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Re: OCD Carers

Hi
While I'm the mum of 2 daughters, one who has been receiving treatment for anxiety and depression for about 5 years now, I'm relatively new to caring for another daughter with 2 other diagnoses: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Functional Neurological Disorder. This has lead to extremely severe generalised and social anxiety, depression and agoraphobia, many other fears and obsessions and the inability to participate in any form of education over the last 8 months or so (she would have just completed year 10 if she hadn't become so unwell).
We have a good psychiatrist but it looks like treatment will probably last forever as new obsessions and compulsions reveal themselves very regularly and prevent her leaving her room at least 23 1/2 hrs in a 24 hr period. I am finding information on a couple of websites helpful including https://adaa.org/resources and https://www.ocduk.org/ so I would recommend having a look at these. If anyone is able to recommend other helpful resources, I would be keen to hear their recommendations too.
Thank you
Thank you.

Re: OCD Carers

Hi there @Mum8 and welcome to the SANE community 😊

I trust that you'll find the Friends, Family and Carers Forum a safe and supportive place. As a newcomer I'd like to tag in a few of our Community Guides and members who may be able to assist both here in this forum, but also with any struggles you are facing as a carer @Shaz51 @ShiningStar @Dimity @Zoe7 @Faith-and-Hope @Frankly2 @Luna24 @NatureLover @HopefulWife @Mel24h @Muma @Mum7 @elyse @TiSoG21 @saltandpepper 

If you need help with anything whilst in the forum please feel free to tag the moderator on shift, just like this @Former-Member 

Warm wishes
Rhye ☘️

Re: OCD Carers

Hi @Mum8 and welcome to the forums 👋🌷

 

 

Re: OCD Carers

hello and welcome to the forum @Mum8 

and thank you for those resources 

@NatureLover 

and also another thread is Topic Tuesday // OCD from an insiders perspective // 1 Aug, 7pm AEST 

and also Topic Tuesday // OCD: Behind The Mask // Tues 13th April, 7:00-8:30PM AEST 

these discussions are only to read now but they are really interesting 

also I like to know how you are going as a carer, if you have any questions too , we are here to help 

Re: OCD Carers

Hi @Mum8 , welcome. I'm sorry to hear your daughter suffers all those conditions and stays in her room 23 1/2 hours a day. 

 

You say she has a good psychiatrist, which is great. I'm wondering if she has a psychologist also? Or does the psychiatrist do talk therapy as well? 

 

I have OCD (germophobia), depression, generalised anxiety and agoraphobia...I'm not a carer but someone with lived experience. Not sure if that will help you at all, but that's why @Rhye  and @Shaz51  have tagged me. If I can help, then I'm happy to. 

 

I hope you find the forums supportive. 

Re: OCD Carers

Hi NatureLover

Thank you for your reply. That is very generous of you to offer help when you have so much that you are dealing with too.

My daughter kind of has a psychologist as well. We haven't had contact with her for a while as the psychiatrist is talking to her a lot at the moment and has a history of post natal OCD herself so my daughter feels that she can connect with her best at the moment.

I think the thing I'm currently finding most challenging is that my daughter is struggling more and more to come out of her room so lately the 23 1/2 hours in the room is becoming more frequently 24 hrs, apart from toilet breaks, and I find that opportunities for me to talk to the psychiatrist to get advice on how much to encourage/push for her to come out of her room balanced with how much of the appointment that my daughter requires with the psychiatrist is really challenging. Added to this is that it would seem that new obsessions and compulsions are being added very frequently. I feel that to cover everything that is needed to start my daughter's recovery would nearly require daily appointments.

I feel for you so much with the struggle that you have too. This is such a cruel illness.
Do you feel that at least sometimes you are managing to start to recover in any of the areas where you are affected?

Kind regards

Mum8

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