My son has ocd. I have been struggling for about 8 months to help him. He has had a telephone conversation with our local wellbeing clinic. Then been referred to adult mental health team. Then sent back to start the initial telephone with the wellbeing team as the mental health team decided he wasn't suicidal. Thr wellbeing team has said they cant help so we are left with no help. Today he didn't get out of bed until 6 due to all his rituals. When I originally took him to the Dr he was just offered anti depressants. I had to ask the Dr to weigh him and at 5 ft 7 he weighd 6st 10. But the Dr said nothing and told me to go away and phone the wellbeing clinic. So here we are 8 months later with the situation worse. Please please what can I do
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Kaz1990
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Hi there, this is awful for you. So sorry you're having to go through this. I'm in New Zealand and not sure where you are, and I'm no expert in this (newly diagnosed son) but it sounds like you need to try a different doctor and ask for a referral to someone with experience in treating OCD. Hope you can get some help & support, sounds like you've been badly let down. Has your son tried any online apps etc?
He has not tried any apps as he can't go on his mobile or laptop at the moment due to the nature of ocd. I live in England and the support service for any mental health is totally underfunded.
Hi Kaz, My son has had treatment-resistant OCD for about ten years and I think we have tried everything from medication to CBT, Psychiatric/psychologist advice with varying degrees of temporary success, but my opinion now is that there is no 'cure' as such - just management and being kind to yourself, as being a parent can be just as hard as being a sufferer. Getting the right medication for the individual can be the biggest help, but we have also experienced matters being made worse by the wrong medication for him. So it is trial and error but I'm sure you'll get to a stage where you find ways to cope and reduce the impact it has on family life. I just keep reminding myself that 'there is no such thing as normal', you get good days and bad days - but that's life. Sending very best wishes.
Thank you. I think as a parent you always want to have a big sticky plaster to make everything ok for your children. My husband and myself have both blamed ourselves as we feel useless as we can't make things better . We are waiting for CBT for him. As you stated sometimes things don't work out. I hope you get the answer you need as well
That is neglect. It's obvious that your son needs treatment and the mental health team have no business saying they won't help.
Mental illness is horrible in itself, but it can also affect physical health. Being severely underweight is surely enough for the mental health team to take action.
Being offered medication is not a bad thing in itself, and it can certainly improve someone's frame of mind and put them in a better condition for CBT.
But being given medication and told to go away is just not good enough. Can I ask what country you are in? I am in England and know a bit about services here, but I'm not familiar with overseas set ups.
In the meanwhile, it might help him to start on cognitive behavioural therapy with self help books. There are some excellent books out there, and the ones I have found particularly helpful myself are OVercoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, in the excellent Overcoming range, and The OCD Workbook by Bruce M Hyman and Cherry Pedrick. I attach a couple of links to PDFs which you can access which may be helpful.
It's rotten that you're having such a fight to get treatment for you son, but at least he's got you on his side!
Thank you so much for your reply. I live in England too. Unfortunately the region I live in seems to have the worst help for mental illness. My son won't read the self help books but I have got the overcoming ocd book and am reading it. Thanks for your links. I will look at them. I'm really hoping to get CBT for him even if I am forced to pay privately
It's such a horrible illness. And although NHS treatment is very good, it is the waiting that is the problem. There is a residential ward for OCD patients at Springfield Hospital in Tooting, which does take patients from all over the country, and for very severe OCD there are brain implants that can help. I do hope you can get something that works for him. And don't blame yourselves, OCD happens to all sort of people.
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