Research

Participants wanted for a survey on specialist services in OCD/BDD

September 15, 2009

General Information

We are conducting a study looking at the difficulties people with OCD or BDD have experienced in accessing specialist help for their problems. If you have experienced difficulty obtaining referral to a national specialist service when cognitive behaviour therapy or medication hasn’t worked locally we would like to ask you to complete either an online survey or a questionnaire through the post about the difficulties you have had, or are having. We are interested in hearing from people with OCD or BDD of all age ranges, including children and young people. If you have not had any difficulties accessing treatment or are happy with the treatment you are receiving and feel it is working for you, this study is not for you. Also, please only complete the survey if you live in the UK and are eligible for NHS treatment.

Ethical Issues

You are under no obligation to take part in the study and if you decide not to, it will not influence any treatment you are receiving presently or in the future. It is important to be aware that taking part in the study will not guarantee you receive treatment at a specialist centre. In order to be able to follow up on the difficulties people have accessing specialist treatment, we will need your name and contact details. This personal information will be safely stored and will not be accessed by anyone other than the researchers.

How to take part

If you wish to take part, please go to the link below, which will lead you to a questionnaire concerning your OCD or BDD and the problems you have experienced. Alternatively, contact us (see below) and we can send or email you a paper copy of the questionnaire.

Questionnaire

How to contact us

If you have any questions about the study, or would like to complete a paper copy of the questionnaire by post or email, please contact Dr Anna Stout on 0203 228 2101, or at Anna.Stout@iop.kcl.ac.uk

Thank you

Dr Anna Stout
Dr David Veale
Professor Paul Salkovskis
Mr Blake Stobie
Dr Isobel Heyman
Dr Cynthia Turner

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Getting Involved

September 6, 2009

Getting Involved
OCD Action would not be able to achieve its objectives without the time and money generously donated by individuals, organisations, companies and charitable trusts throughout the country. Last year we were able to cope with over 11,500 requests for support and information.

We are seeing demand for our services shoot up as our profile increases. And we now predict that in 2010/11 our capacity will need to increase by at least 100%.

In order to cope and carry out our plans for this year, we need to ensure we have enough volunteers and that we can raise at least £200,000.

For more information about our plans and accounts, please visit the ‘About us’ section.

In this section of our website, you can find out about how you can help us through fundraising, donating, becoming a member and volunteering.

You can also find out how you can help improve professionals’ understanding of OCD by participating in research.

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How To Help

September 3, 2009

Although OCD is usually a complicated and frustrating disorder, caring relatives and friends can help a great deal. A person with OCD will be helped immensely by having a supportive, understanding and empathic family and social network. The following advice may be useful if you have a friend or relative with OCD:

  • Acknowledge that the OCD exists and try to learn about it.
  • Remember that the OCD symptoms, however bizarre or extreme they may seem, are part of a treatable disorder. The symptoms are not personality traits or something that the person can just ’snap out of’.
  • Do not regard OCD as the person’s fault and try not to believe that you or anyone else may have caused it.
  • If the person decides to seek professional help, be supportive of that decision and encourage their determination to recover.
  • Encourage the person with OCD to persist with their treatment, even when this seems difficult, and show appreciation of any improvement, however small.
  • Remember that symptoms may wax and wane. Some days, the person may be able to deal with symptoms better than others. Each person needs to overcome their problems at their own pace, even though this may be a lengthy process.
  • Allow the person to explain their problems to you. This will help them to feel less isolated and ashamed of their condition. The symptoms may seem unrealistic and irrational to you, but the fear for the person with OCD is very real.
  • While supporting the person with OCD, try not to support the obsessions and compulsions. The worst thing to do is to give reassurance to the person that their fears are unfounded. If you do this, the person will not learn this for themselves and the disorder will persist. Encourage the person to fight against the obsessions and compulsions, but let them do the fighting.
  • People with OCD are often aware of the humorous aspects of their obsessions and compulsions. This awareness can be used to help them distance themselves from the condition. However, resist mocking the person’s symptoms as this may cause additional stress, shame and embarrassment.
  • At home, people with OCD should be encouraged to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible. Families should not try to adapt their ways of doing things to accommodate the person’s obsessions and compulsions.
  • Remember that OCD is tough for families to deal with. Continue to communicate with each other. Remember also that the family, friends and carers of people with OCD need help and support themselves. Make sure you continue to do things you enjoy and have people to talk to about your own feelings and concerns.

