OCD runs in my family. My dad had it. I have it. And my son was diagnosed with it. For us, it manifests as excessive checking, living our lives through rituals, and having cycles of intrusive thoughts.
We’re a lot of fun at a party…
My son’s therapist believes exposure is the best way to help him. What that means is: we face scary triggers so they stop having a hold on us.
One of my kid’s many triggers is an alarm sounding. And if you live in northern Illinois, you know the wild weather we had last week; tornado sirens went off almost every night. The first night was a panic. My family ran to the basement and curled up together. My son had a hard time catching his breath.
The next night was a little better. We again curled up under a blanket, but this time we added flashlights and books.
The days went on, and each night was easier. By the last night of tornado sirens, we were casually heading into the basement, snuggling up, and putting random objects on our heads to “protect” ourselves. We laughed til our faces hurt.
We had changed the siren trigger from “we’re all gonna die” to “let’s get cozy in the basement.” It was the first time I’ve been able to see first-hand how exposure therapy works.
And it works whether we have OCD or not.
Reader, it is so liberating to face what makes us scared. I tend to be the avoidant type, but this week made me want to stare down my fears. I feel triumphant. I wish this feeling for you and yours. Sending you courage and face-hurting laughter this week. See you next Monday. -Em
