Re: More stuff now that you have made me feel comfortable


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Posted by John 16's Mom on May 8, 2002:
In Reply to: More stuff now that you have made me feel comfortable posted by Ken on May 7, 2002:
Dear Ken,

You may have already read this part of the brainphysics homepage, but here is the link anyway:

http://brainphysics.com/ocd/ocdchristian.html

This site explains in detail what obsessions(thoughts)and compulsions(urges) are, shows common symptoms of OCD, gives real life stories similar to your own, and provides much more good information.

It doesn't matter what the thoughts are when you have OCD. The disorder of OCD affects the fear center of your brain. The anxiety caused by OCD can be about any subject matter of the most alarming degree. Anything that you've ever heard of, read of, been grossed out by, is what OCD can choose to throw at you and make you upset. So you see, the subject matter is not really important. Of course, it is important to you in that it is making you very anxious. What I am trying to say is that OCD can choose any type of subject that makes you fearful. I noticed that you have a combination of many fears. That is common in OCD. Some OCDers have just one subject of fear. Others change from one fear to another over the course of time.

A compulsion is an urge to do something to relieve the high anxiety that is being caused by the obsessive thought. A compulsion will give you temporary, short-lived relief. Then the fear will come back again, sometimes even stronger than before. The key to conquering OCD is to let the thoughts flow, do not give in to the fear with a compulsion, and then the anxiety will fade. It is very helpful to have all this explained to you by a qualified OCD therapist. He/she can assist you in learning how to treat the OCD by facing the fear head-on with a "so what" attitude. I read your response to Ryan about the insurance problems and not wanting to talk to someone about all this. Believe me, if they are an OCD therapist, they have heard EVERYTHING before. No matter how bad or extreme the thoughts are, the treatment will always be the same. Do not worry at all about opening up to the therapist. They will understand.

Until you make the decision to seek professional help, I would recommend purchasing a couple of good books by OCD doctors. Two which come to my mind are "Getting Control" by Lee Baer Phd. and "Tormenting Thoughts and Secret Rituals" by Ian Osborn MD, who also happens to have OCD himself. You can order both of these books on Amazon.com if you wish to purchase them in the privacy of your home.

Medication was a lifesaver for my son. He was in such a state of panic when he first had OCD. We were lucky to get treatment quickly, or he would not have even been able to function in school or any other aspect of his life. If you feel that anxious, I would recommend going to an OCD psychiatrist, even if you have to pay for it yourself. He/she can prescribe one of many SSRI medications which are used in the treatment of OCD anxiety. They are very effective and safe, with usually not too many side effects. I was real worried about someone "finding out" that we were using a psychiatrist. That was such a taboo a long time ago. But now, I find out that so many people go to one. Once you get through that first visit, all the anxiety about going to a doctor and telling all your fears will just fade away. Hopefully, you will get someone who will set you at ease. Make sure that you only go to a doctor who is experienced in the treatment of OCD. Just remember, your brain is part of your body. It can get sick just like your stomach, heart, or liver. If it needs care, it is just as important, if not more important, to do what needs to be done in order to make it better. Good luck in your decision. We are here for you.

John 16's Mom



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