Mumsnetters aren't necessarily qualified to help if your child is unwell. If you need professional help, please contact your GP or local mental health support services.
Mumsnetters aren't necessarily qualified to help if your child is unwell. If you need professional help, please contact your GP or local mental health support services.
Child mental health
I need hope. Please tell me some positive OCD recovery stories.
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 17:29
My ds 14 has been in the grips of OCD for 4 years now. 3 refusalz from camhs and finally got put on waiting list March of this year. I paid out for private counselling through the 4 years as I was getting no help and kept getting refused. The intrusive thoughts have been throughout the the 4 years, days where he says he can't go on. In recent months the compulsions have accelerated and it's breaking us as a family, ocd is a horrible bully and is taking over is life. We FINALLY got a camhs face to face appointment last week for an ocd assessment and we've met the psychiatrist who talked to us about Fluoxetine which he will start in new year a long with therapy tailored to OCD. Now I need hope from you, someone said its been so engrained that he may not recover(friend of family) :-( 😞 Can anyone give me some positive OCD recovery stories, especially from people or parents of teenagers that had it and have managed to recovery and lead a happy life. X
JennyForeigner · 19/12/2021 17:35
I can't give you a teenager story, except that I now know I had a mild case as a teen and didn't get help. It really kicked in with PND after the traumatic birth and serious illness of our oldest child.
Fluoxetine worked a treat. Aversion therapy totally worked for me, and what worked best of all was reading. There are some excellent books out there by survivors including (I think) an ex-model called Lily Bailey. She was very very seriously OCD as a child and now active on Twitter etc. Knowing you aren't alone and it is surmountable means the world.
The very best to your son and to you.
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 17:44
@JennyForeigner
Fluoxetine worked a treat. Aversion therapy totally worked for me, and what worked best of all was reading. There are some excellent books out there by survivors including (I think) an ex-model called Lily Bailey. She was very very seriously OCD as a child and now active on Twitter etc. Knowing you aren't alone and it is surmountable means the world.
The very best to your son and to you.
Thanks so much. I feel like I've tried everything in these last 4 years in terms of what to do but will look up those books! I'm so pleased you got the help you needed and Fluoxetine helped too xx
blueshiningsea · 19/12/2021 17:49
I have a similar DC here (13) with severe OCD and also saying he can’t go on, and have tried everything too, CAHMS, private counselling etc but no medication yet. Nothing to add but I really know how you feel and family life for siblings and us is pretty miserable, and my heart sinks when he gets home from school as he is manic and washes his hand til they are raw, has showers, puts all his clothes in the wash and is convinced everything is dirty. It is very very hard to keep being strong and calm for him whilst I am so sad inside.
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 17:55
@blueshiningsea
Its really nice to know someone going through the same. The reason we finally got seen was I spoke to a brilliant locum GP who wrote to them and stressed the urgency, we then finally got the appointment. I bet your mornings are bad too? Getting out the house to do anything is awful, the checking, washing, contamination fears etc....its exhausting isn't it.. sending love ❤
Diddytv · 19/12/2021 17:59
I’m sorry for all you are going through and I am sure you have looked up every possible treatment already. But just wanted to check if you had heard of “pandas” which is associated with sudden onset ocd caused by strep infection.
blueshiningsea · 19/12/2021 18:04
Thank you OP, it’s very isolating isn’t it, I wonder whether I went wrong bringing him up to have created such issues (but my other children are okay) and that every other child seems so well adjusted (I know that’s not the case). And it breaks my heart that he is so unhappy and it’s impacting on his life so detrimentally. Mornings aren’t so bad (but he doesn’t eat breakfast or much at school) but it reaches fever pitch when he gets home (whilst I am trying to wfh). GP were quite helpful but it was just referrals to CAHMS which was all online and he didn’t engage, as with a face to face counsellor I paid for, just monosyllabic responses. I think OCD has genetic trails and there are definitely some in mine and Dhs families
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 18:20
@blueshiningsea
I feel the same but like you my dd is different too and doesn't suffer from anxiety or ocd so I don't think its something I've done. Definitely an hereditary aspect, I suffered badly with intrusive thoughts when I was younger and I do have ocd traits now but they don't rule my life too much. Do you think you dc has any autistic traits. I'm exploring this a the moment.
Notquitemanaging · 19/12/2021 18:22
Hello - teacher here with pastoral responsibilities that mean I see a lot of kids working with camhs or on the waiting list and have seen lots with OCD. I think you have every reason to be very optimistic. It can be a really cruel condition and it is so unfair (and sadly not terribly unusual) that you have had to wait so long for the right help. However, I have seen young people who were once unable to attend school because of OCD in say year nine not only be on full attendance by GCSE year but do well academically and socially and go on to thrive in sixth form. Meds really can help as can CBT when done well. I don’t know if it is something you ever 100% leave behind you so much as learn to manage and address when it flares up, but once one knows what triggers to look for and has strategies which camhs will help for it doesn't need to get in the way of a full and happy life.
