Reply To: which free course should i choose ?

[Natasha]

Wow Sue – this is AMAZING! This is truly a complete roadmap to what is driving her OCD. My guess is it is predominantly OCD and you are seeing anxiety as a symptom of all those intrusive thoughts a feelings. I’m so glad she was able to open up and tell you all those things!

Yes, you can definitely have more than one core fear- and most people do.

From what you shared these seem to be the core fears:

Sickness/Death= this can show up as a fear of throw up, it can show up as a fear of poison, it can show up as a demand to do something to avoid “something bad” from happening.

Separation Anxiety = This seems to have two themes 1) she won’t be able to cope with above fears without you (this is an indication that it would be helpful to eventually build independent coping skills so she can have more faith in her ability to calm herself) 2) She’ll be alone – but I think that also might circle back to her thought she can’t handle things by herself if something were to happen to all of you.

Personification = Things have feelings/ I’m a bad person if I hurt these objects feelings/ Magical thinking: Something bad will happen if I hurt these objects or their feelings.

Sexual Orientation OCD/Depersonalization = Not about orientation for her/ but about being the wrong gender (which is a common theme). Also, being something or turning into something she is not.

This is a fantastic start! I’m going to make a list of Youtube videos to supplement the course you are taking, but don’t feel you have to show her them all at once. I just want you to have a list of videos that will directly address these core fears when she’s ready to watch them:

When OCD Tells You to Do it or Something Bad Will Happen : https://youtu.be/Vb6fs_KHBTw

Do You Worry Objects or Stuffed Animals Have Feelings? https://youtu.be/b2_zwqa9V-0

Are you Afraid Of Death or Dying? https://youtu.be/iHWE6XxOjVw

Feel free to keep coming back in here so I can support you.