Re: show on children with OCD

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Your letter was articulate and really gets the point across....as least from

my perspective as the mother of a child with OCD who has been through exactly

what you wrote about. I only hope the people who receive it at the Oprah

Show open their minds to what you said.

Take care and good luck.

Noelle in NY

[Guest guest]

, I cried when I read this letter ,it was so well said.I'm so thankful

for you, and the others like ,Kathy.who can put in words what's in my

heart.l.Thank you, Love Beth in IN.

show on children with OCD

> From: " W. Birkhan " <wb4@...>

>

> Dear Ms.Olson,

>

> I have just the child you are looking for! Tom has severe OCD and MDD

> (major depressive disorder) He has become increasingly aggressive as

> adolescents has moved in - to the point where he beats us?

> Do you really think that your audience should be subjected to witnessing

> this kind of abuse?? Do you think it would be percieved as revictimising

the

> victim?

>

> Tom hates being out of control. He begs the doctors to help him control

> his ocd symptoms, but, being 16 he has no vote and therefore the gov't

does

> not prioritise him for services. The local children's hospital will not

> treat him except with medication. Would you want to be doped because a

> bureaucrat wont provide you with therapy?

> Lets be more realistic, wouldn't this make a more honest show for you to

> consider.

>

> Obsessive-compulsive disorder has nothing to do with violence. Its

> impulse control that is the issue. The person with untreated OCD will do

> anything in order to achieve their compulsions. Every ocd'er that I know

> will say the same thing - their anger is connected to their inability to

> control their ocd. Its frustration. Once they have learned to control

their

> anger, controlling their ocd compliments this action. Tom has completed

an

> anger management program and has been prescribed different medications

which

> still make him sleepy, but help him to concentrate. Finally after 1 year,

he

> is being treated by a trained psychologist in cognitive behavioral

therapy,

> using the exposure and response prevention method.

>

> This story has another part:

>

> Tom's 2 sisters, 14 and 10, also have OCD and MDD. Can you imagine what

> goes on here?? The kids can set each other off, can be suicidal at the

same

> time, can be having meltdowns day and night. Well, Guess what? This is

not

> the case anymore. You see as a social worker I accessed the system and

> learned what it would take to provide my children with the best care. I

> believe I did this by participating in the Behavioral Institutes

" Cognitive

> Behavioural Therapy for OCD using the Exposure and Response Prevention

> Method " . We constantly do exposure therapy. The kids know that first they

> will feel excessive anxiety, but they are in control and can 'boss back'

> their OCD!

>

> An example is when tom believed there could be a mouse in his boot. He

> asked me to check it for him. I cant do that, it would be enabling. He

asked

> his father what to do. Dad suggested he shake it upside down. Tom was

> definitely nervous at this point, sweating, eyes wide, but he tried that -

> of course nothing fell out. A year ago, he would have thrown his boot at

> this point, preferably at one of us. But instead, Tom broke into a

> mischievous smile - roared and rammed his foot into the boot. Have you any

> idea how much courage it took to do that??

>

> This is the kind of show people should see. They should understand that

> these kids can become incapacitated with fear - not rage. This is a

> neurobiological disorder, and by equating it with anger, your show could

be

> quite destructive to other parents/guardians with children who are raging,

> not to mention having any ocd symptoms. It would be a much more productive

> show to demonstrate how to conduct ERP and let the kids show you how well

> they do!

>

> I sincerely hope that you will reconsider the format of your intended

show.

> I would believe that ratings are important, but that honesty is also

crucial

> to a successful show.

>

> If you are interested in more information on the Exposure and Response

> Prevention Method of Treatment, please contact me. It would be my pleasure

> to assist you.

>

> wendy birkhan,

> youth and family counsellor, monitor: list,

> advocate, mom and wife.

> ______________________________________________________

> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

>

>

> ---------------------------