Re: Frustration with friend who doesn't believe in OCD

[Guest guest]

I am so frustrated! I have been close friends for eight years with this one

woman, and our kids have done so many things together. We've watched each

other's kids grow up. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with OCD last November,

with

scrupulosity. Then, Sept. 8th, this year, my youngest daughter had a sudden

onset of symptoms. When I shared this with my friend, she seemed not to believe

that either one was actually suffering from mental illness. After long emails

and long conversations explaining to her the genetic component, the nature of

the condition, the treatment, the variety of symptoms, and the medications

used (which have brought my oldest daughter's symptoms down to nearly

imperceptible levels) my friend still thought maybe I was just mishandling plain

old

behavior stuff! She actually told me that she thought the " scrupulosity " my

oldest suffers with was brought on by reading the " Left Behind " books! (She

disagrees with these books, theologically.) I was very hurt by this. Yesterday,

after

I explained in detail the suffering my younger one is going through, and how

it exactly matches the kinds of things one sees with OCD, she suggested that I

just take my daughter " to the grocery store " to distract her! Arrrgh! Yeah,

right. I could have saved so much money on counseling and meds if only I had

thought of taking the girls to the grocery store to distract them from their

OCD. Sigh. It seems many people in the general public just don't " believe in "

mental illness, and think of its symptoms as behavioral issues. They also seem

to

think of medication as an inherent evil, no matter what. My friend's son

needs an operation on his throat for a physical condition. Would I tell her to

just take him to the grocery store to distract him?

[Guest guest]

You are so right--it is so frustrating when a close friend isn't supportive.

It's even worse when you feel like they are disapproving of the things you

are doing to help manage the disorder. It sounds like you have gone to great

lengths to educate this woman and that she just can't bring herself to believe

in what you are experiencing. Maybe it is time for little distance. You

might even tell her that you need the support of friends and family and that if

you can't get it from her, you need to take a little time apart to take care of

what is very real and very difficult to deal with. Unfortunately, there are

some people out there who don't believe in OCD. Maybe you should have her read

some of the posts on this site! Good luck--it is so hard dealing with one

child and even harder to deal with two with the disorder. I hope your friend

comes around. Kelley in NV

[Guest guest]

I feel for you....it's hard to have a close friend not support you..and you

probably

were always there listening to her woes not being critical of

jugemental...right? It has

happened to me a friend who I was so very close with we were on the phone to

each

other probably 10 times a day, whenever anything happened we reported to each

other,however my friend decided she had a drinking problem...I never saw it but

I

supported her decision to go to AA that was maybe 10 years ago (we've been

friends

for 20, anyway then she was at meetings all the time then therapy all the time

and

again I said " good for you " but she changed in a way where she became very

judgemental and critical, We had been friends for so long she's more like

" family "

then a friend now..when I have ever got fed up with her criticism and didn't

speak to

her for awhile she always calls and wants to continue the relationship..ly<

I

think I do because she really needs my friendship more than I need hers...I

listen and

don't judge..or critisize her...She has said to me over the years what a

difficult child

was and really I think she felt he needed to be " spanked " but she didn't

understand OCD and still doesn't, Loves her like an aunt and I would

really

never want him to think she feels I am such a bad mom, Too lienient (sp) she

says,

but I learned with that if I stooped down to his height when he was

little(now

he's taller than I am!) and if I explained why he would be very accomadating and

say

" oh, OK " and do what I asked..in most cases..she felt he should just do what I

say

without any question...My 32 year old son who does not have OCD would do just

that...without question (I thought I was a good mom) but with , before I

realized

he had OCD I went to the Mental Health Department in our city asking for help on

child rearing and took parenting classes, there is 19years betweenmy two babies

so I

needed help on how to raise a child who was independent, arguementative, sudden

outbursts of anger, you never knew what he might do in public, my friends and

neighbors called him " the wild child " little did I know my baby was suffering

inside..once when he finally was able to communicate his feelings ( " why do I

have to

count...to feel OK? " and the bathroom issues...did it make sense...he had

OCD...unfortunately since can appear quite " normal " (and again what is

that?)

