Managing OCD when you have hamsters

[cypher]

I know there are no simple solutions or one size fits all type therapy but I really hope it goes well & they can find a good way to help Emma, be thinking of you & keeping fingers crossed for you both.
You may feel that you're standing on the sidelines not being able to do anything but I have doubt the support you give Emma & your efforts to get her help are making a big difference to her.

[Tildauk]

I am so sorry that your daughter will have to deal with this, however at least as she has a diagnosis she has something she can start tackling

I don't know much about OCD at all I am afraid.

I have had panic attacks though, something I found to really help is something to work through from Ali Harrison on iTunes, its free and really really calms me and manages to help me stop focusing on the merry go round of the panic attack and sort of break out of the circular mental loop you get into. I am not sure the link below is to the thing I meant and I wont be able to check until this evening but I found her thing just with her name originally.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/...260352502?mt=2

If there is a language issue maybe you know someone who could translate it then they could record it or you daughter record it, its pretty simple and short but helps me so much. If you can't find it PM me and I will try to help.

I was recommended Ali's thing from my husbands father who is also a qualified councillor

Oh an good luck, it sounds like you are both doing good things

[greysome]

I have OCD, admittedly I never absolutely had to wash my hands so often although I did have to wash it before changing tasks if it involved handling new objects/things, etc... (ie: after using a pencil if my next task was not going to involve using same pencil; I could, however, go from using a pencil to a pen or vice versa so long as I was the only one handling either of them) and it is difficult but not impossible to find a "normal" way to live with it. In my case, I am on medication that helps to control it, although it's taken for another reason and just happens to also help me out in this area as well. My medication doesn't eliminate my compulsions (although it, along with therapy, has helped to at least make some of them almost disappear so long as I am not stressed)

I'm not sure if this is helping or hurting but soaps do in general dry out the hands--worse, if it's antibacterial soap. If she is using antibacterial soap, she should know that it doesn't actually make your hand any cleaner than using warm/hot (I would suggest warm as before I got it under control, I would make the water as hot as I could which is obviously not good) water and regular soap does. Actually it could lead to super bugs as it can kill off not only good bacteria but leave the stronger 'bad' bacteria to breed. One of the things I will use is a good, safe hand soap that usually has a little bit of moisturizing oil or lotion (I prefer oil) in it--I'm in the US and have also tried my hand at making my own soap/shampoo etc... If she doesn't like using lotions, she may, like me, prefer using oils (bonus: a very little goes a long way). Currently I'm using rose oil that is meant to be used to moisturize the face but I use it for my hands as well and I would like to try lavender at some point. I can't stand to have lotion on my palm though so I may appear a bit funny while I rub only the back of my hands together. Bonus--both rose and lavender are said to help reduce anxiety/tension and even better, plants had to evolve to fight germs as well! Lavender, I know, has anti-bacterial or anti-fungal properties and I believe rose does as well. Another thing I carry around (because most of the time, I can't use public rest rooms) are facial wipes meant to clean your face of make up, dirt and oil, or both as well as a small spray (think travel or make up size) of water. I use the facial wipes to clean when I can't wash my hands (I've also used it to wipe my face and feet), toss it, and then if I need to, I'll spritz some water on my palm to clean up "residue" (it's not logical that I feel the need to wash the "residue" on my palm but not on my face, feet, rest of my hand etc...but as you well know, OCD and logic have a rather unhealthy relationship)

Anxiety wise--different things will help different people. It may help your daughter to have someone she trusts very much around her. In my case, it didn't help--sometimes, I was actually calmer with strangers than people I knew. A sense of anonymity was and is important to me when it comes to controlling my anxiety. Control is a key part in grappling and trying to keep anxiety at bay. Taking deep breaths and calming measures when I could feel anxiety coming on or thought it might come on sometimes helped as well as having a safe space. She (and you) will have to learn and adjust as you look for ways to help her that will work for her.

She's very lucky to have you in her support system. If you and she wish to talk more, feel free to PM me