Hi, I'm new to this forum and hope I get some empathy and helpful answers! My son has suffered from anxiety for years, I've always striven to help him, take him for mindful /meditation type of therapy sessions and more recently, I tried some hypnotherapy but we could only afford a few sessions and I couldn't see it helping much with the OCD anyway. The OCD has gradually been getting worse, it started about 3 years ago as he was leaving primary school, initially it didn't seem to be too bad, or certainly not the main issue...now it has grown into different more debilitating forms and now it seems like it definitely IS the main problem! I took him to the doctor at the beginning of this year because he was struggling at school and getting depressed. She referred him to the 'Early intervention service ' which is offered by Relate, so initially he went to an 8 week support group with other youngsters who have different mental health issues. He found that helpful and made some friends from it, but the leaders could see that he needs further help with the OCD itself. He has been seeing a therapist through Relate, and I believe she is attempting to form a plan of therapy to work through with him, but I've no idea how that is going...I ask him some questions and he tries to answer but it all sounds very vague at the moment...he's been going for 2 and half months now, his OCD was just about manageable during the summer, but it has gone pear shaped since going back to school!! His school are trying to be understanding but of course attendance have been on the phone because he has to have every Monday off to see the counsellor. My main concern is how to deal with it myself, he and I are close and get on well, but I feel such a mixture of negative feelings about the condition. I offer him as much loving support as possible, but I can't help but feel anxious, frustrated, knackered (from work and my own life challenges!); some nights are the worst, last night it took him from 12.30 until 4am to get to bed (he'd fallen asleep on the sofa prior to 12.30, and I had fallen asleep exhausted next my younger son who I'd taken bed earlier). As you can probably tell exhaustion and confusion are the key words here...should I just leave him to get on with his...er its difficult to say rituals, it's more than just that...he'll often get stuck in an uncomfortable position, e.g. crouching or just standing but just so long his legs start aching, staring at something, explaining to it that things will be ok he chants certain things I can't tell what. But what should take about say 20 mins can take him 40 to an hour! I feel helpless and wound up myself, I can't sleep if I know he is in an uncomfortable, possibly upset, and not resting. I've just no idea what I'm supposed to do to help, whether I should be less involved or more involved...is it best to try and see his counsellor...because school are saying they want feedback from how it's going, and currently I've no idea nor how long it is going to take...I mean, how long do these sessions go on for anyway? I'm just completely at a loss nowadays and the rest of the family are affected too. Any advice or suggestions?