My friend does not really understand what is going through and the work

the

effort it takes for him to " appear " that way the hiding the anxiety...I really

do admire

my son and all that struggle with OCD...It has to be the toughest mental illness

or

brain/chemical dysfunction...appearing so " normal " and yet fighting the OCs.No

one

knows not me the mom of a son with OCD only the person that experiences it can

truly know...but the public including our " friends " need to be educated.I try to

bite my

tongue and let things go with my friend (she knows not what she does) She had a

brother who was scitzophrenic..he came to her home from up north (we're in

Florida)

looking for support and love, she helped him...but not directly...she set him up

in an

apartment, checked on him daily etc..he would come to my house and hang out I

would look in on him etc (he was closer to me then her) to make a long story

short he

was found in the street, taken to the hospital and died....she's had guilt about

it, but

she has also had guilt about hating her mom who had 5 kids and spent more time

with the brother..my friend left home young and became pretty wild...now she's

supper straight..she believes mental illness is a choice the person who has it

can

either choose treatment or not...she doesn't see my son that often and is

very

polite and personable...a computer genuis (If any of you have problems with a

Mac

(Apple) computer he's your man...if he can't answer it my older son can

he

works for an Apple distrubutor) I was told to drop my friend when she said

someone

should call HRS on me,(I have problems with hoarding) I know it's not good for

to be in any chaotic environment so I am working really hard to change that for

us

both...I am a pack rat and have zillions of books, I love books and thrift

stores.. right now has 5 computers, 3 or them apart on the dinning room

table...I'm very laid back...'s dad had OCPD...he does stress but

has

had therapy on how to speak to dad, without being disrespectful, but not

allowing

anyone...parents included to be disrespectful to him...so he has no problem with

dad

now, when he was little he would come home, snapping his fingers continoulsly

ntil

he was home for awhile..or other OCs but instead of not letting him see his dad

I

think It's important to know parents aren't perfect we take no class before our

children are concieved...to understand that and have the opportunity to love and

accept and be loved by your parent is so important at least to try of course if

the

parent is abusive...perhaps supervised.. is glad he kept seeing his dad

they have

formed a close bond and I'm sure when is a grown man he and his father

will be

very close..You can never have enough love and support.. knows without a

doubt

he is cherished and loved..and we will be there to support him in all his

endeavors

and struggles with the monster...However, these " friends " may not, I think my

friend

feels like she has it altogether and in some sense superior...but I feel, she is

very

lonely and still struggling with guilt issues and fear of mental illness, she

had a face

lift and spider veins removed, she had a maid, never married finds fault with

any man

that has asked her out (not often) I think she is lonely...she had once been a

party

girl to escape now she doesn't have that (besides we're too old!) So after all

these

years I try to love and accept her and realize she needs and I in her life

more

than we need her...she always apoligizes for anything she may have said that

could

be taken as critisizm, but I've found in life the people that act superior or

critisize

usually are not happy with themselves....I keep out conversations light, try not

to

" open up to her " my feelings anymore as she just isn't in the same space that we

are

in and she never will be our friendship is not the same but it survives in a

different

form...talk to your support group, and don't expect empathy from someone who's

not

" living " with OCD You are above that! People change, relationships change, they

don't

have to end, just go through a metamorphases....Join an OCD support group in

your

area, and have lunch with your friend...focus on the positives happening in your

kid's

lives and talk about that.....I know it's hard...I've cried over that close

relationship I

once had with her, I miss who she used to be, but then I've changed too....Take

Care..Love, Lin

> I am so frustrated! I have been close friends for eight years with this one

> woman, and our kids have done so many things together. We've watched each

> other's kids grow up. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with OCD last November,

