Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19

Wishing all a happy, joyous, prosperous full recovery from OCD - and a Happy new life that comes with it!

 Check this site weekly for new OCD info! [Editor's note: Save this page under www.ocd.hereweb.com, too. That name is a 're-direct' that will always take you here, regardless of where this page is someday moved to.] This website offers free local support groups, telephone support, listings of lectures, special events, TV shows & therapy to people on Long Island, New York, with OCD, including but not limited to Bethpage, Hicksville, Plainview, Syosset, Westbury, Levittown, Woodbury, Carle Place, Garden City, Hempstead, New Hyde Park, Great Neck, Sands Point, Manhasset, Port Washington, Muttontown, Plandome, Franklin Square, Malverne, Hewlett, Woodmere, Cedarhurst, Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Roslyn, Mineola, Wantagh, Bellmore, Merrick, Seaford, Massapequa, Farmingdale, Island Trees, Melville, Huntington ,Cold Spring Harbor, Northport & East Northport, Centerport, Dix Hills, Deer Park, Commack, Islip, Smithtown, Hauppauge, Amityville, Lindenhurst, Babylon, Bayshore & all other Nassau & Suffolk towns) and Williamsburg / Greenpoint; & online resources to OCD sufferers worldwide. (for people who check, wash, save, with obsessions & compulsions or  'pure-o'  pure obsessions without visible compulsions.)

 

People often ask me "You have OCD, and YOU became a therapist? How did THAT happen?" Here's my story...   -Warren Barlowe

   Born in 1951, I have had OCD behaviors for many years before my self-recovery work. My parents were totally confused by my strange behaviors, and I knew nothing about OCD, just that I had these very scary thoughts and I HAD to think or do something to feel better. I felt totally out of control. and in the  1960's and the 1970's I went to therapists for many years to talk about this, but no one had any help for me. Some therapists even insisted there was no such thing as 'OCD' - "...you're just very insecure - get a hobby or some volunteer work and you'll feel better!" I did those and nothing helped.

   Then one day in the mid-1980's* my father saw a talk show on OCD. He called me and said that it looked so much like what I have, and that he recorded the show on a VHS cassette (that's how long ago I learned about OCD) and he wants me to watch it. I watched the tape and it was incredible! Other people talking PUBLICLY about these secrets! At the end of the show there was a phone number on the screen for help from an "OCD Foundation". I called and learned about support groups in my area. (*Today's SSRI antidepressant medications for OCD were first developed in the early 1980's, and that is what made it possible to treat OCD successfully. Before then, it was considered almost impossible.)

   I went to a support group for several years, learning a lot about OCD, but never really believing the people who raved about their doctors. They all sounded like a 'cult'! (difficulty trusting is a common problem caused by OCD.) Eventually, after years of procrastinating (another very common problem with OCD) I decided to try and see one of these specialists. We worked out a therapy plan, I understood how it works, and I followed it daily. After just one week of practicing the therapy exercises, I was able to do some things that I had not been able to do for many years! I returned to the support group and told my story and they all fell all over me with congratulations!

    I participated in that group for several years, listening and learning a LOT. I was excited by my recovery, but more importantly. I found the 'mechanics' behind OCD actually fascinating, and I read a lot and went to lectures and conferences about it. Soon I found myself answering new group members' questions about the condition, and how therapy and medication or a vitamin, used properly, can each make positive changes. I wanted to help these people. Over time, the original founders of the group moved on with their lives, and I took over facilitating the group that had helped me years ago.
   After about a year or so of talking to people and encouraging them to try therapy, several people asked me to help them do therapy. I said I couldn't; "I'm a sufferer myself with no formal training in this." They told me 'I don't want to hear that - you know your stuff better than my therapist. Please come to my home.' So I visited a few people and taught them the 'exposure-and-response-prevention' (ERP) techniques, and they started getting better! They offered to pay me for this, but I wouldn't accept it - 'I'm not a therapist', I said. (That's another common symptom of OCD - called 'hyper-morality' or the fear of taking unfair advantage of another person.)  They didn't want to hear that - and they insisted on paying me even if it

was just for the cost of gas to drive to them. The local Mental Health Association offered us a nice room for our group, and we met there for over 15 years.

   Word somehow got around on the internet, and people from California, New Mexico, Canada and Brazil were asking me to work with them over the phone, and I did, and they succeeded in recovering!  I came up with new ways to make the therapy non-threatening. Over time, many people asked me to work with them, and I began to believe in my ability to help. I began to see this as a possible new way to earn a living someday. (Beginning to believe in yourself is a major goal and sign of recovery.)
   The Long Island Press interviewed me for a cover story on OCD in 2006, {the original article) or https://sites.google.com/site/lipresssecretsuffering/ (our permanent copy; click either one to read it) and Sally Jesse Raphael's TV show producers called me to discuss doing a show on OCD. Stony Brook University's radio station interviewed me on my work, and listeners calling me started telling me that their therapists referred them to me.

