OCD

[ocean]

I have a 25-yr old brother in Turkey who has been diagnosed with prolonged depression and OCD. We lost our father 13 yrs ago. He was murdered, and my brother saw his father's body right after the incident. My brother says he has several questions he has had since he was 9 yrs old. His questions concentrate on religious issues including why there is a God, who created him, what will happen to people in afterlife, what is soul, how soul and body are associated, what happens a soul when one dies, why he cannot believe in God but he really does not and so forth. We have talked about these issues maybe hundred times. But he starts asking about the very same questions 5 minutes after we talk about them. During the last 8 years he has seen several pyscs in Turkey. He has used many medicines including Tofranil, Seroxat, Prozac, Lithium, Dispardil... He is now indifferent to what's going on in his life, lazy and wants to stay home all the time. He doesnot have any friends. He works now and my mom spends tiring minutes every morning to convince him to get up and keep his job. We all would appreciate that if you could give your impression on him and suggest solutions though it is difficult to do that without actually seeing him. Thanks...

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Everyone seems to be doing all they can for your brother. The only ingredient that is not being utilized is having your brother see a therapist...someone to talk to on a regular basis...who can help him deal with the blocked emotions and fears that undoubtedly were generated by the trauma with your father.

Medications help, but they are not the answer. Also, keeping him in a work situation is crucial to his recovery.

If a therapist is not available in Turkey for him, he might, if he speaks English, try online therapy. He can get started by using the Mastering Stress program(above).

[triumph_the_dog]

Well, I'm no doctor, but I'll just tell you my experience.  I had OCD for a couple of years during my childhood.  I wasn't seeing a psychiatrist back then, but I displayed all the symptoms.  That thing about repeating things over, yes I had that too, among other things.  How it was for me was that I felt so anxious that it was a way of reassuring myself.  I was told by my doctor once that she thinks that back then, I actually had a different classification of OCD because one type is preceded by intrusive images, things that you see, and then you do the behavior in response.  Well, I didn't see anything.  So she said I had a different type.  Does he see anything?

As I became an adolescent, the OCD just went away.  It was replaced in short order by depression, so I don't know what happened, but it did just go away.  OCD is bad.  It's really bad.  Maybe even worse than depression.  Maybe.  It can really be torturous.

When I was in the hospital, there was this kid who had OCD, and I really felt bad for him.  I think he was going away to an institution.  So, I thought, Wow he must really have a severe case, because many people remain functional.

>why he cannot believe in God but he really does not and so forth<

This reminds me directly of what happened to me.  It's like you have a voice in your head that keeps contradicting you.  Your thoughts conflict with each other.

I think he should do talk therapy, though.  Not just meds.  Because they're overrated.  He needs to talk with a professional about what happened to him.  A professional would try to get him out of the cycle.  It's hard to find good people though.

Best of luck.

[triumph_the_dog]

Is OCD linked with trauma?  I could ask my own shrink, but I won't be seeing her for another week.  I thought of this question, because there was trauma that preceded my OCD, and it certainly sounds like trauma played a role in the OCD of this person.