with

> scrupulosity. Then, Sept. 8th, this year, my youngest daughter had a sudden

> onset of symptoms. When I shared this with my friend, she seemed not to

believe

> that either one was actually suffering from mental illness. After long emails

> and long conversations explaining to her the genetic component, the nature of

> the condition, the treatment, the variety of symptoms, and the medications

> used (which have brought my oldest daughter's symptoms down to nearly

> imperceptible levels) my friend still thought maybe I was just mishandling

plain old

> behavior stuff! She actually told me that she thought the " scrupulosity " my

> oldest suffers with was brought on by reading the " Left Behind " books! (She

> disagrees with these books, theologically.) I was very hurt by this.

Yesterday, after

> I explained in detail the suffering my younger one is going through, and how

> it exactly matches the kinds of things one sees with OCD, she suggested that I

> just take my daughter " to the grocery store " to distract her! Arrrgh! Yeah,

> right. I could have saved so much money on counseling and meds if only I had

> thought of taking the girls to the grocery store to distract them from their

> OCD. Sigh. It seems many people in the general public just don't " believe in "

> mental illness, and think of its symptoms as behavioral issues. They also seem

to

> think of medication as an inherent evil, no matter what. My friend's son

> needs an operation on his throat for a physical condition. Would I tell her to

> just take him to the grocery store to distract him?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Chris:

My heart goes out to you. Would she be willing to read some literature on OCD?

It's amazing how that turns some people around.

I, too, have a good friend that does not believe that OCD, oppositional defiant

disorder, etc. are neurobiological disorders and that he's just not disciplined

well enough (scream). Oh, and her kids have had trouble with socks and not

liking food, too, and it's not OCD. Also, is 11 years old and he should

know better -- he also has learning disabilities and has a maturity level of

probably an eight year old. I guess he's done some things that have obviously

have turned her off, because they never invite us to do anything with them

anymore nor does she call to talk, etc. I have tried to keep the friendship,

but I'm exhausted from trying for almost a year now.

I truly hope your situation turns out differently. If anything, we'd like

support just because we're friends and some level of interest in trying to

understand what's going on.

Tamra

Re: Frustration with friend who doesn't " believe

in " OCD

I am so frustrated! I have been close friends for eight years with this one

woman, and our kids have done so many things together. We've watched each

other's kids grow up. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with OCD last November,

with

scrupulosity. Then, Sept. 8th, this year, my youngest daughter had a sudden

onset of symptoms. When I shared this with my friend, she seemed not to

believe

that either one was actually suffering from mental illness. After long emails

and long conversations explaining to her the genetic component, the nature of

the condition, the treatment, the variety of symptoms, and the medications

used (which have brought my oldest daughter's symptoms down to nearly

imperceptible levels) my friend still thought maybe I was just mishandling

plain old

behavior stuff! She actually told me that she thought the " scrupulosity " my

oldest suffers with was brought on by reading the " Left Behind " books! (She

disagrees with these books, theologically.) I was very hurt by this.

Yesterday, after

I explained in detail the suffering my younger one is going through, and how

it exactly matches the kinds of things one sees with OCD, she suggested that I

just take my daughter " to the grocery store " to distract her! Arrrgh! Yeah,

right. I could have saved so much money on counseling and meds if only I had

thought of taking the girls to the grocery store to distract them from their

OCD. Sigh. It seems many people in the general public just don't " believe in "

mental illness, and think of its symptoms as behavioral issues. They also seem

to

think of medication as an inherent evil, no matter what. My friend's son

needs an operation on his throat for a physical condition. Would I tell her to

just take him to the grocery store to distract him?

[Guest guest]

I'm coming in late in responding to your post but wanted to offer my (((hugs)))

and commiseration too. Unfortunately your experience with your friend is all

too common and so many of us here have had this upsetting situation. OCD can be

so very isolating in that it is so hard to communicate the experience to someone

else who does not suffer and who does not have a loved one who struggles with

it. It is a life-changing event and I guess not too surprising that some in our

lives may feel uncomfortable with the change.