This advice sheet was prepared by The Priory Hospital in Roehampton.

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Help For Carers

September 3, 2009

It is a good idea to spend a few quiet moments thinking about what makes you feel stressed. You may find it helpful to write down a list.

Another idea might be to think about what you would say to another carer if they came to you for advice – it’s often easier to see solutions to other people’s problems than your own. Once you know what you find stressful, try to think of practical things you can do to deal with the problem.

It’s not always easy to do but talking to someone is one of the best ways of dealing with stress is to talk about it with someone. Who you talk to will depend on your situation. You may want to try talking to someone you know you can trust and will listen sympathetically. If you find it difficult to talk about your feelings with someone you know, you may want to try getting some counselling. Talking to a trained counsellor may help you explore your situation more openly and honestly than you can with people you know.

You can also seek counselling by contacting a local voluntary organisation, charity or Mind. There are lots of groups, which offer counselling free of charge or for a small fee look in you local library or doctors surgery for more information. You can contact a counsellor by asking your doctor. Doctors can sometimes can refer patients for counselling on the NHS. You may prefer to pay a counsellor. There are private counsellors all over the UK – you can get a list of counsellors in your area by sending an A5 stamped addressed envelope to: British Association for Counselling. Check what the fees are before you book, as private counselling can be very expensive.

If you feel you really need to talk urgently then call The Samaritans on 08457 909090 or Saneline on 08457 67 8000. You can talk to a trained volunteer in confidence about anything.

Using relaxation techniques can help your body – and mind – to become more relaxed. You can do this with special breathing exercises.

Many local colleges offer day and evening classes in relaxation techniques and relaxation activities like yoga and aromatherapy. Check at your local library for details.

Vigorous physical exercise can help you relax. The physical effort helps to unwind tight muscles so that your body feels more relaxed and leaves you with a general feeling of well-being. Keeping fit can also help you cope with the physical demands of caring. Any kind of vigorous exercise will help – walking briskly, swimming, cycling or attending a keep fit class. Your local library should have information about what’s available locally.

What to do if you think caring is becoming too stressful. If you have tried everything we have suggested and you still feel stressed, it might be time to look again at your situation. Think very carefully about whether you can go on caring. If the honest answer is ‘no’, try not to feel you have failed in some way. It’s better to be realistic and make good alternative arrangements than to carry on regardless until you reach breaking point.

There may be other options that will allow you to reduce the burden of caring without giving up altogether, such as:
Getting additional help at home or regular respite care. Once you have been caring for 22 weeks you can have four weeks break every six months. (Note: however that taking a break can affect some benefits, and the system is quite complicated. It is best to seek information before you take breaks to ensure there are no problems.)

Letting go of some of the practical problems of caring may give you more ‘quality time’ with the person you care for.
Alternatively, it may be time to start thinking about residential care. It’s important for you to take a break from caring on a regular basis. Every moment is precious – whether you take the odd hour off, spend half a day doing something you enjoy, meet up with friends for an evening or take a two-week break. It is important that you find ways to take a break to stop you becoming completely exhausted or even unwell and it also means the person you care for has a break from you, other people to talk to and other things to talk about. And, if the person you care for is used to it happening occasionally, it will make things easier if ever you need someone else to care for them.

However, taking a break can be easier said than done when you need to care for someone and you have little time or money to spare. Try to involve the person you care for in deciding what arrangements are made. It is a good idea to introduce the temporary care provider gradually so everyone can get used to each other. Make sure the care provider knows the routine they will need to follow, and make sure they have any essential information including contact telephone numbers in case of an
emergency.

Carers UK can provide information on who can help when you need to take a break, whether its temporary care in the home, day care away from home, a residential break or a holiday.

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