[UsedCarsAndBadLiversxx]

Hey, I'm Jen, I'm 16 years old and I've recently been diagnosed with OCD. I'm not sure if this is the right place to be posting this, but in a few weeks I'm going to be going to see a psyciatrist who specializes in OCD. I'm still learning to deal with everything, and this is extremely new to me so im very scared. I have no idea what to expect when i go there, so if someone here could give me some idea of what to expect, it might calm me down a bit.
Thanks,
Jen.

hi.......i imagine that the Pdoc will ask you questions and take notes on what you tell her/him. there are meds that are very helpful for OCD and you may be prescribed something to take.

relax and just be yourself with the doc. and tell about your experiences and feelings.......good luck, xoxox pat

[Rhapsody]

HONESTY at all cost…. For the doctor cannot help if he/she is not aware of the problem / issues.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Maven]

The psych will talk to you, ask you about your symptoms, possibly ask you to keep a chart and rate how much anxiety different things cause you. There are many kinds of OCD. I have OCD, diagnosed when I was 14; I'm 38 now. I'm a handwasher (and washer in general) and counter. There are also checkers (people who need to check that light switches, appliances, etc., are on/off, doors are locked/unlocked. etc.), hair pullers (this is called "trichotillomania"), cutters, people obsessed with religion (scrupulosity), and many other things. Many people with OCD have more than one form. I also suffer from panic disorder, which was my first diagnosis, actually.

The psych will probably prescribe medication for you, and if you don't have any problems with it, increase the dosage over time, until s/he finds the dosage that works best for you. If you don't tolerate the med(s) well, s/he'll probably try another kind or combination of meds. Meds help a lot of people cope with their illnesses.

It's a good idea to do some research yourself on medications and OCD. It's always good to be educated about your disorder. There are different therapies.

While you shouldn't write off medication, if you prefer to try to work on your OCD without it, tell your psych. Some people can deal with OCD without meds. Others can't. Do what's best for you.

I'm sorry you have OCD.

[Gracey]

I have OCD as well, and entering into treatment I was very nervous too. I was worried that the doc was going to try to take everything away that I was using to make my world make sense. It was a scary thought. But guess what? He didn't! He wanted to make things more managable for me, and the meds he suggested we try were right on target. I've been on them now for over a year, and it has been the best, most laid back year of my life. I still have my tendencies. . .but they don't control me anymore, I control them. The obsessive part is still pretty strong. . .I like things to be in a particular place and if they aren't, then I make them right. But the compulsiveness is blessedly nearly gone. I dont' check and recheck over and over anymore. . frees up a lot of time to do more interesting things!!

Be honest with you doc. That is the most important thing I can tell you. Don't lie, don't try to sway them, just be brutally honest. Tell him if you're worried about them breaking down your life. Just be as honest as you can be.