I was amazed at the friends and family who denied my child's diagnosis...and

wasn't at all prepared for this. How could a good, longstanding friend believe

I had gone off the deep end rather than there was anything the matter with my

child?! I had always been considered reasonable, sensible and reliable (I

thought) before Kel's onset. Suddenly I was taken for an overanxious,

overprotective older mother of a single, spoiled and indulged child. I was told

my mistake was in taking Kel to a psychiatrist in the first place, as though

that caused OCD. And the uninvited lectures on the evils of even considering

medication. The sudden nature of her onset, one day she's fine, the next day

has a severe mental disorder, didn't help in my case. I will always be thankful

for my sisters, both who were honest to say they couldn't notice much different

about Kellen, but who believed me nonetheless and actually read the books and

articles on OCD I gave them.

It's funny your friend suggested a trip to the grocery. On the first day Kel

had OCD, I actually tried this tactic. I had several errands planned and

dragged this poor obsessing and compulsing four-year-old not only to the

grocery, but to a shoe store, a drug store and a furniture store. I can state

with certainty that visiting stores did nothing to diminish OCD or distract her

from it. She continued to repeat that she couldn't stop thinking of cutting out

her eyes with a sharp knife like a little parrot no matter where we went.

In the end I had lost some friends, had some uncomfortable distance with others

and some family, and made some new ones whose kids also have differences and

challenges. I didn't ask for OCD in our family nor did I invent this brain

disorder that some find so difficult to " believe in. " We suddenly had a huge

priority, getting Kel stabilized and on the road to recovery, and I didn't have

much time or energy to mount a public education campaign for this brain

disorder.

Anyway having come through the other side, I really believe all you can do is

provide friends and family with information and be willing to answer questions.

After that it is truly up to them. As painful and frustrating as it is, you

just can't make someone react to news of your child's diagnosis in a supportive

and helpful way. I am very grateful still to those who were able to, and did.

Take care,

Kathy R. in Indiana

----- Original Message -----

From: chriswxtrm@...

I am so frustrated! I have been close friends for eight years with this one

woman, and our kids have done so many things together. We've watched each

other's kids grow up. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with OCD last November,

with

scrupulosity. Then, Sept. 8th, this year, my youngest daughter had a sudden

onset of symptoms. When I shared this with my friend, she seemed not to

believe

that either one was actually suffering from mental illness. After long emails

and long conversations explaining to her the genetic component, the nature of

the condition, the treatment, the variety of symptoms, and the medications

used (which have brought my oldest daughter's symptoms down to nearly

imperceptible levels) my friend still thought maybe I was just mishandling

plain old

behavior stuff! She actually told me that she thought the " scrupulosity " my

oldest suffers with was brought on by reading the " Left Behind " books! (She

disagrees with these books, theologically.) I was very hurt by this.

Yesterday, after

I explained in detail the suffering my younger one is going through, and how

it exactly matches the kinds of things one sees with OCD, she suggested that I

just take my daughter " to the grocery store " to distract her! Arrrgh! Yeah,

right. I could have saved so much money on counseling and meds if only I had

thought of taking the girls to the grocery store to distract them from their

OCD. Sigh. It seems many people in the general public just don't " believe in "

mental illness, and think of its symptoms as behavioral issues. They also seem

to

think of medication as an inherent evil, no matter what. My friend's son

needs an operation on his throat for a physical condition. Would I tell her to

just take him to the grocery store to distract him?

[Guest guest]

Melony,

Let me first begin by saying that I will include you, your daughter,

and family in my prayers. My heart goes out to anyone that has a

child struggling with OCD. I understand the despair you can feel as

you watch your child tormented by these thoughts and worries. I have

an 11 year old son, Garrett, that has OCD. My understanding from

these posts and research I've done either on the web or through

books, is that children with OCD respond very well to Behavior

Therapy and ER/P an exposure response treatment. I have a couple of

books on order right now that I've heard are excellent. They are

Freeing your Child from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by Tamar

Chansky and Up and Down the Worry Hill (can't remember the author's

name at the moment.) I know there are things we can do at home to

help. We just need the tools to know how. Maybe these books would

be helpful!

