Toilet Phobia

[Guest Arethusa]

Can anyone help? :helpsmilie:

My wife has now developed a total phobia of all toilets, including ones at home. This problem manifested itself during a CBT session back in February. She had agreed with the therapist to tackle her fear of public toilets and went into the staff toilets at the health centre. The plan had been to take small steps. After a few minutes the therapist decided to sit on one of the toilets, without checking with my wife first. she (the therapist) then proceed to wipe her hands all over her clothes. Needless to say my wife threw an absolute wobbly, left the health centre in floods of tears, and hasn't been back since. By association, any mail that we receive from GP etc, the GP surgery, local shops are all now "contaminated" I have tried speaking to the Consultant Phsyciatrist concerning the actions of the therapist, but was basically told it was their way or no way. :diablo: Our GP is even less helpful. :giljotiini:

My wife has totally had it with CBT and indeed the NHS. We are looking at going private for treatment and are considering Hypnotherpay/NLP Has anyone SUCCESSFULLY used this form of reatment of OCD? Please don't try and convice me that CBT is the best method, as obviously in my wife's case it is not.

Thanks

Edited October 18, 2007 by Guest

[Guest Vic]

I never done CBT coz for facing the real world and its associated risks is the best form of CBT.But if Hypnotherapy/NLP work for her then good for her.

I have tried Graphotherapy I get some books regarding it. It doesn't get rid of these thoughts. But it develops my character in facing every day trials.

I think though she continue with CBT :angel:

[mat2dmh]

i have had a similar experience. when exiting a cbt session on the nhs i was directed through a needle exchange for drug users. this did not go down very well with me, i was also crying. i subsequently went privte, they key is to get cbt where your comfortable. you need to know cbt is just a way understanding your thought methods and only go as quick as you choose.

Gemma (users girlfriend)

[Guest anonymous1]

GAH, what kind of theripist does that? I would see a soliciter to see if i could sue for emotinal destress, :dry:, Going private is definatly the best choice, definatly, I mean absolutly no disrespect to the the hard working proffesinals i know are in the NHS, but i could never trust the natinal health service after all the things you hear, Hmmm i don't see how Hypnotherapy can work, becouse doesn't OCD have a chemical base to it?

[catherine]

Hmmm i don't see how Hypnotherapy can work, becouse doesn't OCD have a chemical base to it?

Well I agree with the first bit about hypnotherapy as there is no evidence of its use in OCD, but OCD is linked with an imbalance of the chemical Serotonin in the brain :original:

[Guest Arethusa]

I must admit that I am rather disappointed with the replies to my original question, so I'll try another approach.

Does anyone have a total fear of toilets, similar to my wife ie she will not even use the ones at home. If so, how have you tried to deal with it.

Thanks

Edited October 22, 2007 by Guest

[Biccy]

sorry your disappointed with the answers but you did say you didnt want any more on cbt

but to add my penny worth i had cbt and found it very sucessful and yes its blooming hard

and the exposure sends your anxiety throught the roof but if you stick with it it really does work.

it does not have to be all or nothing but start slowly and then build up a bit at a time and youll soon start

to see the anxiety level go down.

so prehaps her first exposure coudl be just being near the toilet for a few minutes and then build up a bit at a time

then to touching it and so on.

i had a very difficult time with contamination but now im so much better and anything is worth trying

good luck and take care

[Guest legend]

hi arethusa, i dont have toilet fears, but i can see your point in the way the therapist

was to over the top in the way she rubbed her hands all over her clothes after sitting on a toilet,

it was a over the top show, which must of been traumatic for your wife,

but maybe she was trying to prove to your wife, that yes you can sit on a toilet

and there will be no harm, but it was pushed to quickly, this ideally would have happened

maybe after a lot of visits.

Cbt is known to be a good approach to fighting your fears, retraining the thought process,

and it can take months or sometimes more than a year to defeat the ocd.

Whether hypnotherapy works is by giving it a try, who knows it may help dramatically,

but the main thing is that with the CORRECT approach your wife can make a good recovery,

it is overcoming the fears and anxieties.

hope it helps, keep us updated,legend

[whitebeam]

Hi Arethusa,

I used to fear toilets - even those at home. I still have some rituals which are a leftover of my severe OCD days.

