Re: New to the group as well, need support..- Jeanette.

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeanette. Welcome fellow Canadian! I am from Ottawa Ontario.

This is a great group, lots of ideas, info and support.

You sound like you are in a really tough place with things. It is so

hard to know what to do or say sometimes. Often just letting them

know you are there for them is the best you can do.

Until there are some specific strategies in place to tackle the ocd.

It may be better not to suggest your daughter stop her hair grooming

since she feels she cannot, it might make her feel you don't

understand(just my thoughts, I'm not the parent). But there really is

no talking or persuading them out of rituals. I find trying to stay

calm and just being sympathetic and understanding the best approach

for our son, 16yrs. I can sometimes talk him " down " when he is in a

state. Distration is about the best thing that can be done to get

away from the ocd stuff, whatever might accomplish this.

Do you have any books yet? Are you familiar with the website

ocdontario.org? It is a good site for finding resources.

I can relate to the " walking on egg shells " feeling. It is really

tough to know what to do, what to say, what not to say. Often it

doesn't really matter what you say or do it's going to be wrong!!!

Mostly perception (theirs) I feel. Teenage brain, ocd brain....

Parents know nothing. Difficult when most kids generally aren't

inclined to share.... Personally I think we parents are saints and

should be rewarded for our long suffering.

Big Hug to you. Hang in there! Also feel free to connect off-line if

you want.

Barb

>

> Hi there,

> I'm from London, Ontario..

> I have a step-son who is 22 (Max) who was diagnosed at 18 (he held

> it in)with OCD..it was insane his obsessions, and we finally

> convinced him to go on meds..he did and made a huge

> difference..trouble is, he skips meds, won't go repeat them, off of

> them for a month, goes back on..it's hard to tell him, he's 22..and

> you have to walk on egg shells, so sensitive.

> I also have a beautiful 13 year old daughter, (Stevie) who was just

> diagnosed with mild OCD, picked up on things that were familiar

from

> Max. Not on meds. Going to start group therapy..

> Problem..when to say things and when not to. With Stevie, she's

> going through puberty, is it that or is it OCD? So sensitive, both

> of them are hard to ask to do anything, they lose it fast, I cry

> alot, because I want to do the right thing, and I know I'm not.

> Stevie obsesses with her hair, straightening it, but keeps on and

> on, and I say that's enough, it's not, she won't stop for 1/2 hour,

> to me this is OCD, I tell her to stop, she freaks and almost

> crys..or showers, longer and longer.

>

> thanks for listening..please help.

> thanks

> Jeanette

> jay.arts@...

>