dannic1
01-06-2008, 03:24 PM
Hi all,
Is there any book that states that focus on normal bodily functions is actually an OCD symptom? I have found one book - just wondering what other material is out there for me to read? I am currently in therapy. My therapist has me writing down my thoughts to get them out onto paper and to challenge them to help with the "closed loop" thinking. She also has me identifying the irrational thought behind a "trigger thought" and then to find a rational response. I'm still not on meds., but there are days I'm wondering if I should try one? I have also found a registered dietician who knows how to increase serotonin through diet - has anyone found success with changing their diet or through exercise? I have the wonderfully annoying "swallowing" obsession, which had left me for 26 years and then decided to come back again. I've had all different signs/symptoms throughout my life, but this one is the pits. The other two I seem to have right now are checking stove knobs and checking the garage door to make sure that it's shut. I also have this odd little quirk. I keep my right foot slightly elevated, like keep my heel up, sometimes when I'm standing. I have no idea why I do this! lol I also like to count my food as I'm eating and for whatever reason, like to eat only even amounts of foods. I've noticed some social anxiety along with my OCD, which I have read is pretty normal. I'm a woman of great faith and it sustains me through all of this craziness.
danni
Is there any book that states that focus on normal bodily functions is actually an OCD symptom? I have found one book - just wondering what other material is out there for me to read? I am currently in therapy. My therapist has me writing down my thoughts to get them out onto paper and to challenge them to help with the "closed loop" thinking. She also has me identifying the irrational thought behind a "trigger thought" and then to find a rational response. I'm still not on meds., but there are days I'm wondering if I should try one? I have also found a registered dietician who knows how to increase serotonin through diet - has anyone found success with changing their diet or through exercise? I have the wonderfully annoying "swallowing" obsession, which had left me for 26 years and then decided to come back again. I've had all different signs/symptoms throughout my life, but this one is the pits. The other two I seem to have right now are checking stove knobs and checking the garage door to make sure that it's shut. I also have this odd little quirk. I keep my right foot slightly elevated, like keep my heel up, sometimes when I'm standing. I have no idea why I do this! lol I also like to count my food as I'm eating and for whatever reason, like to eat only even amounts of foods. I've noticed some social anxiety along with my OCD, which I have read is pretty normal. I'm a woman of great faith and it sustains me through all of this craziness.
danni
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motherofOCD
01-07-2008, 03:30 PM
Danni, I'm wondering if you would mind sharing more about your swallowing issue. My daughter has developed a new obsessive-compulsive thing where she can't bring herself to swallow her spit. It happened over Christmas break and today was her first day back at school so I've been worried about her all day. This is her first ritual (I guess?) that is going to be a big problem for her in public. I'm working on finding her a psychologist who does CBT or can refer her to someone who does.
I did find a book online last night that has a case description of a girl who wouldn't swallow her spit who was first diagnosed with an eating disorder. She was afraid of the germs that her saliva might contain. I don't think it's exactly what you are looking for though:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Casebook
By John H. Greist, James W. Jefferson
I did find a book online last night that has a case description of a girl who wouldn't swallow her spit who was first diagnosed with an eating disorder. She was afraid of the germs that her saliva might contain. I don't think it's exactly what you are looking for though:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Casebook
By John H. Greist, James W. Jefferson
dannic1
01-18-2008, 11:11 PM
Hi,
Sorry for the late response. I haven't been on the health board in awhile.
Mine is sort of a "focus" on my swallowing. I had it back in high school under a lot of anxiety and after a total change in my living situation. I moved from one state to another and started living with my mother, grandmother and my step-father. I think mine is sort of a fear of swallowing too much, which I have read is an OCD symptom. I read it in a book called Confronting the Bully of OCD by Linda Maran. It went away shortly after I graduated high school and I went about 26 years without it. I think I've always had OCD and have just had differnt forms of it throughout the years, without knowing what it was that I had. Back in around March of 2006, I had met a man over the internet. I guess the relationship was causing me anxiety and then the focus on my swallowing came back. I have learned to sort of re-focus my brain and stop the constant thinking of my swallowing, oddly enough, by chewing gum. Even if I don't chew it, if I just have it in my mouth, it seems to help me to relax and stop obsessing. I seem to be doing a lot better now with my behavior therapy. I found my therapist by going on the OCD Foundation's website. I am also a huge believer in the healing power of prayer.
