OCD and Panic Attacks

[13Erock]

My 13 yr old son has developed OCD where he is constantly checking his pulse, looking at his pupils, worrying he has a chronic illness, wanting to go to the emergency room. We have taken him to several doctors, done MRI's, CT scans, lots of blood work and he is perfectly healthy - yet he is convinced he is dying. His condition has developed into full blown panic attacks. He refuses to go to school, he demands to go to the hospital and freaks out if I or his mother refuse to take him. He's began to break things, screaming at the top of his lungs, crying, burping, demanding we call an ambulance. We have him scheduled to go see a therapist, however I am not sure if she will be able to help him without giving him drugs. I have read that drugs are not the best way to achieve a more permanate result. He is a gifted student, taking GATE classes and getting straight "A's", I really don't want to "drug" him. Can straight therapy work? I just want my son back.

[13Erock]

Thanks shellbell (and JGF25) for sharing your story. I feel bad for those of you who have had to deal with "mental" challenges. Life isn't always easy and to add in behavior issues makes it all the harder.

My son doesn't want to participate in the therapy and is telling us that he can never go back to school... he hates school and "that's it". I'm getting that the OCD and panic attacks have lead to depression. He doesn't want to do anything and cries out for someone to help him. I let him know that help starts with him, he has to make the decision to "want" to get better. I try to reinforce his good behavior and ignore the irrational behavior, however he is constantly making negative comments... I think to get a reaction - any reaction (which I am not falling for). He is a yo-yo of emotions and can't seem to get "un-stuck" from this cycle.

[shellbell98632]

this is exactly what i went through when I was eighteen...My poor mother...I felt alone..hopeless..felt like noone believed me when I thought something was wrong...My symptems were real for me and are for most people who have panic attacks and hypo/goraphobic...i dont thing i spelled that right...let me tell you that the worst thing to do is ignore him when he comes to you with a symptom..that will just upset him more...in time I learned how to control my attacks without meds...although I do regress into a episode once in awhile...the theripist did nothing but make me feel worse about myself....the only thing he did for me was give me a small dose of valuim to take when i felt like an attack was coming...i weaned myself off of them in about two months...they worked very well...when i was at my worst i stayed home for seven months..only going out to go to the doctors and it was about once a week for awhile..I love my mom for taking me...but i know I was mean to her when i would demand to go....for now the best thing I would start with is a small change to daily routine...and look for signs of him starting to get anxious..make sure you ask him every couple of hours how he feels...this will let him know that you are there for him and believe him...find him something to do to change his mental thought when he starts to have an attack...something fun to do with his hands..not videos games...they will make it worse....or talk about soemthing funny or make plans to do something fun...dont force him to do it just talk about doing it and he will atleast know that is will be ok soon...slowly but panic attack information packets around the house and let him choose to look at them at the right time...it is very important not to make him feel like he is crazy...when he is ready to confront the panic ..its gets better for him and you ...one step at a time....he has to retrain his brain to reconize the start of a panic...and learn different ways to sway them off...he will have this for the rest of his life but will control it evenutally ..i dont know of anyone who has not had a recurrence out of all my panic friends.....it is managable..and the vaillum didnt even make me tired or feel like i was doped up..it was just enough to keep me relaxed enough to get through them until i learned how to do it on my own...goodluck to you and know that this is more common then you think it is..............shellie

[JGF25]

There are serveral types of therapy for OCD.  

I assume you are meeting with a psychologist when you say therapist.  You want to see someone who is good at cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT.  This inlcudes things such as controlled breathing, replacing irrational negative thoughts with positive ones, techniques to not give into his irrational fears by going to the hospital, etc.  This is not something that you can learn in one visit and it isn't go to go away over night either.  It takes practice and a lot of patience from you and your wife.  You need to be reassuring.  The last thing you want to tell someone with OCD is to "just stop thinking about it" because honestly if we could, we would.  Ask the therapist to explain OCD to you and what causes it.  He/she may also suggest some books for you and your wife to read.  The OCD Workbook may be a good one.  Also and most importantly your son has to feel comfortable with the therapist he is seeing.  If for some reason he doesn't, then find another.  But I wouldn't saying anything to him about this, let it unfold over time.  

Now about the medication.  The medications used to treat OCD are anti-depressants that work on certain chemicals in our brain.  It is thought that OCD stems from a lack of serotonin and therefore people sometimes take what are called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) which allow more serotonin to be available in the brain to help with cell to cell communication and mood regulation.  Others work as well.  For instance I take Wellbutrin which is a SNRI so it works on a different brain chemical than serotonin.  

A good deal of OCD sufferes also take a benzodiazepine such as Xanax or klonopin in the beginning just to be able to have some relief while the medication is building up in our system or while we are learning CBT.  

The medication part is up to you all to decide.  There are plenty of people that manage their OCD medication free.  I have been on meds and off meds.  I was off for quite a few years actually and relied solely on my CBT.  Unfortunately a trigger happened and it sent me reeling back into major OCD and so I had to go back on meds.  Just know it can be done.

The good news is that you will get your son back.  You try the CBT and see how that goes.  It is a good place to start.  Then from there your therapist will direct you to what he/she thinks needs to be done next, i.e, medication.

I know this is hard, but you are doing the right things by making that all important therapy appointment.  Hang in there.  It will get better.

Take care.