Hi Sophie I am from the UK and am 64 years old. I have severe contamination OCD, anxiety, agoraphobia and panic disorder (and used to have severe clinical depression - because of my OCD). I currently have around 80% control over my OCD in that the thoughts are there most of the time but I tend to ruminate rather than doing physical compulsions. So, at least I can go out of my house and see my friends on good days and sit down and do research.
I have had some very poor treatment from professionals in the UK in the past. My first GP (doctor) almost ruined my marriage by telling my husband that I was not ill and was simply controlling and manipulative. This was despite my having been diagnosed by two psychiatrists and having had OCD for around 20 years. His sole aim was to keep me at work. When I got suicidal in my early 40s he sent me away and told me to come back again in six weeks even though he knew my life was at risk. He should have realised (as my current doctor knew) that I needed to be referred to a specialist NHS hopital for inpatient treatment. In fact, when I did get into The Bethlem Hospital several years later they agreed I was very ill and admitted me for several months and helped me to get a very high degree of control. I kept this control for 12 years so it was well worth the money spent by the government. Since then, I hardly ever visit my doctor and pay for any treatment I need out of my pension. I pay because of the long waiting list for NHS treatment.
My first GP did give me help,but it was outpatient treatment only. Some of those I saw were really good (especially two psychiatric nurses who never gave up on me. However, the last NHS professional I saw before I was admitted to The Bethlem (a trained psychologist) was responsible for greatly worsening my condition. She was really aggressive and upset me by telling me off. This sparked off a severe contamination thought which has never left me to this day. Had I been stronger, I would have gone back into the hospital and told her how her attitude had caused me problems. But being vulnerable I went home in tears. I still feel angry to this day about her attitude.
I am convinced that most of my problems with professionals was caused by lack of understanding of OCD and lack of training. The prevalent attitude seemed to be that I was putting my OCD on and was a 'heart sink' patient - ie their hearts sank when I entered the room as they did not know how to best help me.
I believe that the way forward in the UK and the USA alike is for more professionals to be trained in treating OCD and for these professionals to train up and pay OCD sufferers with good control to work alongside them as ERP assistants or mentors. I know there is a mentor system in the USA. So I do not believe that this would cause problems provided they were trained to the correct standard.
I am currently in the process of self publishing an international book on OCD from the sufferer's perspective which contains several stories like mine. The contributors come from the UK, the USA, India, Singapore and Europe. Its aim is to improve treatment and increase awareness and it is entirely for charity in that any profits will be donated to OCD charities. I edited the book partly because of my poor experiences but also because so many people have and continue to experience poor treatment.
I am aware that OCD is not curable but it can be brought under a high degree of control with good professional treatment. Providing good professional treatment is cost effective in that, once we have good control we will hopefully be able to work again, go to Uni as I did, or do helpful research from home.
Anne Watkins (BA (history), MA, (International Relations) PhD (Arab and Islamic Studies/ Middle East Politics)
Hi Sophie
ReplyDeleteI am from the UK and am 64 years old. I have severe contamination OCD, anxiety, agoraphobia and panic disorder (and used to have severe clinical depression - because of my OCD). I currently have around 80% control over my OCD in that the thoughts are there most of the time but I tend to ruminate rather than doing physical compulsions. So, at least I can go out of my house and see my friends on good days and sit down and do research.
I have had some very poor treatment from professionals in the UK in the past. My first GP (doctor) almost ruined my marriage by telling my husband that I was not ill and was simply controlling and manipulative. This was despite my having been diagnosed by two psychiatrists and having had OCD for around 20 years. His sole aim was to keep me at work. When I got suicidal in my early 40s he sent me away and told me to come back again in six weeks even though he knew my life was at risk. He should have realised (as my current doctor knew) that I needed to be referred to a specialist NHS hopital for inpatient treatment. In fact, when I did get into The Bethlem Hospital several years later they agreed I was very ill and admitted me for several months and helped me to get a very high degree of control. I kept this control for 12 years so it was well worth the money spent by the government. Since then, I hardly ever visit my doctor and pay for any treatment I need out of my pension. I pay because of the long waiting list for NHS treatment.
My first GP did give me help,but it was outpatient treatment only. Some of those I saw were really good (especially two psychiatric nurses who never gave up on me. However, the last NHS professional I saw before I was admitted to The Bethlem (a trained psychologist) was responsible for greatly worsening my condition. She was really aggressive and upset me by telling me off. This sparked off a severe contamination thought which has never left me to this day. Had I been stronger, I would have gone back into the hospital and told her how her attitude had caused me problems. But being vulnerable I went home in tears. I still feel angry to this day about her attitude.
I am convinced that most of my problems with professionals was caused by lack of understanding of OCD and lack of training. The prevalent attitude seemed to be that I was putting my OCD on and was a 'heart sink' patient - ie their hearts sank when I entered the room as they did not know how to best help me.
I believe that the way forward in the UK and the USA alike is for more professionals to be trained in treating OCD and for these professionals to train up and pay OCD sufferers with good control to work alongside them as ERP assistants or mentors. I know there is a mentor system in the USA. So I do not believe that this would cause problems provided they were trained to the correct standard.
I am currently in the process of self publishing an international book on OCD from the sufferer's perspective which contains several stories like mine. The contributors come from the UK, the USA, India, Singapore and Europe. Its aim is to improve treatment and increase awareness and it is entirely for charity in that any profits will be donated to OCD charities. I edited the book partly because of my poor experiences but also because so many people have and continue to experience poor treatment.
I am aware that OCD is not curable but it can be brought under a high degree of control with good professional treatment. Providing good professional treatment is cost effective in that, once we have good control we will hopefully be able to work again, go to Uni as I did, or do helpful research from home.
Anne Watkins (BA (history), MA, (International Relations) PhD (Arab and Islamic Studies/ Middle East Politics)