Guest guest Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Even though I am on medication and have had many trials of intensive behavior therapy (although not in many years now), I still have to fight my OCD all the time. I think it really is a chronic condition that can't be totally eliminated.  Gosh, I tried to completely eliminate it for years and years!  I sought out every top OCD specialist in the northeast and I even once flew to London to get the latest med (Paxil) that was thought might work on OCD when it wasn't yet available here in the states.  At some point, I came to terms with the fact that for now, OCD is always going to be something I will have to deal with.  I wish it were otherwise and I am very frustrated at the lack of progress in medical treatment for OCD, but for now I think it is just the fact of life.  What helps me is that I have found that I can enjoy life very much despite my OCD.  I take medication for it (Anafranil), do my best not to give into it, and when I have to, I work around it. Ask the doctors Hello, Our son, 17, two and a half years with OCD, now in recovery, is wondering if he can completely eliminate the OCD. He is feeling discouraged by the thought that OCD is a chronic cond ition and wants to totally get rid of it and if he can't he doesn't want to keep trying, feels what's the point, suspect the OCD may target this idea. He was very severe and has made massive strides and doing very well really. I have reminded him that if he does not continue to fight it, it will take over his life again, so the alternative is not a good one, and he does know this. Probably more a maturity thing coming to an acceptance on this, and understandable I think. Anyway, what I am wondering is to what degree the thoughts will continue if a person continues to ignore them and not engage or do anything to feed them. I think knowing percentage of time they might continue in a day when he reaches a point of recovery might be something specific that would help to know. Our son has no rituals only thoughts and says he finds ignoring them works best, but sometimes he just can't and then struggles to figure out what to do to counteract them. Again, he has come very far with all of this, but is working on his own and not sure how to handle some thoughts. Any ideas on this appreciated. Lastly, our son was fine in the summer, virtually no thoughts, come fall and moving into winter just seemed to increase, but he is still managing them. We have bipolar disorder in our family, I am on the spectrum myself, and while this is not diagnosed with our son I=2 0wonder about this as a contributing factor, specific to the seasonal change and lack of light and effect on brain chemistry. This is my experience personally and watching our son it seems the same for him with the OCD. Any thoughts on this relationship? Thank you very much for any ideas. Warm regards, Barb Nesrallah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Barb: We're at a similar point with our daughter, who just turned 20. She's coming home from next week after three months there. A BIG part of her OCD has been normative adolescent immaturity: simply wanting things to be right and not wanting to have to deal with any issues or problems or anything that makes her different. Growing up, for her, will mean accepting that she has quirky thoughts and behaviors and learning to cope with that as part of her personality, as opposed to pretending it's not there or " it's all okay now. " This is true for ANYbody. Some people are handed a nice, easy-going personality and temperament and other people are gloomy, while other people can't function before 9 in the morning, while other folks need lots of order in their personal and work lives. A big part of growing up is to simply find out who you are and adapt your lifestyle to that. I've got a touch of OCD and a streak of depression. 20 years ago we were living in California's Central Valley, and I was so wearied by the long, hot, dry and cloudless summers couple with the drizzly and foggy winters that I decided I needed to get back to my New York State climate roots, and that I wanted to live in four seasons. I remember very clearly thinking: " If I'm going to be depressed I might as well live in a place where I'm happier with the climate. " I was coping with who I was and fundamentally made my life more positive. > > Hello, > > Our son, 17, two and a half years with OCD, now in recovery, is > wondering if he can completely eliminate the OCD. He is feeling > discouraged by the thought that OCD is a chronic condition and wants to > totally get rid of it and if he can't he doesn't want to keep trying, > feels what's the point, suspect the OCD may target this idea. ........ > > Thank you very much for any ideas. > > Warm regards, > Barb Nesrallah > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Hi , I hope things go well with your daughter's return, I'm sure she has learned skills and done some growing up, which as you say is a big part of it with these ages. All the best on this. I have been having some good conversations with my son(ok,maybe a bit one-way..) about just what you speak about below, you are given what you are given and you learn how to deal with it, and what you need to do for yourself to be happy and contributing. Think he's starting to get the concept that you really do make/create your own life, moving forward with the concept is another thing, still young yet. Afraid he was born to a mother who philosophises(word?) on all this a lot, poor kid. Hoping I have, like you, modelled this concept. By the way as a northerner (Canadian), I am living in the four seasons, our winter gets pretty hard to take, I often fantasize about moving south to more sunshine, or even to our westcoast where the winters are mild, but then there's the rain and grey like California. My husband has a family business and does not share my sentiments, so alas I will be staying here... I do love the change of seasons, just wish winter could fastforward sometimes. I agree with you on knowing who you are, and do what you can to be happier, a lot is just up to you. Thanks for your reply . Barb > > > > Hello, > > > > Our son, 17, two and a half years with OCD, now in recovery, is > > wondering if he can completely eliminate the OCD. He is feeling > > discouraged by the thought that OCD is a chronic condition and wants to > > totally get rid of it and if he can't he doesn't want to keep trying, > > feels what's the point, suspect the OCD may target this idea. ........ > > > > Thank you very much for any ideas. > > > > Warm regards, > > Barb Nesrallah > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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