Corinna

> " The sudden nature of her onset, one day she's fine, the next day

has a

> severe mental disorder, didn't help in my case. "

>

> Hi,

> I just joined the group a couple of days ago and have been reading

posts.

> This too is what has happened with my daughter. Fine one day and

the next

> all these weird thoughts just stuck in her head. It started just

about the

> second week in September. What I am wondering is how many of you

had before

> the sudden onset , had your children immunized? The thoughts my dd

is having

> started like exactly a week after her mmr shot. I am really

thinking that is

> what caused it. Of course the Dr. says there is nothing in

the " literature "

> to back that up. At first I thought it was just normal childhood

fears, you

> know a witch in her head ( the picture of the witch though my dd

doesn't

> realize this, is described as a person in a halloween costume,

complete

> with the elastic to hold the hat on) After the first week of this

then the

> thoughts of sticking something in her eye, along with fear that she

couldn't

> go to Heaven and wasn't really sure that she wanted to other than

the fact

> that I was going and how could she know there was really a God

anyways

> cause she prayed for God to take away these thought and he hasn't

so maybe

> he isn't really there....I was really disturbed then. I had dealt

with a

> seriously demon oppressed woman in a drug and alcohol rehab

program and

> so I thought perhaps these demons had jumped on my dd. ( If you

aren't a

> christian this all may seem far fetched to you but, the Bible tells

us that

> we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities ,

powers

> of darkness and wickedness in high places, etc) SO, we had some

dear

> friends come over and they prayed throughout our house and for my

dd. Still

> didn't get any better. My dh and I went to our Pastor, who promptly

stated

> that I was overprotective and too clingly with my children and

since I

> homeschool she just doesn't have enough interaction with other

children and

> so she is making up fantasys to fill in her otherwise dull life.

> I started looking up obsessive thoughts on the internet and

realized her

> symptoms were very much like ocd and after reading some of your

posts I see

> that includes what someone called scrupulosity. I went to my dd ped.

> yesterday discussed it all with him and he seems to think that she

isn't

> psychotic but neurotic, psychosis being permanant, neurosis being

temporary.

> He seems to think there is some underlying hidden fear that is

causing these

> others to come out. ( Same thing my mom said, she contributes it to

my niece

> dying from drowning in July) So, the ped gave me some valium to

give to her

> at night before bedtime ( this is when she talks about all her

thoughts, she

> goes to bed at 9 and sometimes it is 12 before she falls asleep

from pure

> exhaustion) I am very leary of meds so last night I only gave her

half of

> the dose he prescribed and it didn't help.

> I am one of those people you talked about, I thought and still do

that

> these days too many docs push meds and instead of trying to fix

things and

> find the cause of the symptoms they just treat the symptoms. I do

think that

> there are people that really need meds and I don't judge people

that are on

> them but I do still feel to many things are diagnosed that are

just normal

> life events that are blown way up. ( Reading y'alls post I most

certainly do

> not believe that about you though, bless your hearts.) Who knows

perhaps

> this is my " judgement " for judging others. All I know is my heart

is

> breaking for my dd and we are both tired from lack of good sleep

and I can't

> stand the thought of this torment my dear 6yo daughter is having to

suffer.

> I have cried more in the morning and at night ( before she wake and

after

> she goes to sleep) than I have in my entire life. I am fearful of

the many

> things you all have listed like trying different meds, symptoms

getting

> worse, having a phyc. doc that cares more about making money than

helping my

> family and ideas of friends and playmates. If you are a Christian

please

> lift my family up in prayer for healing and I will do the same for

your

> families. I am so ready for Jesus to come back!

