My daughter (14) has inherited my OCD (sadly) and has fears of contamination she has even developed an eating disorder because of it... even though she has made small 'wins' she still fears 'throwing up' any little pain or discomfort in her abdomen area will start her spiraling... if you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts, suggestions, positive vibes so I could share with her that she is not alone, maybe even encourage her to continue practicing the ERP.. it would comfort her to know many people suffer with OCD and experience different themes- don't let the OCD bully rule you- you CAN rule it and feel better.
Best to all...
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Mollymuffinhead
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Look up Shannon Shy, he is on Facebook, You Tube and Instagram. He is a retired marine who suffered from OCD badly. He has written three books, the most recent was Turning Points. In this book he has people who he has helped write their experiences. One story in particular was about a woman who had basically stopped eating and how he helped her. So when I read your post I thought about that story. Hope this helps.
Yes, I follow him and watch his videos. He helped me a few months ago, along with my regular therapist when my OCD was pretty bad. I am doing better now, but honestly I incorporate more of Shannon’s way of handling OCD than what my therapist taught me. It helps when someone has been through it and understands.
Hi there! I’m so sorry to hear about what your daughter is experiencing. I too suffer from contamination OCD and an eating disorder, which can often connect and worsen each other. I’d like your daughter to know that she’s not alone. I just started my ERP journey and I’m really scared but I have hope that things are going to get better. We can get better together!
Emetophobia is a mental health condition in which you experience an intense fear of vomiting. The fear is real. There is no point of denying it. Because fear is an unpleasant state of mind it's normal for your daughter to seek ways to appease it. What she can control is how she tries to remove the fear. There is more than one way to overcome anxiety.
To constantly worry about the possibility of throwing up is one way to appease one's mind, but it doesn't work in the long term because new reasons to worry will always be found, even if they are unfounded. There is no end to it, even if sometimes we think that this time will be different.
A better way to appease one's mind is to practice response prevention (ERP). A healthy lifestyle (adequate sleep, good nutrition, exercises, fulfilling social life, a mix of work and pleasure, etc.) is a long-term, reliable source of serenity and satisfaction. To switch from an unhealthy, short-lived source of comfort to a healthy, sustainable one is hard work sometimes. It takes time because reconditioning your mind is a slow process, but it's worth it in the end.
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