Guest guest Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Congratulations! That is super! (mom w/OCD, 11 yo dd w/OCD, 8 yo dd w/Tourette's and/or OCD?) hoarding...success! I am in shock - in a good way! My daughter, as I've written before, has a pretty bad hoarding problem that goes along with her OCD. Food, junk, clothes tags, rubbish, that she just hasn't been able to get rid of. Her room has been so bad that we haven't been able to open the door, and every time she tries to get to her bed she stands on things and breaks them. So much stuff has been lost of the last few years, and then I have to replace things that we've never seen again (school books, clothes, shoes etc.). We've been struggling with this for a few years now, and in the last 6 months have been talking about how to deal with it. She's read 2 good book (Buried in Treasure & Lesson in letting go), and her psychologist said it might be too early to tackle it at the moment, because she's working on so much other stuff. Well, today my husband and I went out for the afternoon, and when we came home (6-7 hrs later) we could hardly get in the front door because she'd filled 6 huge garbage bags, 3 boxes of recycling and 3 big bags of stuff to give away! We can see her floor, and she is SO HAPPY! (and so are we!). I didn't think she'd ever be able to use her room again, and her psychologist thought it would take a long time - but this just happened suddenly. Something must have just clicked for her. I'm so scared she just won't know how to maintain it - or that she'll suddenly get an anxiety attack about something she's thrown out. It's certainly put her in a pleasant mood for now though! Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Hooray, wow, it does sound like something just clicked for her to be able to do so much at one time! Hopefully the progress will just make other OCD behaviors easier to tackle too, but hoarding is usually one of the harder ones, so congrats to her!! And I'm impressed that she read books about it, my son's never wanted to read much about OCD. > > I am in shock - in a good way! > > My daughter, as I've written before, has a pretty bad hoarding problem that goes along with her OCD. Food, junk, clothes tags, rubbish, that she just hasn't been able to get rid of. > > Her room has been so bad that we haven't been able to open the door, and every time she tries to get to her bed she stands on things and breaks them. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 congratulations! Good for her, and that is great your family has worked together so well to get to this point! Our six year old hoarder is still a long ways away from being at your daughters success, but your email gave us something to look forward to. Best wishes, > I am in shock - in a good way! > > My daughter, as I've written before, has a pretty bad hoarding problem > that goes along with her OCD. Food, junk, clothes tags, rubbish, that she > just hasn't been able to get rid of. > > Her room has been so bad that we haven't been able to open the door, and > every time she tries to get to her bed she stands on things and breaks > them. > > So much stuff has been lost of the last few years, and then I have to > replace things that we've never seen again (school books, clothes, shoes > etc.). > > We've been struggling with this for a few years now, and in the last 6 > months have been talking about how to deal with it. She's read 2 good book > (Buried in Treasure & Lesson in letting go), and her psychologist said it > might be too early to tackle it at the moment, because she's working on so > much other stuff. > > Well, today my husband and I went out for the afternoon, and when we came > home (6-7 hrs later) we could hardly get in the front door because she'd > filled 6 huge garbage bags, 3 boxes of recycling and 3 big bags of stuff > to give away! > > We can see her floor, and she is SO HAPPY! (and so are we!). I didn't > think she'd ever be able to use her room again, and her psychologist > thought it would take a long time - but this just happened suddenly. > Something must have just clicked for her. > > I'm so scared she just won't know how to maintain it - or that she'll > suddenly get an anxiety attack about something she's thrown out. > > It's certainly put her in a pleasant mood for now though! > > Jo > > -- Dr. L. Ware Assistant Professor Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey Boyden Hall, room 406 195 University Ave, Newark, NJ, 07102 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Thanks everyone. And , you just never know - if you'd asked me this morning, I would have said we had a long way to go too! (and we probably still have, but this is a big step forward). Jo > > I am in shock - in a good way! > > My daughter, as I've written before, has a pretty bad hoarding problem that goes along with her OCD. Food, junk, clothes tags, rubbish, that she just hasn't been able to get rid of. > > Her room has been so bad that we haven't been able to open the door, and every time she tries to get to her bed she stands on things and breaks them. > > So much stuff has been lost of the last few years, and then I have to replace things that we've never seen again (school books, clothes, shoes etc.). > > We've been struggling with this for a few years now, and in the last 6 months have been talking about how