I remember at one point thinking 'I will never be able to think about anything except toilets and going to the toilet. How can I go on if this is all I can think about?' I used to mentally assess every single thing that happened - it was very difficult because, like it or not, we have to go to the loo relatively often.

I am now so much better; this has happened with meds, treatment - including exposure treatment - though thankfully that treatment was never so scary as your wife's - and time.

If I'm honest, I think for me the meds have made the biggest difference........but it's a spiral - the meds make it easier to do the exposures, doing the exposures make you feel a little easier about things - then you can do harder exposures, then time helps you to put all you have learned into the equation.

I really hope that things will soon be better for your wife.....

Take care

whitebeam

[Guest Arethusa]

Thankyou whitebeam. This is the really frustrating thing about this whole situation. It took alot of courage for my wife to agree to start tackling the issue with the toilet, and it was all ruined by the therapist's actions. My wife was under earning to be discharged, as she had used her quota of CBT, and this was to be her last chance. I can't help thinking that there were ulterior motives by the the therapist, ie budgets and waiting lists.

[Guest LushAs]

Hi Arethusa,

Firstly, let me say how sorry I am to hear of your wifes appauling treatment. A few weeks ago, my therapist hinted at going to the staff toilets as a way of confronting some lasting fears of toilets however I declined as I dont much like the idea of being put under pressure to move too quickly. In fact, its your wifes case that I fear happening so I do truely empathise with the stress this has caused!

Im recovering from OCD and in treatment yet my fear of toilets is still a central problem. I worry about any form of bodily function in regards to the toilet and so feel the need to wash afterwards. I would never go to the toilet without washing. (Or imagine myself doing it at this stage anyway!)

In fact, the entire bathroom is a problem for me, where I would have to go shower if coming into contact with any of the 80% of the room. I must say, perhaps it would be naive for me to think this fear was ever as problematic as it has been for your wife but I was, back in my severe days terrified of every toilet too!

I hope I manage to give you some sign of hope in saying that slowly but surely I am getting there. I can use club toilets, the other toilet at home as well as numerous other public locations (restuarants, hotels, anywhere I could have a cubicle so people wouldnt scoff at my "unusual" behaviour really!) All I need to do is simply wash my hands afterwards and I dont have any anxiety, much different to how I used to be for sure!

Your wife is never too old to adjust and I am sure that with a little will-power and a load of support from you, she may be able to tackle this fear IN HER OWN TIME. (Maybe her therapist should consider this tactic the next time she tries to thrust another sufferer into a toilet! )

Let me know how you get on, I'd love to hear of any progress made!

[whitebeam]

Hi Arethusa,

When I was first diagnosed, I was given an appt with a counsellor at the GP's surgery. She scared the pants off me!!

Instead of taking me gently through what I might expect, she waded in with talking about exposures that I wouldn't in a million years have done.

I actually decided not to see her after a few meetings as she just made it feel worse and scared.

My next therapist couldn't have been more different - gentle, kind, she took me very carefully through some exposure work with very tiny steps.

I hope your wife will be able to get some alternative treatment - the nature of the therapist is so important.

Take care

whitebeam

[Guest LushAs]

Hi Arethusa,

When I was first diagnosed, I was given an appt with a counsellor at the GP's surgery. She scared the pants off me!!

Instead of taking me gently through what I might expect, she waded in with talking about exposures that I wouldn't in a million years have done.

I actually decided not to see her after a few meetings as she just made it feel worse and scared.

My next therapist couldn't have been more different - gentle, kind, she took me very carefully through some exposure work with very tiny steps.

I hope your wife will be able to get some alternative treatment - the nature of the therapist is so important.

Take care

whitebeam

Hey Arethusa and Whitebeam,

Sorry to post again but I have to say what you stated is so true! Unfortunately, not every therapist is going to be helpful for every person. Some sufferers arent successfully diagnosed by doctors the first time round (which is awful to say the least) and sometimes have to visit different doctors before requiring the help they need. Thankfully, I have not been through such a case but there is no harm in your wife trying somewhere else in an environment where she feels comfortable. For how is she meant to cover any ground when shes not feeling at ease with the therapist?!

I guess in some cases its just a matter of finding the right person and environment/treatment for you, which sadly, at times, takes time to find.

Hope you're well,

LushAs