Digest Number 942

[Guest guest]

Greta;

I think that's a wonderful approach! That way your child can gradually

expose herself to higher levels of interaction, but still feel that there's

a safety net there if she needs it. It probably also gives her a sense of

control while dealing with a condition which threatens your ability to have

control. That's great!

-

-----------------------------------------

<snip>

For events which don't involve kids which she would be required to

entertain, we find that inviting family and friends to our home allows her

to participate as much or as little as she wants based on how she is feeling

that day. She definitely enjoys her aunts, uncles and our adult friends

since she has so few friends of her own. But she appreciates being able to

" bow out " to her room when her " time limit " is up.

Finally, we never accept an invitation or extend one that involves other

kids unless we check with her to be sure she is " up " for it. If not, either

my husband or I will attend alone. Hopefully, this will not always be the

case, but for now with the depression/OCD still very out of control, these

solutions work for us.

To sum it up, we are trying to give her control, as you said , to pick

her own " battles " . We are well aware that this is tremendously difficult

for her to deal with day in and day out.

Greta in Oregon

[Guest guest]

I crack my knuckles, wrists (creeping carpal-tunnel problems from being a

programmer), knees and toes all the time, but with me it's more a matter of

feeling " balanced " sensations in the body. The cracking itself isn't a

compulsion, but now that I think of it the sensations which accompany it are

part of that weird OCD-body-balance thing. I'm glad the original poster

brought this up - it hadn't dawned on me that this might be a part of my

OCD. Hmmmm...

-

------------------------

Message: 14

Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 12:22:31 -0500

From: " Irland Shields " <kishields@...>

Subject: RE: Digest Number 940

Wow - I never thought of 's knuckle cracking as part of the OCD. I bet

you're right, though.

-karen-

[Guest guest]

I would REALLY love to see something like this done for OCD! I wonder if

anyone is doing that type of research - time to go digging around Internet

for info again, I guess!

-

<snip>

I saw a really graphic demonstration of this at a lecture I attended.

The speaker showed PET scans of a " normal " brain during reading, and

that of a dyslexic brain during reading. Not only was the dyslexic

brain using an entirely different area to perform the task, but it was

2-3 times brighter (indicating higher blood flow and glucose

uptake)than in the area used for reading in the normal brain. I'm

sure we would see this same phenomenon in OCD brains.

Jule

[Guest guest]

Gail;

I agree with Kathy. The school is in the wrong, you are in the right.

Period. No ifs, ands, or buts. No matter what happens (staying with this

school or switching to another), you've already helped pave the way for the

next parent who has to deal with this idiocy.

-

---------------------

HI Gail:

Thanks for the wonderful update. YOu are right to feel angry and I am sure

you will use that energy to work with the school to implement the necessary

accommodations. Oral testing would have allowed them to find out the

information about learning and might have saved the extensive testing.

Isn't it amazing how OCD can mess up the school experience for our kids.

If you hang in with the present school if is agreeable you can take

the learning for them one step further into actual implementation and so

the next child with OCD will be treated effectively. Good luck, take care,

aloha, Kathy (h)

kathyh@...

[Guest guest]

Kathy;

Thanks for the kind words!

>He seemed to understand it from the get-go and would

>ask me to take him to Borders for distraction so he could avoid the worst

>of his OCD symptoms.

I used to work in the children's department at a local Borders, and can

testify to it's effectiveness for distraction. When you're running a

book-reading/character-appearance/craft-activity session for 100 screaming

little ones, the OCD gets drowned out quite effectively *GGG*.

-

[Guest guest]

Kathy;

Believe it or not, nobody ever knew about it. After reading your email, I

talked to my mother this weekend and asked her if she knew I had washed my

hands with household chemicals. She was very surprised to find out that I

had done that - she had no idea. She and my father knew that I washed my

hands too much (they could tell from just looking at them), but I think they

thought it was some mild form of hypochondria (remember that this was in the

70's and early 80's, before OCD was widely known).

I still keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol around, but very rarely use it.

When I do, it's generally for reasons that non-OCD people would, but it

gives me some comfort knowing it's around " just in case. " I abandoned the

Lysol and Comet soon after I started medication (back in my mid-20's).

I was very, very good at hiding the worst of my OCD rituals. I used to sit

around and think up excuses that I could give if I was ever caught doing

certain rituals. I learned to keep my hands hidden as much as possible, and

to find reasons to wash my hands when the compulsions hit ( " Oops...look, I

got chocolate on my hands...better wash them, right? " ).

My father worked at a state school for the mentally retarded during my

childhood, so I was very familiar with the realities of

institutionalization. I was afraid that I would be locked up by the

" authorities " if anyone ever knew the extent of my rituals. I was never

afraid that my parents would do that; rather, I was afraid that they might

seek professional help for me, and that person would have me locked up

against my parents' wishes. I had encountered some of the psychiatrists and

psychologists out at the state school, and generalized their incompetence to

include the whole psych field (I was just a child at the time and didn't

know better).

