Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.

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suddenly gone?

needingintimacy
needingintimacy

Hi,


I'm hoping someone can relate or share a similar experience -


My 13 year old son is in an intensive outpatient program for OCD. In early January, seemingly out of nowhere, he became overwhelmed with anxiety. Within a week and a half, he became incapacitated with OCD and other symptoms - had to do and undo actions, walk in certain paths and directions to avoid tangling lines he saw that extended from his and others' bodies, needing to hear and speak words and sounds - and tap objects - a specific number of times, having to restart thoughts if they got interrupted by noises or others. He began banging his head, tearing off clothes, running in circles... if things couldn't be fixed and could no longer go to school or leave the house. He started seeing a psychiatrist - I took him 3 times a week because things rapidly worsened. He began zoloft. At times, he couldn't stand sounds, couldn't move his body, couldn't talk, felt like his skin was going to explode.. He'd ask why noone was helping him all day long and scream that he couldn't take it anymore.


He didn't change his clothes, shower, or brush his teeth for 2 1/2 weeks - then one night he completely lost it - said they were after him and begged to go to the ER. They didn't do much, but 2 nights later we were back and he was screaming that he was going to kill himself if he didn't get help. He was searching for ways to end his life, screaming uncontrollably... The doctors heavily sedated him and said he needed to go directly to a psychiatric hospital. After 4 days in the ER under suicide watch and now on antipsychotics and tranquilizers, he got a bed in a psych hospital where he spent 2 1/2 weeks for his ODC. Once he was stabilized on meds, I took him to the program we are in. They said he's probably be here 7-8 weeks.


We have been here for 2 1/2 weeks, and, out of nowhere, he now says his ocd is napping. It's been 5 days now of no OCD symptoms. The night before they 'disappeared,' he was talking about wanting to end his life becuase the ocd was so intolerable.  Has anyone ever heard of this happening?  Please let me know what you think. I am so worried the program will dismiss him and then he'll relapse, or whatever you want to call it, a few days later and become suicidal again.


THANK YOU!!!!l

Tired
Tired
I guess the drug they put him on is working. But hopefully the program also teaches how to deal with OCD if it comes back. And meds can be adjusted or changed it they stop working. Talk to the therapists and doctors there. Tell them about your concerns and ask questions.
HappynessHappens
HappynessHappens
Hello friend. Gosh I'm so sorry your son and your family are dealing with all that. In my situation anxiety and OCD run in my family. But it did feel like it came out of no where, suddenly and extreme. One day I was at work and then a few days later I felt like I had to keep washing my arm convinced it wasn't clean. It got progressively worse. Luckily for me, my father was a therapist. He helped me with it until I went into cognitive behavioral therapy on my own. Yes the fear and desperation are so extreme at times that you become suicidal. This unfortunately comes with the territory. But its important that your son know that these feelings are only temporary. Give him options and support which it sounds like you are doing. You can't be there every minute so its good he has professionals to help him. This site is good fir support and the suicide hotline or a 24 hour nurse line is helpful for the middle of the night. Have faith. It will get better. I know this frightening and stressful to see your son going through this. My father experienced this himself and ended up in the state hospital in his 20's. This was back in the 60's when they're wasn't much information about these disorders. In time he did research on his own and learned how to over come it all. Years later he became a therapist so he could help people with the same problems. Even so, it was heartbreaking for him to see me go through it. Just keep doing what you doing. It will be okay. Blessings to you.
ksf
ksf
I am not a doctor, but my nine year old daughter suffered close to the same thing. She was almost hospitalized but I kept searching. I thought intense treatment would help her OCD along with medication but there was a waiting list every place I turned. What she actually had was something called PANS...............pediatric acute neuropsychiatric sydrome. This is brought on by a viral infection that she had on 9/9 and another on 10/26. There is another one called PANDAS brought on by a strep infection. Look back at your calendar and see if he missed school for strep or a nasty cold/sore throat. Both of these are autoimmune disorders. People with rheumatism or fybromyalgia have their joints or nerves attached, kids with PANS/PANDAS are severely ill because the bacteria from the infection is attacking the brain. It is an awful disorder. He may not have this but you may want to get a ASO titer test and DNase test to rule out an strep bacteria.
I was fortunate enough to located a doctor in Detroit that treats PANDAS./PANS. He is a neurological chiropractor and has helped immensely. You may want to check the pandas network and pandas project.
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