Please let me know if I can help you in any other way. OCD is such an odd disorder and can take on virtually any form, I have been told, as unique as the person themselves.
Blessings to you - your daughter is in my thoughts and my prayers.
danni
Sorry for the late response. I haven't been on the health board in awhile.
Mine is sort of a "focus" on my swallowing. I had it back in high school under a lot of anxiety and after a total change in my living situation. I moved from one state to another and started living with my mother, grandmother and my step-father. I think mine is sort of a fear of swallowing too much, which I have read is an OCD symptom. I read it in a book called Confronting the Bully of OCD by Linda Maran. It went away shortly after I graduated high school and I went about 26 years without it. I think I've always had OCD and have just had differnt forms of it throughout the years, without knowing what it was that I had. Back in around March of 2006, I had met a man over the internet. I guess the relationship was causing me anxiety and then the focus on my swallowing came back. I have learned to sort of re-focus my brain and stop the constant thinking of my swallowing, oddly enough, by chewing gum. Even if I don't chew it, if I just have it in my mouth, it seems to help me to relax and stop obsessing. I seem to be doing a lot better now with my behavior therapy. I found my therapist by going on the OCD Foundation's website. I am also a huge believer in the healing power of prayer.
Please let me know if I can help you in any other way. OCD is such an odd disorder and can take on virtually any form, I have been told, as unique as the person themselves.
Blessings to you - your daughter is in my thoughts and my prayers.
danni
motherofOCD
01-19-2008, 11:31 AM
Thanks Danni.
I found a psychologist on the OCFoundation website. Unfortunately she is not taking new patients right now, but she gave me a couple of recommendations and my daughter now has an appointment scheduled which is a huge relief. She had to wait two weeks, but it is so hard to find anybody trained in the treatment of OCD that there was really an option to the wait.
I found a psychologist on the OCFoundation website. Unfortunately she is not taking new patients right now, but she gave me a couple of recommendations and my daughter now has an appointment scheduled which is a huge relief. She had to wait two weeks, but it is so hard to find anybody trained in the treatment of OCD that there was really an option to the wait.
dannic1
01-21-2008, 10:38 PM
motherofocd,
I'm so glad that you now have an appointment. It will open the road up to helping your daughter - you are on the right track. I, unfortunately, had to miss therapy today, because I was feeling under the weather. However, I have "homework" to do for my therapist.
If you don't mind my asking, why is she afraid to swallow? Mine is more like a fear of judgement - like people noticing that I might swallow more frequently than normal. I know we all swallow throughout the day, but I think somehow I just became "focused" on it again - like blinking - we don't notice and we all do it throughout the day. I used to feel so "normal" - I hadn't focused on my swallowing since high school - several years ago. Stress is a precursor to so much. Stress triggered this episode. If you don't mind sharing, what do you feel triggered the episode in your daughter? After my daughter was born 9 years ago, it was the obsession with not being around second-hand smoke. Mine wax and wane - come and go. I pray that "this too shall pass". I keep my faith and pray for God to take this disorder from me. My faith sustains me. : )
Blessings to you and your daughter,
danni
I'm so glad that you now have an appointment. It will open the road up to helping your daughter - you are on the right track. I, unfortunately, had to miss therapy today, because I was feeling under the weather. However, I have "homework" to do for my therapist.
If you don't mind my asking, why is she afraid to swallow? Mine is more like a fear of judgement - like people noticing that I might swallow more frequently than normal. I know we all swallow throughout the day, but I think somehow I just became "focused" on it again - like blinking - we don't notice and we all do it throughout the day. I used to feel so "normal" - I hadn't focused on my swallowing since high school - several years ago. Stress is a precursor to so much. Stress triggered this episode. If you don't mind sharing, what do you feel triggered the episode in your daughter? After my daughter was born 9 years ago, it was the obsession with not being around second-hand smoke. Mine wax and wane - come and go. I pray that "this too shall pass". I keep my faith and pray for God to take this disorder from me. My faith sustains me. : )
Blessings to you and your daughter,
danni
motherofOCD
01-22-2008, 12:46 AM
Danni,
She told me that she can't swallow because "it's gross." I'm sure it's difficult to process some of her compulsions into words as she's just starting to research and understand her OCD. The swallowing issue has subsided a lot but I still notice once in a while that she has a mouthful of spit. The hand washing is out of control though. Her hands are heartbreaking to see. If someone were to look at just her hands they might guess that she was someone's grandmother instead of an adolescent.