I was also very afraid of upsetting or disappointing my parents. I didn't

fear THEM, but I hated ever disappointing or worrying them, because I loved

them so much and respected their opinions. They wouldn't have been

disappointed in me, of course, but I was just a child and was afraid of my

world and family changing if my secret ever came out.

I can remember sitting in my room at one point as a child and realizing that

there was something in this world (the OCD) that my parents could never

protect me from. I think that that's one of the worst feelings I've had in

my entire life. After that, I worked even harder to hide the rituals. I

felt safe and loved with my family, and didn't want my own " craziness " to

disturb that world any more than it absolutely had to.

-

------------------

From: " Kathy " <klr@...>

<snip>

:-) Kathy R. in Indiana

p.s. your description of your childhood washing ritual was hard to read,

what on earth did others around you think of this? You couldn't have

possibly kept this private.

[Guest guest]

: I believe the keynote speaker at the last OC

Foundation conference spoke about some of his research

using PET scans. Maybe their wesite would still have

some info around on this subject.

--- <English@...> wrote:

> I would REALLY love to see something like this done

> for OCD! I wonder if

> anyone is doing that type of research - time to go

> digging around Internet

> for info again, I guess!

>

> -

>

> <snip>

>

> I saw a really graphic demonstration of this at a

> lecture I attended.

> The speaker showed PET scans of a " normal " brain

> during reading, and

> that of a dyslexic brain during reading. Not only

> was the dyslexic

> brain using an entirely different area to perform

> the task, but it was

> 2-3 times brighter (indicating higher blood flow and

> glucose

> uptake)than in the area used for reading in the

> normal brain. I'm

> sure we would see this same phenomenon in OCD

> brains.

>

> Jule

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

:

Thanks so much for your feedback! Since my daughter is slow to

discuss her OCD with us, when we try to accommodate without feeding

the OCD, we never know whether we're helping or not. It means so

much to me that you take the time to share your " insiders " knowledge

with us who can only attempt to understand what it must be like.

Greta in Oregon

> Greta;

>

> I think that's a wonderful approach! That way your child can

gradually

> expose herself to higher levels of interaction, but still feel that

there's

> a safety net there if she needs it. It probably also gives her a

sense of

> control while dealing with a condition which threatens your ability

to have

> control. That's great!

>

> -

>

>

> -----------------------------------------

> <snip>

>

> For events which don't involve kids which she would be required to

> entertain, we find that inviting family and friends to our home

allows her

> to participate as much or as little as she wants based on how she

is feeling

> that day. She definitely enjoys her aunts, uncles and our adult

friends

> since she has so few friends of her own. But she appreciates being

able to

> " bow out " to her room when her " time limit " is up.

>

> Finally, we never accept an invitation or extend one that involves

other

> kids unless we check with her to be sure she is " up " for it. If

not, either

> my husband or I will attend alone. Hopefully, this will not always

be the

> case, but for now with the depression/OCD still very out of

control, these

> solutions work for us.

>

> To sum it up, we are trying to give her control, as you said ,

to pick

> her own " battles " . We are well aware that this is tremendously

difficult

> for her to deal with day in and day out.

>

> Greta in Oregon

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure what type of scan was used, but there are pictures in

Brain Lock by Jeffry Schwartz showing the excess engergy spots in the

brains of people with untreated OCD.

Greta in Oregon

> I would REALLY love to see something like this done for OCD! I

wonder if

> anyone is doing that type of research - time to go digging around

Internet

> for info again, I guess!

>

> -

>

> <snip>

>

> I saw a really graphic demonstration of this at a lecture I

attended.

> The speaker showed PET scans of a " normal " brain during reading,

and

> that of a dyslexic brain during reading. Not only was the dyslexic

> brain using an entirely different area to perform the task, but it

was

> 2-3 times brighter (indicating higher blood flow and glucose

> uptake)than in the area used for reading in the normal brain. I'm

> sure we would see this same phenomenon in OCD brains.

>

> Jule

[Guest guest]

Hi :

The cover of Dr. Schwartz's book " Brainlock " has a picture of this. It

would inspire Steve so much when he first started to do E & RP I wanted to

write to Dr. Schwartz and get Steve a copy. Also he found that the

responses were very similar when looking at a person with OCD on a PET scan

after they were treated with an SSRI or after they had been treated with

just E & RP. This was fascinating to us. UCLA has done quite a bit in this

area, and I know NIMH has too.

Research is really key for OCD treatment. Good luck, take care, aloha,

Kathy (h)

kathyh@...

At 11:38 PM 03/25/2001 -0000, you wrote:

>I would REALLY love to see something like this done for OCD! I wonder if

>anyone is doing that type of research - time to go digging around Internet

>for info again, I guess!

>

>-

>

><snip>

>

>I saw a really graphic demonstration of this at a lecture I attended.