PeaceONoeuf · 19/12/2021 18:25
I can.
My child was 13 - rapidly became worse over seven months, tried private therapy, police / ambulances/ completely unable to think rationally. Sectioned. We accessed funding agreement after a local back and forth with the CCG and had intensive treatment at a specialist centre.
He is back in school and scored under the clinical score for OCD now.
PeaceONoeuf · 19/12/2021 18:26
^^ that’s the short version via PTSD, complaints, etc. But he’s still a teenager and has time to join his peers and put it all behind him.
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 18:27
@Diddytv
Yes I have heard of it. I'm not sure if I've connected anything with it. It started age 10 I'd say but he started with having awful panic attacks and a phobia of fainting
blueshiningsea · 19/12/2021 18:28
Notquite thank you very much for taking the time to send such a lovely hopeful message, made me tear up (been a long day). Thank you.
Op - yes I am coming to the conclusion that my DS also has autistic traits, not sure whether to go down that road as wonder whether that label will actually tangibly help him. It’s so hard.
blueshiningsea · 19/12/2021 18:30
Peace - what a journey but sounds like it has all come good in the end, so glad for you
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 19:20
@PeaceONoeuf
My child was 13 - rapidly became worse over seven months, tried private therapy, police / ambulances/ completely unable to think rationally. Sectioned. We accessed funding agreement after a local back and forth with the CCG and had intensive treatment at a specialist centre.
He is back in school and scored under the clinical score for OCD now.
What a story..it must have been excruciating for you but so glad your child is so much better now! X
PeaceONoeuf · 19/12/2021 19:34
Both, I posted so you have some hope . It keener how awful it was and the total despair. I was thinking he’d need care for the rest of his life and now he’s mentioned uni. Try uk parenting children with ocd on Facebook - we have all been there or are there.
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 20:04
@PeaceONoeuf
Thank you! I'm in that group on fb too but feel it's understandably a lot of people in the same position as me and thinking the parents who's children have recovered don't really go on it. I've found it supportive.
PeaceONoeuf · 19/12/2021 20:16
I’ve considered posting our update but I don’t want to unless invited really. I’m in touch off board with a couple of members.
I honestly thought we would be stuck forever with this very ill person and we are so far from that. I would say an ASD diagnosis helps to get the correct therapy - ours was amended to account for it.
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 21:12
@PeaceONoeuf
I honestly thought we would be stuck forever with this very ill person and we are so far from that. I would say an ASD diagnosis helps to get the correct therapy - ours was amended to account for it.
I think it would be great to update if you are able to.
Ocdsucks8613 · 19/12/2021 21:13
@PeaceONoeuf
I honestly thought we would be stuck forever with this very ill person and we are so far from that. I would say an ASD diagnosis helps to get the correct therapy - ours was amended to account for it.
How long was the asd diagnosis for you? I think my ds could be on the autistic spectrum.
Chewbunn · 19/12/2021 21:17
Glad he's finally been able to access some help, you sound like an amazing mum advocating for him and pushing to get an appointment; having a support like you will definitely be an asset to his recovery. Absolutely there is hope, medication often makes a big difference, whilst it's no silver bullet, lots of people find it gives them enough help that they can put into place effective coping mechanisms, or address the underlying issues in therapy etc. It might still be a long road, and unfortunately it's rarely linear with many highs and lows, but more than possible.
blueshiningsea · 19/12/2021 21:29
@Notquitemanaging
Not Quite - do you think hormones have an impact on ocd in your experience? The Op and my DS are both 13/14 similar ages?
PeaceONoeuf · 19/12/2021 21:42
He was diagnosed in hospital although had been added to the waiting list before hand.
Notquitemanaging · 19/12/2021 22:30
I have absolutely no clinical understanding at all, my role is liaising with CAMHS re strategies that work in terms of getting back into school / managing school work etc so don't know if hormones play a role with OCD specifically. I do know that a lot of the kids seem to start having a tricky time in different areas of mental health including OCD but also anxiety / low mood etc around late yr 8 / yr 9 so I guess could well be plausible yes.
Beamur · 19/12/2021 22:44
My DD is 14 and manages her OCD pretty well. It flares up when she is tired or stressed but she's getting better at recognising the signs and taking care of herself.
She first engaged with CAHMS when she was only 8 which I think has been really helpful as we have all been able to understand what's going on and support her. It's also stood her in good stead because it doesn't go away entirely.
It's exhausting for her when it's active - hers is more around intrusive thoughts, but there's a lot of anxiety around contamination. But, with support and effort it is a manageable condition. Knowing that she can and will get better is very helpful when she's having a bad patch.
Therapist also suggested she might want to consider investigating an ASD assessment but she's declined. She thinks she may have autistic traits (I would agree) but it's not a serious or negative thing for her. She's doing well at school, is happy and generally all is well.
I have found it much easier to suggest she seeks help when she's 'well' than when she's struggling, when she's least willing to talk to anyone apart from me and DH.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.