How do you help someone you love, who has let OCD control every aspect of their life? If the person is on the wrong medication, but does not have health coverage what would you suggest this person do to help control their OCD? They can not function normaly, it affects their every day life, school, work, family, relationships, relationship with the Lord? What do you suggest?
Answer:
That's awful. I feel their pain. Mild OCD can be helped with self-help books on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to an extent. When it becomes as serious as this case sounds, professional help is absolutely necessary. Severe OCD is extremely debilitating and you can't put a monetary value on the lack of freedom it causes. The person MUST see a therapist for CBT and/or medication. CBT generally has a higher success rate than medication for OCD but sometimes both are necessary. Regardless of the cost, they must seek professional help. It may save their life.
Sometimes even medications dont even help. I take medications for mine, and all it does is take the edge off. behavior therapy might be useful. For people without health coverage, sometimes you can go through the state for help.
The biggest thing is patience. My friends own a group home for handicap and also one of their clients are OCD. Pretty much patience is what helps out. When he starts picking at a thread on his pants or something, my friends try to distract him, and make him laugh or something...and all of a sudden the client forgets that he was picking at his pants. This is just an example.
OCD is a mental condition, but there's help. Going to a specialist for cognitive talk therapy which really helps, can make their life easier. It takes time but its worth it.
Try to see if you can't find them a free or reduced cost mental health clinic so the person can perhaps get counseling and get on a medication that will help.
If this person is of "low income" there is a chance that they could apply and be eligible for Medicaid / MediCal. Public funding for health care and prescription medications.
There also is a chance that, if this person is nearing 18 or older, that Social Security Disability may be applied for - and help with medical bills can come through Medicare.
In many / most areas there is a public hospital that works with the poor.
Most areas have a "public mental health" office and services available to people with behavioral and mental health issues, or trauma victims, etc. These fees should be less than the private pay mental health companies.
Working with a person displaying OCD is a difficult and touchy situation. There is some fear that certain things have not been accomplished correctly, or problems with the memory being able to "click-in" that the task was completed before.
Verbally answering to "did you lock the door?" can be very difficult for the person to accept. However, Writing on a piece of paper they can hold in their hand and refer to, spelling out the date and time and who it was that locked the door -- It can help the OCD person to be able to move on and to not obsess over it and it keeps personalities and emotions out of the situation pretty well. The person without OCD will consider ways to minimize the stress for both people. Patience and Calmness are your greatest resource.
Professionals do well in dealing with OCD people, because of their education, training and caring.
Untrained people in the OCD person's life try different approaches out of their imagination and intuition. There are times when even a child can reach and meaningfully reassure the OCD person in ways adults cannot. Don't be afraid to gently try to be a friend. We all need friends.
see if u can get in professionally somewhere with a sliding scale u can afford .and get in counseling and some kind of medications
Counseling. Behavioral desensitization.
You can help everyone sweetie. You aren't a doctor. You could help your friend find some free services, or cheap health insurance...but you can't modify their behavior.
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