> The speaker showed PET scans of a " normal " brain during reading, and

>that of a dyslexic brain during reading. Not only was the dyslexic

>brain using an entirely different area to perform the task, but it was

>2-3 times brighter (indicating higher blood flow and glucose

>uptake)than in the area used for reading in the normal brain. I'm

>sure we would see this same phenomenon in OCD brains.

>

>Jule

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Love your humor!! And your bravery, 100 little screaming ones, this is

something I could never take on.....VBG. Take care, aloha, Kathy (h)

kathyh@...

At 11:52 PM 03/25/2001 -0000, you wrote:

>Kathy;

>

>Thanks for the kind words!

>

>>He seemed to understand it from the get-go and would

>>ask me to take him to Borders for distraction so he could avoid the worst

>>of his OCD symptoms.

>

>I used to work in the children's department at a local Borders, and can

>testify to it's effectiveness for distraction. When you're running a

>book-reading/character-appearance/craft-activity session for 100 screaming

>little ones, the OCD gets drowned out quite effectively *GGG*.

>

>-

[Guest guest]

Frances Appleby will not be in the University again unti June 3rdl

[Guest guest]

Hi Folks

Just a quick note.

Sorry I haven't been around lately as I have decided too move from Southern

Africa to England - not an easy process.

Anyway - sold my house and bought one in England.

So its total chaos

Today is World HIV/AIDS day -

the figures just published for the area I live in - Gauteng (which is where

Johannesburg is located) is 31% which if one thinks about it spells doom

for the area's infrastructure. So a collapse of the economy is inevitable if

there is not a very radical change and solution to the problem.

Sorry I haven't been around for a while and am about to pack my five year

old computer away. It will probably take two months to deliver to England.

Maybe I will replace it when I get to England in January.

Go well

Rory

Re: New Computer

>

> My computer is 4 year old too and I'm getting a new screen for it and

> getting the cd burner fixed too. My screen is just getting darker and

> darker and I can barely work in Photoshop anymore.

>

>

>

>

>

> Welcome!

>

> The holidays are a bit of a slow time for the forums, so if you don't

> see many people posting, it's because people are spending time with

> friends and family.

>

> Feel free to post though and those of us who are online will respond

> when we are able.

>

> If anyone has any questions about anything AS-related, don't hesitate

> to ask.

>

> Tom

> Administrator

>

>

>

>

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support

and acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page in

the folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Rory,

We were wondering what happened to you. Don't forget about us

please. We very much enjoy your company.

Thanks for your post about World HIV/AIDS Day, and I hope all goes

well with the move.

See you in two months.

Tom

Administrator

Hi Folks

Just a quick note.

Sorry I haven't been around lately as I have decided too move from

Southern

Africa to England - not an easy process.

Anyway - sold my house and bought one in England.

So its total chaos

Today is World HIV/AIDS day -

the figures just published for the area I live in - Gauteng (which

is where Johannesburg is located) is 31% which if one thinks about

it spells doom for the area's infrastructure. So a collapse of the

economy is inevitable if there is not a very radical change and

solution to the problem.

Sorry I haven't been around for a while and am about to pack my five

year old computer away. It will probably take two months to deliver

to England.

Maybe I will replace it when I get to England in January.

Go well

Rory

[Guest guest]

Hope the move won't be too stressful for you - good luck with it all.

Where abouts in England roughly? - I am in West Yorkshire.

>

> Hi Folks

> Just a quick note.

> Sorry I haven't been around lately as I have decided too move from

Southern

> Africa to England - not an easy process.

> Anyway - sold my house and bought one in England.

> So its total chaos

> Today is World HIV/AIDS day -

> the figures just published for the area I live in - Gauteng (which

is where

> Johannesburg is located) is 31% which if one thinks about it

spells doom

> for the area's infrastructure. So a collapse of the economy is

inevitable if

> there is not a very radical change and solution to the problem.

>

> Sorry I haven't been around for a while and am about to pack my

five year

> old computer away. It will probably take two months to deliver to

England.

> Maybe I will replace it when I get to England in January.

> Go well

> Rory

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Rory,

so glad to hear from you! I*ve missed your participation. Thought you had

perhaps tired of us. :´(

Hope to see you rejoining discussions soon as you have settled in. :-)

Inger

Re: New Computer

>

> My computer is 4 year old too and I'm getting a new screen for it and

> getting the cd burner fixed too. My screen is just getting darker and

> darker and I can barely work in Photoshop anymore.

>

>

>

>

>

> Welcome!

>

> The holidays are a bit of a slow time for the forums, so if you don't

> see many people posting, it's because people are spending time with

> friends and family.

>

> Feel free to post though and those of us who are online will respond

> when we are able.

>

> If anyone has any questions about anything AS-related, don't hesitate

> to ask.

>

> Tom

> Administrator

>

>

>

>

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support

and acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page in

the folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

>

>

>

>