to deal with it. She's read 2 good book (Buried in Treasure & Lesson in letting go), and her psychologist said it might be too early to tackle it at the moment, because she's working on so much other stuff. > > Well, today my husband and I went out for the afternoon, and when we came home (6-7 hrs later) we could hardly get in the front door because she'd filled 6 huge garbage bags, 3 boxes of recycling and 3 big bags of stuff to give away! > > We can see her floor, and she is SO HAPPY! (and so are we!). I didn't think she'd ever be able to use her room again, and her psychologist thought it would take a long time - but this just happened suddenly. Something must have just clicked for her. > > I'm so scared she just won't know how to maintain it - or that she'll suddenly get an anxiety attack about something she's thrown out. > > It's certainly put her in a pleasant mood for now though! > > Jo > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 That is wonderful news, Jo! I am ecstatic for you. :-) -- Steph > > I am in shock - in a good way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Congratulations to her & to you all! How exciting and wonderful. Try not to worry about the future & just enjoy this accomplishment. (I tend to worry too). Hope she continues to improve. Dot > > I am in shock - in a good way! > > My daughter, as I've written before, has a pretty bad hoarding problem that goes along with her OCD. Food, junk, clothes tags, rubbish, that she just hasn't been able to get rid of. > > Her room has been so bad that we haven't been able to open the door, and every time she tries to get to her bed she stands on things and breaks them. > > So much stuff has been lost of the last few years, and then I have to replace things that we've never seen again (school books, clothes, shoes etc.). > > We've been struggling with this for a few years now, and in the last 6 months have been talking about how to deal with it. She's read 2 good book (Buried in Treasure & Lesson in letting go), and her psychologist said it might be too early to tackle it at the moment, because she's working on so much other stuff. > > Well, today my husband and I went out for the afternoon, and when we came home (6-7 hrs later) we could hardly get in the front door because she'd filled 6 huge garbage bags, 3 boxes of recycling and 3 big bags of stuff to give away! > > We can see her floor, and she is SO HAPPY! (and so are we!). I didn't think she'd ever be able to use her room again, and her psychologist thought it would take a long time - but this just happened suddenly. Something must have just clicked for her. > > I'm so scared she just won't know how to maintain it - or that she'll suddenly get an anxiety attack about something she's thrown out. > > It's certainly put her in a pleasant mood for now though! > > Jo > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Congratulations to your daughter. What a big step for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 That is great! Our son, also hoarder, has days where he says he feels like he can get rid of things, so he will clean stuff up a bit while he feels he can. The problem is, later he sometimes laments having rid himself of them. He still feels regret over things he sold, gave away, or threw away, years ago. I hope that doesn't happen for your daughter. On the other hand, like most things with OCD, you have to practice them and acclimate to the feelings, so even if she feels regret later, it is exactly what she needs to acclimate to. I'm so impressed she read a book about OCD. Our son has no interest in doing that. When I asked him why, he said it made him feel anxious to read about it. So, good for her!!! ) BJ > > I am in shock - in a good way! > > My daughter, as I've written before, has a pretty bad hoarding problem that goes along with her OCD. Food, junk, clothes tags, rubbish, that she just hasn't been able to get rid of. > > Her room has been so bad that we haven't been able to open the door, and every time she tries to get to her bed she stands on things and breaks them. > > So much stuff has been lost of the last few years, and then I have to replace things that we've never seen again (school books, clothes, shoes etc.). > > We've been struggling with this for a few years now, and in the last 6 months have been talking about how to deal with it. She's read 2 good book (Buried in Treasure & Lesson in letting go), and her psychologist said it might be too early to tackle it at the moment, because she's working on so much other stuff. > > Well, today my husband and I went out for the afternoon, and when we came home (6-7 hrs later) we could hardly get in the front door because she'd filled 6 huge garbage bags, 3 boxes of recycling and 3 big bags of stuff to give away! > > We can see her floor, and she is SO HAPPY! (and so are we!). I didn't think she'd ever be able to use her room again, and her psychologist thought it would take a long time - but this just happened suddenly. Something must have just clicked for her. > > I'm so scared she just won't know how to maintain it - or that she'll suddenly get an anxiety attack about something she's thrown out. > > It's certainly put her in a pleasant mood for now though! > > Jo > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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