Re: Hi - I'm New/Melinda again

[Guest guest]

I know you all probably hear this all the time - but it is SO amazing

to me that there are " kindred spirits " with OCD - Ben's need for

reasurrance seems so...so....absolutely unique! How could anybody

else know what we are going through - and yet, in less than 24 hours,

thanks to this list, I have met two overquestioned moms! Wow - misery

does love company, I guess.

And about the age thing....I was so heartbroken (ok, I still am) that

my little 6 year old could be so tormented etc etc and I worried that

he would not be able to have that carefree childhood that all

children _should_ have.....and now that I know more, I am so GLAD

he's not an adolescent yet! I couldn't imagine having to try and

figure this all out on a teen (well, I guess I have a few years to

practice...)

Stay strong.....

Terry

> > I got caught up in that nightmare for a few months and

> > > the more I answered (enabled) my son , " No, you're not

going

> > to

> > > throw up, or be poisoned, or get diabetes.... " -- sometimes 50

> > times

> > > a day --- the worse his symptoms got. I've now learned to

> > say " I'll

> > > answer OCD ONE time and no more. After that, you need to be

> strong

> > > and boss it back. Ok...I'm going for a walk now. " If we pour

> alot

> > > of attention into these fears, it only gives them strength---

and

> > > drains us, the parents. It also sends the unspoken message to

> our

> > > OCDers that we're easily bossed around and controlled by OCD

> too.

> > If

> > > *we* can't boss it back or send it away, how do they learn to

do

> it

> > > themselves? I've had to learn to MODEL the 'boss back'

technique

> > to

> > > my youngest son, whose disorder has been the saddest, most mind-

> > > boggling thing I've ever experienced!

> > >