Re: question about cleaning obsession

[Guest guest]

Is that the only SSRI he has tried, Sil? Sounds like he is 4 months

into it, and IF he's been taking it regularly (which seems it's hard

to know, since he is not letting you know), I'm wondering if it is

starting to really get into his system, and he is not tolerating it well.

Yet, I remember a therapist telling me once the men/boys often express

depression in the form of anger. That was true with my husband, but

not our son. So, if he is depressed and not taking the meds that

could be part of the problem too.

The cleaning stuff sure sounds like OCD at work. . . Unreasonable,

irrational, but rigid demands about how it has to be.

The sleeping a lot can also a sign of depression. But, it could also

be him trying to escape the OCD.

Our son was on the computer and video games a lot when he was bad,

trying to find something to tune the OCD out.

It's really hard to try to figure out what is going on, since you

don't know if he is taking his meds. That's got to be so frustrating

for you. What Barb shared has been our experience with a teenage son

too. They are shoving you away, yet needing your help and wanting you

near too. Our son was pretty cooperative when he was in bad shape and

needing help, but once he was better, he started exhibiting more

typical teenage behavior. I guess for him that is good, because it's

a sign he is doing well enough to act like the typical teen. Still,

it's that age is a hard time for teens and parents alike.

And our son also went through a phase (before his current therapist

who knows and understands OCD) where he would not talk about this OCD

either. Talking about it brought it to mind, and he was doing his

best to avoid it at all cost.

Sil, is his current therapist using CBT/ERP? Our son wouldn't

cooperate with talk therapy at all, but was totally onboard with

CBT/ERP. He didn't want to talk about feelings, specifically his

feelings, at all. But, when he found there was a plan of attack, he

was okay with that.

I can't remember, you said his doctor thinks he is depressed, but has

he suggested trying anything different?

Hugs to you. <sigh> You are in a rough situation.

BJ

> > > >

> > > > Has any of your kids gone from the washing hands and showering,

> > > keeping

> > > > their room immaculate, squeaky clean, to not showering, not caring

> > > > about how they look(untidy hair, wearing the same sweatshirt not

> > > > allowing you to wash it), keeping their room dirty. etc?

> > > > His psychiatrist thinks my son is depressed, he goes to therapy

> > > > sessions, but refuses to really cooperate. He is on Luvox 150

> > > morning,

> > > > 150 at night. But I'm not sure if he is taking it the way he

> > > should, he

> > > > is 17 and refuses for me to handle that. I was giving him his

> > > everyday

> > > > dosage, but now he has all the bottle of medicine so I can't

> > > keep

> > > > track any more.

> > > >

> > > > Please, any suggestions, thoughts????

> > > > It's like he made a complete switch from white to black.

> > > >

> > > > Sil.

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

It sounds like he has a new set of OCD fears that are causing him to wash up

this way.  

Re: Re: question about cleaning obsession

Hi BJ,

He has been in Luvox since May, but his behavior has changed since mid

September. He turned aggressive, defiant.

We switched doctor because I didn't feel he was doing much for Mitch and

he didn't want to go there anymore. Still with this new therapist he

doesn't want to collaborate either.

Since mid October he switched to no showers, he only cleans himself with

wet paper and fills up 2 jugs of gallons of water to get cleaned with

that. He walks very slow.

Before meds he was very depressed, then he got better. Now his

psychiatrist believes he is depressed again...... I just don't know what

to think or do.

He doesn't seem depressed to me like before, but depression not always

shows the same way right?

Like he doesn't go anywhere, he only sleeps, goes in the internet and

watches TV.

He absolutely refuses to talk about OCD. He knows I'm reading a book

about it and his pediatrician asked him to read it as well but he

refuses to do it.

How can I help him??????????

Sil

svdbyhislove wrote:

>

> Some things y

ou said, Barb, made me think. . . .

>

> Josh went through a phase with his therapy where he was doing exposure

> to contaminate things. He got to a point that he told me he didn't

> care anymore, because at that point, the whole house was so

> contaminated we would have to burn it down and start over, for it to

> feel right again. I'll have to ask him if he still feels that

> strongly about it, because he felt VERY strongly about it then. I

> think he was a bit disgusted, since his OCD was still trying to keep

> track with what was contaminated in the house and what was not, at

> that point. It was like he was " giving it up " , you know. . The OCD's

> rigid demands, and it was hard to let go of, which sort of made him

> have an attitude about it. Maybe it was an adjustment period for him,

> learning to accept what he was working so hard to accomplish.

>

> I can only imagine how hard it is to let go of some of these things

> that they've done for so many years, which feels natural and right to

> them because it is what they are used to.

>

> With your son, Sil, you say he isn't participating in therapy, so I'm

> wondering if he is having some changes due to meds. Has he been on

> the Luvox for very long?

>

> The medication often causes them to become uninhibited to the point

> that they don't care as much, do you think that might be contributing,

> considering what you are

witnessing in his behavior? Or do you think

> maybe he is letting it go (the rigid OCD need to have everything

> perfect) because of the medication working, kind of like our son did

> with the therapy?

>

> Does he seem really depressed to you? OCD often causes depression as

> they endure day after day. Our son got really depressed when his OCD

> was bad. But once the OCD was better under control, his depression

> lifted. Then there is always the concern that the medication can be

> causing the depression. If you think it is depression alone causing

> the problems, was he depressed before meds? Or has it changed in any

> way since adding meds?

>

> Sorry for all the questions. .lol. . Just trying to kind of sort it

> out in my head.

>

> We do the pill box thing here too. It helps us both keep track and

> works great. If he is willing to do that, Sil, that could help you

> have piece of mind.

>

> I know one thing, you add teenage stuff to OCD, and it's adds another

> realm of difficulty to it all.

>

> BJ

>

>

> > >

> > > Has any of your kids gone from the washing hands and showering,

> > keeping

> > > their room immaculate, squeaky clean, to not showering, not caring

> > > about how they look(untidy hair, wearing the same sweatshirt not

> > > allowing you to wash it), keeping their room dirty. etc?

> > > His psychiatrist thinks my son is depressed, he goes to therapy

> > > sessions, but refuses to really cooperate. He is on Luvox 150

> > morning,

> > > 150 at night. But I'm not sure if he is taking it the way he

> > should, he

> > > is 17 and refuses for me to handle that. I was giving him his

> > everyday

> > > dosage, but now he has all the bottle of medicine so I can't

> > keep

> > > track any more.

> > >

> > > Please, any suggestions, thoughts????

> > > It's like he made a complete switch from white to black.

> > >

> > > Sil.

> > >

> >

>

>

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