this to work; I honestly couldn’t carry on with it. My hands were raw from constantly washing, I couldn’t bring myself to leave my room, and this had to finally be the answer.

“I started going out for meals again, seeing friends; I was able to do activities that I hadn’t done in years”

I started with the Home Learning Programme, which I found just from looking over it, I began to feel better. At the time, because of where I was with my anxiety, I really struggled to implement The Linden Method properly. Even so, with only applying around half of it I saw an improvement. This lead me to do more research, whilst on the website, I came across the four day Retreat which I decided was the best way forward for me. I attended The Anxiety Recovery Retreat about a month ago now and it really has changed my life.

I had many emotions going into the retreat, I was excited at the prospect of getting better, but also anxious and scared about if it might not work, I was a skeptical but also hopeful. During the time at the retreat, I was shown how to fully implement the method and I felt great even while I was there over the four days, I was washing my hands less and would touch objects and not feel the need to wash my hands straight after.

When I came back home, I was able to start truly implementing The Linden Method, and I’ve kept improving every single day since I left the Retreat.

I started going out for meals again, seeing friends; I was able to do activities which I hadn’t done in years. I would never have imagined myself doing these things just few a months ago.

I have been bowling, and I even started archery. These are things that I really wouldn’t have been able to do with my OCD, I would be constantly worrying about germs but now, because of TLM these things don’t even cross my mind and I’m free to enjoy my life.

I am planning on going to Alton towers for my girlfriend’s birthday, I have never liked rollercoaster’s much, so I am looking forward to challenging that fear, rather than dismissing immediately I can now look forward to it with appropriate levels of fear. I also plan to travel in the future, something, which I have never down much of because of my anxiety.

I have become an Ambassador because of how successful The Method has been for me, and how it has affected me personally.

I wanted to be part of something that I believe in, and know it works!

I want to help get it out there for other people who are currently suffering, it does work, and you can get better. So please just do it, whether it is the Home Learning Programme or The Retreat, it will give you your life back.

Hi, my name is Beth, I am director of Linden Tree Education.

You will receive unlimited, qualified support from amazing Recovery Specialists when you start the courses.

If you wish to receive guidance or support, please contact the support team through the TLM  Members Portal

If you wish to book a course, please contact beth@thelindencentre.org Beth is director of Linden Recovery and course director of the Anxiety Recovery Retreat programmes.

Beth Linden. Director.
Linden Tree Edu.