Managing OCD when you have hamsters

[hammy2]

You are right Donkey. OCD is harder to overcome you need a lot of patience and have to swap one behavior for another

[Chiela]

OMG this is why I love this Forum
So many people always willing to help. Thank you all.

Fluffagrams >>
Emma is hypersensitiv too, Luckily not as bad as what you describe, but never the less she is. We tried to convince her, to use cotton or rubber gloves in so many situations. For instance in school she has to wash her hands after every class, only because she has used a pencil and maybe it rubbed off on her hand, and this could maybe make her sick, here the cotton gloves would solve the problem.
But she is a bit vary to this idea, as she don't want to be different.
Only problem here is that she is different in the sense that she has certain things, she needs to learn how to get around, and/or accept.
But I hope that you telling her, how it has been for you, she will learn to accept her problems. Thank you ^^

Charcobain >>
No not yet unfortunately
"The system" here has failed Emma a bit.
Emma has been referred to a psychiatrist, as here it is them whom make diagnoses one may have. And then they referrer you to what ever is necessary. Emma came to talk to the psychiatrist, but was met by a psychologist
All though he was nice and toke her very serious, he could only say, well there is no doubt, that she has OCD but unfortunately I am not allowed to make this diagnoses. I was like.... WHAAT???
This was just like wasting our time.... Emmas time.
He further more said: "As she don't need to be hospitalized in the psychiatric ward, I can't help her".
I got so angry....
He was really standing there, saying that my daughter couldn't get any help just because her problem was not bad enough.
Anyway I have gone higher up in the hierarchy, and we are now waiting for Emma getting to talk to someone that can help her.
But back to your suggestion Thank you, I will tell them this problem, and hopefully this is something concrete they can help her with.

Thin Lizzy >>
Also to you thank you for sharing
Emma felt so sorry for you, as I read your comment for her. As she understood everything you said. She asked me to tell you the following; "Luckilly her hands haven't bleed yet". All though they feel like sandpaper. :/
Off course I want to do everything I can to help her, I feel the system has failed her, and I can't just stand there watching her fall apart without at least trying to help her.
As I said to Charcobain, Emma should have talked to a specialist in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. But as they are just giving me the run around i have been searching for information myself, both online and in the OCD union in Denmark.
I will go get some antibacterial wipes for her tomorrow (really good idea thank you), the alcohol gel is to hard on her hands.

Got interrupted as I was writing this, by Emma wanting to try and put Poro in the playpen.
WOOP WOOP What a succes, Poro stayed there for 5 - 6 min, before freaking out, and Emma could actually put her hands down in the playpen to Poro.
Poro seemed calmer as she was able to smell Emma all the time (At least thats what I tell myself). No matter what, for us it was a double succes

virtualkeith >>
No I haden't thought about telling her that, but you are absolutely right.
You should have seen her face, when I told her earlier this afternoon LOL.
Don't apologize, this was more than welcome.
I think I am a little tired as, this is something I really know all about.
The diseases I have is an over active immune defense system that attacks myself, as it sees good bacteria's as bad and therefor attacks them, causing a chronic inflammatory infection.
So thank you for reminding me ^^

Again thank you all, and sorry for the long reply.
Love you guys

[charcobain]

That's awful.. I know mental health places are high demand, and I've been told before I wasn't going to hospitilised because I wasn't bad enough, and as much as it makes you angry because it's a last resort, take it as a good thing, they're saying she can get better on her own, I only see it that way now I'm better..Perhaps talk to her doctor/GP, they may be able to refer you elsewhere.

[Chiela]

Hammy2 >>
Thank you a lot for your understanding! It really means a lot to Emma. Even though, as Donkey mentioned, a phobia and OCD isn't quite the same; it does mean a lot to her that someone can relate in some way!

