2013 National OCD Conference - Newcastle

[lovid]

Thanks Ashley for the reply.It will still be interesting to get to meet some of the people on here.I suspect BDD isn't as common as it needs to be to get the attention it needs because it can be absolutely devastating to some..Would there be any opportunities to raise awareness of it at the conference?

[Guest Alex2012]

I will try and make it I have a friend up there I might be able to stay with

[Ashley]

We are hoping to confirm the full agenda later this week, but I can confirm that Prof Freeston will be talking about a subject we have not covered before, and one of interest to himself, when OCD and Religion collide.

He told me, "CBT is usually (but unnecessarily) insensitive to religion and many if not most therapists are unwilling or feel unequipped to engage with the issues when OCD and religion become entangled."

[Ashley]

Thanks Ashley for the reply.It will still be interesting to get to meet some of the people on here.I suspect BDD isn't as common as it needs to be to get the attention it needs because it can be absolutely devastating to some..Would there be any opportunities to raise awareness of it at the conference?

To be honest, we don't really have that many people with BDD use our charity, and I tend to direct people to the BDD Foundation for support. We won't have a full luck at BDD at this years conference, however I have pencilled that in for 2014. But, Niki who will be sharing her OCD story will also be talking about her BDD at this years conference, so there will be a brief look at BDD.

Part of Niki's story can be heard on our OCD Introduction video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YOcjtEzgHs

[Ashley]

Mark's presentation synopsis.

“When OCD and religion get entangled”

For most religious people, their religion and they way they experience it is a central part of their lives and is source of strength, support and solace. It can be a great help for those who experience all kinds of difficulties. For people with OCD who are religious it can be a real help in dealing with the demands of living with OCD and the challenges of treatment and working toward recovery. However there are some people for whom their religion gets entangled with their OCD. First, there are those who experience obsessive thoughts they consider against their values, their true nature, or their sense of what is right and wrong. Their religious beliefs and practices can get caught up in trying to make sense of these thoughts, cause even more distress and become involved in their attempts to control, remove, or prevent the thoughts. Second, we know also that OCD “hijacks” parts of people’s lives that are important to them. There are a group of people for whom OCD has hijacked a really central part of their lives, their religious belief and practice: the content of their obsessions and the nature of their compulsions are religious in nature. What is a normally a source of strength and solace has become an area of complication and distress. This presentation considers some of the ways in which OCD and religion get entangled and some thoughts about how to disentangle them so that people may experience their religion without the complications and distress that OCD can bring.

[lovid]

Is the confernce split into sections so that I could go for just an hour or two if necessary

[Cub]

Is there space still available?

[lovid]

Well I've paid now so I'll have to go :original: .Looking forward to seeing you all there

[Guest Charlotte]

Hi Cub

Yep - there are still places available. It would be lovely to meet you!

And Lovid - look forward to seeing you there! It looks like you're a local from your profile?

Lottie

[lovid]

I think there must be cub because I was just able to buy a ticket now.Maybe see you there? :original:

[lovid]

HI Charlotte.Looking forward to meeting you too.And yes, I only live about 10 miles away (and drive right past the door in my job most days)

[Cub]

I've been interested in coming because I'd like to meet others with OCD. Where would I be able to book a ticket?

There are a couple of problems: I'd be coming in from the South East so I think it would be a chunk of a fare and also, I'd probably have to persuade my parents to let me come; I don't want to open a can of worms here, but they probably wouldn't understand why I'd need to come and as I still live at home, I'm still privy to their rules. I would like to be part of this though and come and meet you.

[Guest Charlotte]

Cub - I'm going to travel from SE too as it's the furthest North I can fly to! I've found a coach that will take me there and back for about £20 (London Victoria to Newcastle) - not ideal but cheap!

Lottie

[Guest Polo]

I hope there are still places available at the end of the month when I get paid. I actually moved to Newcastle at the start of the year and have been very recently diagnosed with OCD, so it's a bit too much of a coincidence that the conference is here not to go!

[Guest Charlotte]

Polo - I'm sure that there will be!

Maybe you could give us some ideas of things to see for those making a weekend out of it?

I look forward to meeting you there,

Lottie

[lovid]

Can I just jump in here a bit too because there's always the Metrocentre not too far away or Eldon Square very close for retail therapy for the ladies(is that sexist)lol and the centre for life for the scientists among us.I'll see if I can think of some other things

[Guest anisanna]

can fly from bristol to newcastle with easyjet

[Guest Erik197834]

Is the conference going to be podcasted, or such like that?

[Ashley]

Is the conference going to be podcasted, or such like that?

I am afraid due to lack of funding we can not live-stream this year, that was something we did last year through a grant. We will record it in some capacity, audio or video, and that should be made available to OCD-UK members at some point in December once we have time to put it together.

[Guest Carlic95]

I'm so excited to hear there's a conference taking place at my own uni! Are there still places available? Please say yes!

[Ashley]

Hi Carlic,

Yep, we have about 100 tickets sold so far, but I think the lecture theatre holds about 350, so we will have plenty of space. We usually get about 200-250 people attend our events most years.

Be great to see someone else new

Ashley.

[Guest Carlic95]

Great thanks where can I get tickets?

[Ashley]

Hi Carlic, bookings can be made online here - http://www.ocduk.org/newcastle

[Guest Carlic95]

Brill thank you

[daisy]

Is there anyone else going from the Surrey/Hants/Bershire area,please,also does anyone know how long it would take by train say from London,and if it could be done in a day,as my ocd too bad at the moment to stay overnight on my own.Don't really know if i could travel yet but would love to be able to be there.

Many thanks.

Edited October 12, 2013 by daisy