> Blessings , Melony

>

>

[Guest guest]

Kathy R. Wrote:

" The sudden nature of her onset, one day she's fine, the next day has a

severe mental disorder, didn't help in my case. "

Hi,

I just joined the group a couple of days ago and have been reading posts.

This too is what has happened with my daughter. Fine one day and the next

all these weird thoughts just stuck in her head. It started just about the

second week in September. What I am wondering is how many of you had before

the sudden onset , had your children immunized? The thoughts my dd is having

started like exactly a week after her mmr shot. I am really thinking that is

what caused it. Of course the Dr. says there is nothing in the " literature "

to back that up. At first I thought it was just normal childhood fears, you

know a witch in her head ( the picture of the witch though my dd doesn't

realize this, is described as a person in a halloween costume, complete

with the elastic to hold the hat on) After the first week of this then the

thoughts of sticking something in her eye, along with fear that she couldn't

go to Heaven and wasn't really sure that she wanted to other than the fact

that I was going and how could she know there was really a God anyways

cause she prayed for God to take away these thought and he hasn't so maybe

he isn't really there....I was really disturbed then. I had dealt with a

seriously demon oppressed woman in a drug and alcohol rehab program and

so I thought perhaps these demons had jumped on my dd. ( If you aren't a

christian this all may seem far fetched to you but, the Bible tells us that

we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities , powers

of darkness and wickedness in high places, etc) SO, we had some dear

friends come over and they prayed throughout our house and for my dd. Still

didn't get any better. My dh and I went to our Pastor, who promptly stated

that I was overprotective and too clingly with my children and since I

homeschool she just doesn't have enough interaction with other children and

so she is making up fantasys to fill in her otherwise dull life.

I started looking up obsessive thoughts on the internet and realized her

symptoms were very much like ocd and after reading some of your posts I see

that includes what someone called scrupulosity. I went to my dd ped.

yesterday discussed it all with him and he seems to think that she isn't

psychotic but neurotic, psychosis being permanant, neurosis being temporary.

He seems to think there is some underlying hidden fear that is causing these

others to come out. ( Same thing my mom said, she contributes it to my niece

dying from drowning in July) So, the ped gave me some valium to give to her

at night before bedtime ( this is when she talks about all her thoughts, she

goes to bed at 9 and sometimes it is 12 before she falls asleep from pure

exhaustion) I am very leary of meds so last night I only gave her half of

the dose he prescribed and it didn't help.

I am one of those people you talked about, I thought and still do that

these days too many docs push meds and instead of trying to fix things and

find the cause of the symptoms they just treat the symptoms. I do think that

there are people that really need meds and I don't judge people that are on

them but I do still feel to many things are diagnosed that are just normal

life events that are blown way up. ( Reading y'alls post I most certainly do

not believe that about you though, bless your hearts.) Who knows perhaps

this is my " judgement " for judging others. All I know is my heart is

breaking for my dd and we are both tired from lack of good sleep and I can't

stand the thought of this torment my dear 6yo daughter is having to suffer.

I have cried more in the morning and at night ( before she wake and after

she goes to sleep) than I have in my entire life. I am fearful of the many

things you all have listed like trying different meds, symptoms getting

worse, having a phyc. doc that cares more about making money than helping my

family and ideas of friends and playmates. If you are a Christian please

lift my family up in prayer for healing and I will do the same for your

families. I am so ready for Jesus to come back!

Blessings , Melony

[Guest guest]

-Hi Melony. My family will keep yours in our prayers. My son

suffers with scrupe with his ocd also. He is very afraid of not

going to heaven, the possibility of not believing in God, sinning,

not praying enough. A year ago I cried many tears over this part of

his ocd. It got better with medication. Scrupe issues are now

starting to bother him again but it's a little easier on him to know

that it's ocd. I try to remember that he's God's child and I'm just

helping out. It sure sounds like your child has ocd. My child also

worried the most at bedtime. Now I know that that is a very common

time of day for ocd to be at it's worst. People told us that he was

just trying to stall bedtime and was very good at minipulating us.

