OCD Under Cover

[Guest guest]

I don't know how many of you remember me but I'm Beth, mom to Kate who is 9

years old and struggling with mild OCD. She's been doing extremely well since

spring. Occasional flare-ups but, oh, my. Just when I think OCD has left us

alone I find out that it's only gone " under cover. " Ugh!

Kate just came into my office with her " OCD face " on -- she gets this scared, on

the verge of tears expression that just tears me apart inside. She explained

that she sometimes makes promises to herself. Her example was, " I promised

myself that if I don't say this one tongue-twister correctly then I will make

myself cry in school. <pause, deep breath> But Mom! I don't WANT to make that

promise! I don't think I could even MAKE myself cry at school! "

I told her that this was OCD (which she denied). I explained that OCD wants her

to make these crazy promises and, since it's an " OCD promise " she doesn't have

to keep it. " But, Mom! That is sinning! God wants us to keep our promises! "

We were able to break the thought this time with a ridiculously logical one . .

.. " If OCD makes you promise to say the tongue-twister correctly or else you have

to stick your head in the toilet would you do it!? " That made her laugh and

realize how ridiculous it is.

But it just breaks my heart that OCD is so active in her thought processes --

she doesn't have the physical rituals too much anymore (some, certainly) but the

" thought OCD " is still alive and well.

So, I'm back for a bit of support. Sorry I keep disappearing but her OCD was so

controlled I was enjoying it being " just a little annoyance " and reading every

post made OCD too " big " or " real " . I know that's silly but that's how it felt

to me so I had to take a break. Hopefully I can be active again for a bit and

offer hope to others who struggle with this insidious condition!

Beth

[Guest guest]

Hi, Beth. I absolutely, remember you and Kate. I'm sorry things are

flaring up a bit again. It's the nature of it though, I suppose, the

waxing and waning. But, also ever changing, so it comes up with new

things that can confuse.

Boy. . I know that face you are talking about. Josh gets a look, and

I just know. He's usually pale too. Nobody notices, but me. And

when you see it, you feel like you've been sucker punched. <:o/

I love that you used humor and she laughed. It's good if they can

recognize it for the OCD, and if they can laugh at how absurd it can

be, I think it helps them to cope with it. Anyway, that has been the

case for our son.

It's good to see you, but sorry for the circumstances that brought you

back in.

BJ

>

> I don't know how many of you remember me but I'm Beth, mom to Kate

who is 9 years old and struggling with mild OCD. She's been doing

extremely well since spring. Occasional flare-ups but, oh, my. Just

when I think OCD has left us alone I find out that it's only gone

" under cover. " Ugh!

>

> Kate just came into my office with her " OCD face " on -- she gets

this scared, on the verge of tears expression that just tears me apart

inside. She explained that she sometimes makes promises to herself.

Her example was, " I promised myself that if I don't say this one

tongue-twister correctly then I will make myself cry in school.

<pause, deep breath> But Mom! I don't WANT to make that promise! I

don't think I could even MAKE myself cry at school! "

>

> I told her that this was OCD (which she denied). I explained that

OCD wants her to make these crazy promises and, since it's an " OCD

promise " she doesn't have to keep it. " But, Mom! That is sinning!

God wants us to keep our promises! " We were able to break the thought

this time with a ridiculously logical one . . . " If OCD makes you

promise to say the tongue-twister correctly or else you have to stick

your head in the toilet would you do it!? " That made her laugh and

realize how ridiculous it is.

>

> But it just breaks my heart that OCD is so active in her thought

processes -- she doesn't have the physical rituals too much anymore

(some, certainly) but the " thought OCD " is still alive and well.

>

> So, I'm back for a bit of support. Sorry I keep disappearing but

her OCD was so controlled I was enjoying it being " just a little

annoyance " and reading every post made OCD too " big " or " real " . I

know that's silly but that's how it felt to me so I had to take a

break. Hopefully I can be active again for a bit and offer hope to

others who struggle with this insidious condition!

>

> Beth

>

>