Okay, since I have become the "Queen of all things OCD," I have received many questions and calls about my opinions on the recent Oprah Winfrey show regarding OCD Camp. Here are my opinions.
1) ANY kind of information made public about OCD at this point is helpful. Something is always better than nothing.
2) Exposure therapy is a good thing and quite necessary for many forms of OCD. It isn't necessary and effective for ALL forms of OCD. There is also CBT (Cognative Behavior Therapy) that can work wonders for others.
3) Many people with OCD cannot be helped with therapy alone. They will need medication. Especially those in the SSRI category.
4) There is a whole spectrum of OCD compulsions and behaviors. MANY, MANY are not germ related. Since germaphobes receive the most "media attention" it tends to make the others feel insignificant or unacknowledged. If something exists on this planet, an OCD person can receive messages to fear it (i.e. air, plants, buttons, fingernails, spots on the wall, frogs). Compulsions and Obsessions DO NOT HAVE TO BE RELATED. In other words, a person can fear being a child molester but have to avoid contact with gold fish. NO ASSOCIATION. It is mental illness. It doesn't make sense no matter how you slice it.
5) Most people cannot go to a "boot camp" for a week and come home with no OCD. That being said, I do believe the therapy given to those on the Oprah show helped these people greatly. But, they did state on the show that they would continue therapy and some would need meds. Many people go through therapy for months, if not years. And, most people need therapy refereshers. Stressful situations will throw them back into the prison of OCD.
6) The sense of fear that accompanies OCD is staggering. Many OCDers cannot even function due to the fear. Yet, many do not want their OCD to show. That would ruin the whole picture of perfection. So, they melt down at home, for loved ones. That is, if they leave home. I can't tell you how many people will say to me "well, I have never seen Paige act like that." Yep. That's the point.
7) People do not "snap out of" OCD anymore than people snap out of diabetes or cancer. It is harsh but true. It is not an "attention getter." We don't "look for" disabilities in our children, nor do we "make it up." OCD can "tie up" areas of the brain so that someone is incapable of reading or math, etc. For children, it can cause serious damage to school performance. Did I mention that your obsessions and compulsions can change? Uh huh...you can get over one and move onto another.
8) OCD is OFTEN co-morbid. In other words, it is found in conjunction with other disorders such as depression, social anxiety or ADHD. So, the battle isn't against the OCD alone. They are fighting other factors as well. So, if you reject a person with social anxiety because of their OCD behaviors, well...then I am sorry. You have contributed to the social anxiety problem. I guess that's why we are asked to accept EVERYONE and always be compassionate to others, EVEN IF WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ACT THE WAY THEY DO.
9) OCD is expensive...when you can get health care. Can you imagine?
10) Licking your hands after they have been in a dumpster is disgusting. I don't care who you are. Then again, desperate times call for desperate measures. I won't second guess the tactics used on the show (since I wasn't in attendance), but I DO know that exposure therapy and cognative behavioral therapy is uncomfortable at least. Let's take your biggest fear and make you confront it until it no longer phases you. Does that sound attractive? NO walk in the park. It takes courage and dedication.
11) There is a whole different issue regarding OCD and children. I would love for people to understand how difficult it is to get school employees to UNDERSTAND the disorder and how difficult it can be to get accommodations. Then, of course, when you can get them to actually ATTEND school, there is always the survival of the social situations. Did I mention that you have a high absentee rate AND tardy rate? Yep, morning rituals stink and they can be difficult to complete on schedule.
12) Sleep would be another issue not mentioned on the show. Some people with OCD simply cannot sleep because they spend the night ruminating. Their thoughts do not shut off. They often use ipods or televisions to distract them until they are able to sleep. Then, of course, when the depression sets in they cannot stay awake. They sleep to avoid life situations. If you have OCD kids like I do, they like company at night. So you get sleepless nights too! Yippeee!
Fighting OCD is probably one of the most heroic things I have witnessed. Until you see it, you don't get it. People who battle this disorder deserve respect and compassion.
So....did I appreciate the Oprah show? Sure. Was it the best representation of OCD. No, but I'm not an authority on what you can accomplish on television in a measly 60 minutes. The disorder is that complex. What would I prefer? I would love a show such as 20/20 to cover IN DEPTH the impact of OCD on victims, their families and health care system. Maybe we need something like the Jerry Lewis telethon...who knows? But I think the best place to start is to educate yourself and then your children. Teach them compassion for others, irregardless of their behaviors and disabilities . And then put yourself in my place. Imagine it happening to someone you love unconditionally. What if you had to watch your kids suffer? What if it was your spouse? Could you hold on to your marriage?
Okay, this sounded WAY more depressing than I intended! I sure do appreciate that you all care enough to ask questions and understand. I have some good buddies! Just some food for thought!