Don't let anyone blame you. My heart goes out to you. In

, " OneSavedLady " <all4jesus@k...>

wrote:

>

> Kathy R. Wrote:

> " The sudden nature of her onset, one day she's fine, the next day

has a

> severe mental disorder, didn't help in my case. "

>

> Hi,

> I just joined the group a couple of days ago and have been reading

posts.

> This too is what has happened with my daughter. Fine one day and

the next

> all these weird thoughts just stuck in her head. It started just

about the

> second week in September. What I am wondering is how many of you

had before

> the sudden onset , had your children immunized? The thoughts my dd

is having

> started like exactly a week after her mmr shot. I am really

thinking that is

> what caused it. Of course the Dr. says there is nothing in

the " literature "

> to back that up. At first I thought it was just normal childhood

fears, you

> know a witch in her head ( the picture of the witch though my dd

doesn't

> realize this, is described as a person in a halloween costume,

complete

> with the elastic to hold the hat on) After the first week of this

then the

> thoughts of sticking something in her eye, along with fear that she

couldn't

> go to Heaven and wasn't really sure that she wanted to other than

the fact

> that I was going and how could she know there was really a God

anyways

> cause she prayed for God to take away these thought and he hasn't

so maybe

> he isn't really there....I was really disturbed then. I had dealt

with a

> seriously demon oppressed woman in a drug and alcohol rehab

program and

> so I thought perhaps these demons had jumped on my dd. ( If you

aren't a

> christian this all may seem far fetched to you but, the Bible tells

us that

> we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities ,

powers

> of darkness and wickedness in high places, etc) SO, we had some

dear

> friends come over and they prayed throughout our house and for my

dd. Still

> didn't get any better. My dh and I went to our Pastor, who promptly

stated

> that I was overprotective and too clingly with my children and

since I

> homeschool she just doesn't have enough interaction with other

children and

> so she is making up fantasys to fill in her otherwise dull life.

> I started looking up obsessive thoughts on the internet and

realized her

> symptoms were very much like ocd and after reading some of your

posts I see

> that includes what someone called scrupulosity. I went to my dd ped.

> yesterday discussed it all with him and he seems to think that she

isn't

> psychotic but neurotic, psychosis being permanant, neurosis being

temporary.

> He seems to think there is some underlying hidden fear that is

causing these

> others to come out. ( Same thing my mom said, she contributes it to

my niece

> dying from drowning in July) So, the ped gave me some valium to

give to her

> at night before bedtime ( this is when she talks about all her

thoughts, she

> goes to bed at 9 and sometimes it is 12 before she falls asleep

from pure

> exhaustion) I am very leary of meds so last night I only gave her

half of

> the dose he prescribed and it didn't help.

> I am one of those people you talked about, I thought and still do

that

> these days too many docs push meds and instead of trying to fix

things and

> find the cause of the symptoms they just treat the symptoms. I do

think that

> there are people that really need meds and I don't judge people

that are on

> them but I do still feel to many things are diagnosed that are

just normal

> life events that are blown way up. ( Reading y'alls post I most

certainly do

> not believe that about you though, bless your hearts.) Who knows

perhaps

> this is my " judgement " for judging others. All I know is my heart

is

> breaking for my dd and we are both tired from lack of good sleep

and I can't

> stand the thought of this torment my dear 6yo daughter is having to

suffer.

> I have cried more in the morning and at night ( before she wake and

after

> she goes to sleep) than I have in my entire life. I am fearful of

the many

> things you all have listed like trying different meds, symptoms

getting

> worse, having a phyc. doc that cares more about making money than

helping my

> family and ideas of friends and playmates. If you are a Christian

please

> lift my family up in prayer for healing and I will do the same for

your

> families. I am so ready for Jesus to come back!

> Blessings , Melony

>

>