As far as what stress has brought this most recent episode on, she's had a lot of big changes in the last 6-8 months so it's hard to point to only one thing. She started high school and there have been some issues there. She's a very talented musician and she ended up going into the new high school as first chair and there was some fallout from some of the older students. That seemed to resolve itself when she dropped down a couple of chairs (I sometimes wonder if she sabotaged herself to get rid of the pressure). She has a hard time in science class because the teacher handles a lot of chemicals which are a big trigger for her. Other than those issues she's been having a really good time in school, expanding her circle of friends and finding new interests. I think the biggest thing is that her father remarried last summer, so, half time (we split time with the kids evenly - every other week) she now has a completely new living situation. New house, new step-mother, new step siblings. It's a difficult adjustment for any kid (or adult, for that matter), so for someone with OCD I'm sure it's that much more intense.
It's kind of a revelation to write it all out like that. I mean, I was aware of all of those things but when I step back and look at the amount of stress she's under, it's no wonder her issues have become so pronounced.
The upside is that her father and I have a really good working relationship so we're able to communicate well about things going on in the kids' lives and he's very committed to helping the kids through the process of adjusting to the new "blended family."
She told me that she can't swallow because "it's gross." I'm sure it's difficult to process some of her compulsions into words as she's just starting to research and understand her OCD. The swallowing issue has subsided a lot but I still notice once in a while that she has a mouthful of spit. The hand washing is out of control though. Her hands are heartbreaking to see. If someone were to look at just her hands they might guess that she was someone's grandmother instead of an adolescent.
As far as what stress has brought this most recent episode on, she's had a lot of big changes in the last 6-8 months so it's hard to point to only one thing. She started high school and there have been some issues there. She's a very talented musician and she ended up going into the new high school as first chair and there was some fallout from some of the older students. That seemed to resolve itself when she dropped down a couple of chairs (I sometimes wonder if she sabotaged herself to get rid of the pressure). She has a hard time in science class because the teacher handles a lot of chemicals which are a big trigger for her. Other than those issues she's been having a really good time in school, expanding her circle of friends and finding new interests. I think the biggest thing is that her father remarried last summer, so, half time (we split time with the kids evenly - every other week) she now has a completely new living situation. New house, new step-mother, new step siblings. It's a difficult adjustment for any kid (or adult, for that matter), so for someone with OCD I'm sure it's that much more intense.
It's kind of a revelation to write it all out like that. I mean, I was aware of all of those things but when I step back and look at the amount of stress she's under, it's no wonder her issues have become so pronounced.
The upside is that her father and I have a really good working relationship so we're able to communicate well about things going on in the kids' lives and he's very committed to helping the kids through the process of adjusting to the new "blended family."
dannic1
02-16-2008, 07:38 PM
Hi,
I pray that your daughter is doing better. Mine comes and goes - good days and not-so-good days, but I keep my faith in God to heal me of this miserable disorder. I haven't been to therapy in almost a month due to being busy at work, so I'm sure that isn't helping any. Therapy is the one thing that keeps me encouraged and makes me feel like I'm not battling this problem alone. The more I read on the internet, the more I think the swallowing issue is definitely OCD or anxiety-related. It was SO nice having it leave for the 26 years that it was gone. I pray for the return of normalcy to my life again. : )
I, too, had an entire change in my living situation back in high school, that triggered my OCD. I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't trigger it in your daughter.
You are in my thoughts and my prayers. Let me know how she is doing.
danni
I pray that your daughter is doing better. Mine comes and goes - good days and not-so-good days, but I keep my faith in God to heal me of this miserable disorder. I haven't been to therapy in almost a month due to being busy at work, so I'm sure that isn't helping any. Therapy is the one thing that keeps me encouraged and makes me feel like I'm not battling this problem alone. The more I read on the internet, the more I think the swallowing issue is definitely OCD or anxiety-related. It was SO nice having it leave for the 26 years that it was gone. I pray for the return of normalcy to my life again. : )
I, too, had an entire change in my living situation back in high school, that triggered my OCD. I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't trigger it in your daughter.
You are in my thoughts and my prayers. Let me know how she is doing.
danni