Re: Looking for Therapy/support group in sw suburbs of chicago

September 11, 2009

I am not from Chicago so I can't recommend anyone there to help you, but I just

wanted to mention that my son had the same bad thoughts that your daughter has.

For 4 years, from ages 10 to 14, my husband and I couldn't leave the house if

our son was home (ironically, HE could leave and go to a friends house, but

inevitably would call to check in on us regularly). If only one of us was out,

he would call us frequently on our cell phones to make sure we were all right.

He used to call my husband every single hour that he was at work! Fast forward

to now, after 4 years of therapy and trying to figure out the best med for him

(Prozac), he is actually babysitting others! In our case, what worked was a

single dose of Xanax. Just one dose when we went out together one night last

November (I remember the night because it was my 50th birthday, and I was

determined to celebrate.....). The xanax temporarily removed his anxiety enough

to get him thru the night without any worries. The next morning he gave me a

huge hug and said " Mom, I did it! I stayed alone! " We were all so happy. Ever

since then, without the use of xanax, he can stay alone. Mind you, he is 15

years old, and I can always sense a little nervousness on his part when he has

to do it, but he does it, and with no phone calls.

He still has a few other worries and subtle OCD type behavior that we are

working on, but I am so proud of how far he has come. There is hope.

September 11, 2009

Hi - Try calling OCD Chicago - I have heard great things about them & see

if they can recommend someone for kids. The phone number is T: , or

go online to http://www.ocdchicago.org/index.php/contact/. Also, you can search

under www.ocfoundation.org and they have quite a few therapists that you can

interview. Very likely, you daughter needs more of a weekly plan, and you may

need parental support as well, to disengage over time from the rituals. Our

therapist did a great job of involving the entire family in how to help Meg help

herself. Calling you is a ritual. It gets worse everytime she does it, because

it is self-reinforcing. Don't feel badly that you could not answer once - OCD

is not reasonable and trys to get everyone involved feeling bad. We had that

same issue, and it was a nightmare for a while. I feel for you.

Hope you find someone quickly - all my best - in NC.

>

>> Now she screams, cries, says she feels like she is going to die, if I go

out.She just started in July to stay home herself if I ran to store and Dad isnt

home. Now she wont do that. I know what triggered it . She called me and I didnt

answer the phone. I didnt feel it vibrate but looked at it probably 2 minutes

after she called and I called her back but now she is afraid if she calls, I

wont answer.

> Hope this all makes sense.

> Sorry for rambling on, I guess it was just time for me to get it out!!!

> Please let me know if anybody has ideas or new docs for us!!

> Thanks again!

>

September 12, 2009

> >

> >> Now she screams, cries, says she feels like she is going to die, if I go

out.She just started in July to stay home herself if I ran to store and Dad isnt

home. Now she wont do that. I know what triggered it . She called me and I didnt

answer the phone. I didnt feel it vibrate but looked at it probably 2 minutes

after she called and I called her back but now she is afraid if she calls, I

wont answer.

> > Hope this all makes sense.

> > Sorry for rambling on, I guess it was just time for me to get it out!!!

> > Please let me know if anybody has ideas or new docs for us!!

> > Thanks again!

> >

>

Thanks ,

I hope this is the way I am supposed to repond to you! I was confused for a

minute as I am not computer literate!!

I did contact the OCD foundation several months ago. We went to a psychologist

they recommended that was much closer to home but we didn't really care for her.

My daughter didnt feel comfortable with her and we didn't care for the fact that

we were never included in any part of the therapy. we knew nothing that was

going on as far as what we could do to help or what they were doing. We saw her

about 5 times before we ended up going back to the social worker whom we had

gone to previously.(She had moved her office much further away) We really loved

her and she did so much for our dd that we ended up back with her.I dont mind

the 1 hour or more drive if it will continue to help. when we see her Tuesday

maybe she will be able to work us into once a week. I am hoping that as our

daughter gets older she may find it easier to do the therapy. she is going

through puberty now and we know how that can mess with you in of itself!!

Thanks for the reminder that OCD tries to make everyone feel bad. There are just

so many ups and downs with it. she had been doing well for a few months and I

guess I had forgotten how bad it was!!

HOw old is your daughter now and is she doing well?

Thanks again, it helps more than I had thought it would just to be able to talk

(type? LOL) with someone who understands the sadness of it all!

I appreciate your answering me.

September 13, 2009

Hi -I completely understand - we drive 2.5 hours each way! If you have a

great therapist that is helping - then that is just wonderful. I'll hope for

you both that she can work you in twice a week. Ah, puberty - I remember mine,

and would not want to go back for anything.

My daughter is only 8, so we have so much to look forward to! . Meg is doing

very well right now. She did ERP therapy for the last 4.5 months, and towards

the end, was diagnosed with PANDAS. I expect that we will have more sudden

onset OCD, and since it is so severe when it arrives, we plan to continue ERP

therapy as a daily exercise, in the hopes of keeping her life manageable. We

did use anti-biotics and a short course of steroids as well. But the main

thing, is that she is happy again.

I wish the same for your daughter - adolesence is hard enough without OCD to

contend with. It is actually really great that she is willing to work with a

therapist - just getting that motivation going is a wonderful first step.

All my best - in NC.

> Thanks ,

> I hope this is the way I am supposed to repond to you! I was confused for a

minute as I am not computer literate!!

> I did contact the OCD foundation several months ago. We went to a psychologist