Donkey and Coco >>
I couldn't agree more!
I'm so happy to read your oppinion on CBT vs medication, as it's a personal belief that medication is a last resort kind-of-thing.
There's a huge gap between Emma's good and bad days, but I really do hope she will learn to manage it so that she can live a normal life.
I did explain a littlebit about our health service letting us down in my previous post. I'm trying to work something out and contact someone higher in the health service and have backup from our doctor, school and after school club - so I really hope they will reconsider.
We really want her to start CBT, as I believe that is the way forward. So that is sort of our goal

One of Emma's scariest problems caused by the OCD is the panic attacks. They seem to appear very suddenly with little to no warning. This is why it's so important for her to stay close to someone she trusts. I will add that luckily Emma still has her fantastic sense of humour. Sometimes when she asks if she needs to wash her hands (again ), I give her a very exhausted look and she will laugh - and wash her hands anyway.
I think this is a really good sign

Thank you Coco for recommending the book! I will certainly have a look at it
and thank you both for the understanding and insight. I'm sorry if this reply is short, but english isnt my first language and I do find it a bit difficult to express myself fully. However, don't mistake how much your replies mean to the both of us

[Thin Lizzy]

Chiela, don't let the doctor fob you off. Ask for a second opinion. I find the antibacterial wipes a lot nicer and kinder to my skin. My reasons for using these wipes is for before I handle Twinkle and afterwards. It's not an OCD thing. That period I went through was hellish, I saw the bleeding as clean. Emma's got great support from you,
You've already made progress earlier with Emma putting her hands in the playpen.
Well done Emma, that's such a positive step.
I did go through OCD not so long ago but, this time it was checking things over and over and things having to be done a certain way and the anxiety if it wasn't.
It drove colleagues crazy but, once I explained they read about it to understand.

[Thin Lizzy]

Chiela, don't let the doctor fob you off. Ask for a second opinion. I find the antibacterial wipes a lot nicer and kinder to my skin. My reasons for using these wipes is for before I handle Twinkle and afterwards. It's not an OCD thing. That period I went through was hellish, I saw the bleeding as clean. Emma's got great support from you,
You've already made progress earlier with Emma putting her hands in the playpen.
Well done Emma, that's such a positive step.
I did go through OCD not so long ago but, this time it was checking things over and over and things having to be done a certain way and the anxiety if it wasn't.
It drove colleagues crazy but, once I explained they read about it to understand.

[virtualkeith]

Hi again Chiela,

I am more than familiar with auto immune dysfunction as I suffer myself from it. It seems to be one of the ailments that modern medicine has not found a cure for.

[Chiela]

Thin Lizzy >>
And you comment on things twice I see

No seriously, yes OCD is an awful thing to go through. It honestly hurts me (even though it's driving me crazy ) to see Emma go through this.

I can see how it affects Emma, and I have also had to read a lot about it and even ask questions to understand, but even then I don't think that I or other people for that matter fully understand. I think that only the person with OCD completely understand.
Emma say that if she doesn't ask, she feel anxious, and that it irritates her that she can't "stop her brain". And all the things she can't make herself touch. And the thing is that (just to put everything right) Emma ain't stupid... She actually has a very god intelligence (fairly high IQ). But this stresses her out and makes her so so tired.

So I will go all the way (if you get my point) to make sure she get's the help and support that she needs. Like I said this is an awful state to be in.

Virtualkeith >>
Send you a PM

[Pebbles82]

I agree about the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - it helps to think about things differently and learn to rationalize emotions (hard to explain). I was also wondering if hypnotherapy might help - it can help when people are 'blocked' over something and might release the block. Although it would be important to find someone qualified and reputable - some psychologists are also hypnotherapists. I was hypnotised once by a dentist who was the head of hypnosis in dentistry. Not the same as hypnotherapy, but I had a partial tooth extraction done without anaesthetic - and through the hypnosis I could control things and turn any pain felt down with an imaginary dial. So it can be quite powerful in giving a feeling of control and he said, if practised, or taught regularly you can easily go into self hypnosis to control things like fears or pain.

I'm no expert but it does sound like this is an anxiety condition triggered by the trauma of seeing you nearly die due to an infection, when she was at an impressionable age. I am sure this could be sorted with the right therapy and CBT would be a good start - but you could also try hypnotherapy and see if it works. Similar principle except your subconscious is rationalized rather than your conscious. Just confused myself there! So sorry she has this condition, but I think it can be treated. As Keith says there can be friendly bacteria as well as harmful ones. I don't suppose it would help to tell her that Hamsters don't have germs would it?

[Chiela]

Serendipity >>
I couldn't agree more What an interesting idea thank you this is something i will check out for sure.
I believe that there may be something there worth investigating.

I don't suppose it would help to tell her that Hamsters don't have germs would it?

I asked Emma and you should have seen her face LOL
She just lifted one eyebrow and laughed a little,
2 sec after she asked ; "really?", "how does she know that?" and "is she sure?" LOL
So I guess she challenged you a bit I am almost glad that it wasn't me that said that, then I would really be in trouble LOL