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A happy share, if you don't mind!


Guest Bushbaby

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Guest Bushbaby

Hi

There are so many sad and distressing OCD stories, would anybody mind if I shared something positive?

My daughter has OCD, BDD and Asperger's Syndrome and boy does she go through every emotion during every single day. She has been to hell and back with her condition and spent 6 months as an inpatient at the age of 12. She battles through and refuses to accept any support, although her A Level exams had to be taken in a separate room from the rest of the college students. The room was soundproofed and she wore ear defenders, spending time thinking of the answers to questions while battling intrusive thoughts and worries about people thinking she is ugly. Watching her in tears before her exams telling me how unfair it is that most of the students just have exams to focus on while she has to battle the intrusive thoughts on a massive scale.

Today she received her A Level results and I am so very proud of her. She achieved an A* in Psychology, A* in General Studies, A in Law and B in Geography. She is absolutely buzzing and fingers crossed she takes up her place at Newcastle University. She wants to, but OCD will try to talk her out of it.

Things are grim at times living with OCD both as a sufferer and a family member, but I have to praise her resilience and bloody-minded attitude to plough on. Our tortured family members can still achieve their best and there is hope in all the challenges we all face.

Today we kicked OCD's backside! I am the proudest mum alive!

Thanks for letting me share.

Julie

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Guest Origibark

That's incredible and inspirational, to keep going when the odds are against you an come out on top, a true victory against this condition.

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Julie that is fantastic news and many congratulations to your daughter, you must be so proud and so must she!!

All the people I know whose children had results today are going to Newcastle, must be a special place!

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Guest Bushbaby

Thank you all for your supportive comments. Much appreciated.

My daughter is currently having a major 'going to Uni' wobble. She has 2 days left to accept her accommodation. Newcastle Uni have already gone above and beyond for her. They have invited her to a two day induction before the other students start with workshops on how to cope with finance, stress, workload, accessing support etc, but she's refusing to attend, saying she wants to be like everybody else, which I fully understand, but I can also see the benefits of attending. It is frustrating that she won't accept help even when it is offered on a plate, but she is so single-minded at times. The event has been put on for students with similar conditions, which is really impressive and inclusive. They have also given her her first choice of accommodation, so she falls out of bed and in two minutes is actually at her place of study. This will help with her morning BDD/OCD rituals. Can't fault the University at all for their support. She has a study needs assessment at the University on Wednesday morning, so that may help to focus her thoughts.

I have told my daughter that it is totally up to her whether she goes to Uni or not and that I will support her whatever her decision is. I totally understand how stressful this must be for her as she is battling leaving home and her condition, which is a double whammy, so we are currently on hold.

Watch this space!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Julie

Thats amazing, well done to your daughter!

I do hope she was able to take up that place at the university and i am glad to hear that the uni has taken on board her needs,

take care x7

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That's great news Julie - your daughter has done fabulously and it is an excellent thing to share.

Your daughter has probably made a decision about Uni now but I wanted to suggest another option that may or not work for your daughter. I was aware in the past of a university that deferred a student's place and keep it open until the following academic year - there is also the possibility of re-applying in a year or so. I didn't finish my A-levels because my ocd was so bad and I left at the end of my first year. After I left school I took a year out using a scheme run by a charity - during that year my ocd went away although I have no idea why. I went back to college after that year and again the ocd was much better. I don't have an official Aspergers diagnosis but score high on the Autism Quotient and can see the evidence of it in hindsight throughout my childhood - the year out really helped me with that too. I became more confident and I felt like I understood the world around me more. Of course, you know your daughter best of all and whether that would be another option to consider.

Sara

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Guest Bushbaby

Thank you for thoughtful responses, Mel and Sara. Your suggestions, Sara, are really helpful and reassuring too. I'm glad your year out helped you. It's great to know there are alternatives and your suggestions do make sense.

Currently, my daughter has signed up and it is all systems go...after a wobble. She has bought her Freshers ticket and has spoken to the other students in her flat (one of which turns out to be a friend of my goddaughter) and she is also in conversation with the other students on Facebook who are in the whole complex. This is an amazing step forward. She's bought a phone and her bedding. I'm stunned, but not counting my chickens yet, as it could all go pear-shaped, but it's great to see her full of enthusiasm about her new challenge. She has also been out with friends more in the last 2 weeks than in her whole life. It's lovely to see.

My daughter has also had a Study Needs Assessment and I am stunned at the money and help they are throwing at her to help her through University. After all of the years of fighting at school and college, it was offered on a plate. We have to wait for final agreement from DSA, but the report look amazing. Newcastle Uni can't do enough for her either, but have to agree on extra time and a quiet space for exams, but the Assessor seems to think it will be allowed. They are even offering to pay the difference between a basic and en-suite room in Halls, as she needs personal space to carry out her OCD/BDD rituals. I think maybe this meeting was the reassurance she needed that she would be okay at Uni.

She is only 30 minutes away on the train if it gets too much. I think it is the debt that she is worrying about and she has already told me that she is the ugliest of the 3 girls in the flat, so that will be another challenge. Anyway, fingers crossed the 27th September happens.

Thank you all for your support.

Julie :) xx

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  • 5 weeks later...
Guest Bushbaby

Hello

Thought I would share an update, as it's one in the eye to OCD.

My daughter is currently at University. Dropped her off today to all sorts of checking going on and her BDD is in an horrendous state, but she's there and fingers crossed she stays. I am so very proud of her, but my goodness it has taken every ounce of energy that I possess to get her there. Families of sufferers need nerves of steel sometimes, but we will always do our best for the ones we love. I have had one heck of a cry today on the way home. A mixture of relief, exhaustion and pride. This illness is wicked and it's so cruel to the loveliest people. But today, OCD was owned by one determined sufferer and a very shattered mum.

Together all things are possible. xx :clap:

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