What is OCD

I know it has been a long time since I wrote here. We have been busy learning a lot about OCD, a lot about our daughter. Our OCD days are fewer and less extreme. Why? Well once we realized OCD was really a byproduct of stress, it became more manageable. We do have high OCD times, but by charting the stress in our daughter’s life we can predict when the OCD will be worse. Just this week we had a high OCD week, why? She was stressing over getting her retainer. If we can manage the stress in her life we can manage the OCD. No, not all of it, just like me there are things that just gross me out, things that I just can’t live with, that is OCD!

We can not avoid all stress for her, but we can help her manage it. We talk it through, when we recognize it. We acknowledge her feelings, her desire to grow up but yet her fears about growing up. We allow her to take ownership of her feelings.

For a child who couldn’t hardly stand to walk into a barn, she is now working with horses, and riding. We had to convince her that the outcome was worth her worry of dirt under her feat, or the smell of the barn, what ever it was that was causing her OCD. I guess I am saying do not give up it is possible. OCD is really only stress, once you can understand that stress the better you can help your child or yourself. No, it is not easy but it can happen.
It takes time, patience, and the willingness to try to listen and understand.