Posted by jerrympls on June 9, 2006, at 5:01:26
HI everyone-
My younger brother (30yrs old) has been battling OCD since he was 13. He had been very stubborn about getting treatment for it until recently. He broke down and told me that his compusions and obessive behaviors are so bad that he can barely function. He doesn't have insurance so I've been trying to help him out the best I can. I recently bought him a book called "The OCD Workbook" which came highly recommended. I sent it to him and after he got it he called ( i wasn't home) and left a distressing voicemail message. Apparently in the introduction of the book it states that OCD cannot be cured. Well, apparently his expectations were that OCD COULD be cured and that he'd have some peace at last. His message was basically him crying - almost out of control - because of the "non-curable" statement. I called him back as soon as I got the message and explained that what the book was trying to say was that OCD like other mental illnesses is like diabetes - where you can take medication and therapy to control the symptoms and achieve remission - but he doesn't understand this. He thinks that now he'll be plagued by his OCD forever.
How can I better explain remission vs. cure for him? He feels extremely hopless now that he'll never get better and it really worries me that he's in such turmoil over this. I guess he thought that the book would have information on how to "cure" his OCD - but he's missing the point and I don't know who to explain it to him.
Can anyone help me?? I really need some advice ASAP - he's in bad shape. BTW - he lives in the Chicago area and DESPERATELY needs to start seeing a therapist - but where to go when he has no insurance????
PLEASE - someone help me....
Thanks in advance!
Jerry
poster:jerrympls
thread:654748
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060604/msgs/654748.html