Hi not waving, my cousin had absolute classic O.C.D. you know, 12
showers a day, no one to go in the house, had to have bin bags moved
if they were any where in the street, oh she was bad, in fact in the
80's she was actually committed to an institution, that was when the
world didn't really know about O.C.D. She know works as a ward nurse
cleaning up old peoples sick and putting in their teeth. Can you
believe that!!!!!!!!
I was different, the main problems were contamination but of a
different kind - fatal deseases - but not your average desease -
stuff like aids, C.J.D. absolute parania over other peoples blood or
at it's worse, touching people, door handles even talking to someone
who was within a couple of feet or so. I havn't recovered totally and
the thought of someone elses blood near me still sends a shiver down
my spine, but right now thats all it is.
My C.B.T. was very structures and very good, it started with 2 -
3weeks of learning about how anxiety effects you, fight or flight
e.t.c. All the time been given small hand outs to keep. Then a
program was developed where I had to hold the therapists pen and not
instantly wash and when I did wash, only 3 times, rather than 6 or 7.
Home work was to do the same. Then it was eat a sandwich that he had
passed to me, then holding bloody beef and wait 5 mins before
washing, then holding it for 20 mins and so on. At the beginning we
did a difficulty pyramid with holding the pen at the bottom and
eating beef at the top. It was all structured and each test lasted 3
weeks or so. While doing the test I had to monitor and note my
anxiety level each minute or so. At the end of each month we would
look at the graphs and see how the anxiety had dropped as I got more
used to the test. The last 4 visits or so involved talking and
writing down emergency responses for each big issue and along with
the leaflets I was given I made my anti-relapse folder. I have used
it perhaps 4-5 times in the last 9 months or so. It wasn't easy and
the last few visits were dis heartening because I didn't think I'd
gone far enough so I was actually quite depressed when we finnished,
but my word, I'd still be going round in the same circles, wasting my
life and close to edge if I hadn't have gone.
Tell me about your program and if you want I'll perhaps scan a few of
my leaflets and e-mail them to you.
All the best pal. Lee.
--- In
theobsessivelycleanden@..., "notwavingbutdrowning2003
<willow_494@h...>" <willow_494@h...> wrote:
> Hi Leesome,
>
> I am relatively new here - in fact only posted a couple of times.
It
> sounds as if you've done brilliantly with your CBT - well done.
It's
> really good that you feel normal life is in your grasp - not only
> for you (which obviously is the main thing) but it's also so
> encouraging to those of us who still have a long way to go.
>
> If I may ask, what sort of OCD do you and your cousin suffer from?
> Was your CBT really structured? I ask because the therapist I have
> been seeing for some time has said we've done some CBT but it
hasn't
> been a particularly structured,graded approach and I'm feeling
> somewhat despondent.
>
> Anyway, I'm so pleased for you and your cousin
> not waving
>
>
>
>
> --- In theobsessivelycleanden@..., leeesome
> <no_reply@y...> wrote:
> > O.K. for those who are newish, I recently, well 2 years or so ago
> was
> > diagnosed but I had suffered severe O.C.D. for around 12 years or
> so.
> > I did a course os C.B.T. and finnished a little early if you ask
> me.
> > Any way the latest is, I am still relatively O.K. I reckon I have
> an
> > O.C.D. triger at least 3 to 4 times each and every day and each
> time
> > I use my C.B.T. and tell my self it's only O.C.D. and it doesn't
> > mater and so far so good. Trouble is I'm getting that good at it
> that
> > I am applying it to non O.C.D. things and am becoming so relaxed
> > people think I am asleep. It is inherant in my familly and both
me
> > and my cousin have had the worst end of it. We are both now
> coping, I
> > used her as a role model as she was unbelievably bad.
> > I will always be O.C.D. but now I know that and I am armed
against
> it
> > I feel that a normal lide is within my grasp.
> > SORRY FOR BEING AWAY FOR SO LONG AND GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.
> > Lee.