     I have helped at least 450 people learn to use the right therapy to recover from their OCD for over 25 years now. I feel that my own personal experience with OCD helps me to really understand our pain in ways few other therapists can, and my work on developing less threatening ERP therapy techniques may be one reason why I get so many successes. And I believe that actually sharing my very own true stories with others is very encouraging to them.
  [ Note: You will NOT find me (Warren Barlowe) in most "ESTABLISHMENT" THERAPY PROVIDER LISTINGS because, unlike 'licensed providers' who CLAIM TO KNOW ALL ABOUT OCD, I don't have those letters after my name. I just have a lifetime of experience with my own OCD.  The 'powers that be' in this country dictate that OCD therapists have to be psychiatrists, psychologists or licensed social workers. I do not have those degrees on top of my Bachelor of Science* in Special Education.. All I have is over 25 years' experience successfully using Exposure-And-Response-Prevention behavioral therapy (still the "gold standard" in OCD therapy) to help people with OCD affordably recover and live positive, productive lives. I guess that just isn't enough for our government and private insurance healthcare establishment. (And it prevents experienced specialists like myself from being able to accept your medical insurance. As a Long Island activist in mental health, I am trying to get that changed.) ]

 
*I wanted a career in helping people like myself to live better lives. At that time no one (including myself) knew there was such a thing as "OCD", but I knew something was 'wrong' with me. I had been in talk therapy much of my young life and it didn't help. I went to a special high school for kids with 'emotional problems' (that's what they called it back then) and met a lot of new friends with unique behavioral and thinking difficulties. (I'll bet many of them had OCD!) In my senior year I had an opportunity to help a special-ed teacher in a middle school classroom in that school, and the school arranged for me to teach that class, myself, one period every day for the entire school year, and I really got excited about doing this someday! After I graduated, I went to college to learn the field of special education and get my degree, the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Special Education, which is a unique, rare specialty. Most teachers have a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Education. I chose to take as many science and psychology and chemistry courses as I could, and I focused on studying the science behind the human learning process, which, it turns out, is the cornerstone of how OCD works and how it is treated successfully. For example, in my second year of college, I studied biochemistry and organic chemistry, which enabled me to understand the molecular structure of the brain cells (and eventually to understand the specific medications we take and how they work, and how they really do help in our recovery.) And in my fourth year of college, I had to register for a very boring statistics course called "Measurement and Evaluation in Education", which was designed to help teachers understand the timing, repetition practice, and testing that helps them decide how to structure the child's education. Little did I or my professor know that I eventually used this study, many years later in the 1990's, to re-structure the Exposure-and-Response-Prevention (ERP) process that is the key behind OCD recovery, and make the treatment much more comfortable for you! We who suffer from OCD incorrectly LEARNED to BELIEVE that our rituals will stop our anxiety, when it really is the time we spend doing the ritual, during which the brain gets 'tired' of the anxiety and feels less and less of it. True recovery involves understanding that. It requires us to 're-learn' that our worst fears will not happen even if we do NOT do our OCD rituals. No amount of "can't you just STOP that?" or "thought-stopping" or "punishment-and-reward behavior-modification" will accomplish this.*

Someone recently contacted me, and asked me about self-harming obsessions (which are very common.) I replied back.....and then I decided I'd like to share my own story with YOU:

Hi <name>

   I have suffered from them too. I avoided certain things that I thought I could hurt myself with. At its worst, I was avoiding places I really wanted to go to, and opportunities for interesting things. As early as a teen, in electrical shop class, in 1963, I knew you could get a shock if you touched certain parts, and I had this strange feeling of scare/dare/scare/dare, where I'd look at the dangerous wires, move my hand close to them ('dare' myself) and then pull my hand back in horror that I would do such a thing ('scare'). I kept moving my hand closer and closer to the wire, then back, then even closer because I 'thought' (actually my OCD said)  I had to get as close to them as possible without actually touching the wires. I was totally concentrating on this obsession/compulsion, in pure terror, and did not do or learn anything the shop teacher was teaching the rest of the class. Eventually I actually DID touch them and got a strong shock. Then I 'thought' (my OCD said) "you did it once, but in order to complete the action, you had to do it AGAIN" so that one action was paired with a second one (2 shocks). I was terrified, but felt I had to 'even-out' the first shock (1 is an 'odd' number) by doing it a second time so it was an even number! I braced myself emotionally, scared of doing it but went through with it a second time! OUCH!! But I was relieved, but then I 'felt' (my OCD said) I had done JUST ONE complete even-number-pair, and I had to even THAT OUT by doing it a 3rd and then a 4th time so I'd have done an 'even pair of pairs'!! I did it, sweating profusely. Slightly relieved, but then my thoughts said (my OCD said) I have to do ANOTHER TWO PAIRS of shocks (5, 6; then 7 and 8th) in order to 'even it ALL out'! Eight shocks in total! I started to sweat, and cry, and I ran out of the classroom and hid in the bathroom. What was I hiding from? The wires? The shock opportunity? or hiding from myself? Who knew back then? Of course, not knowing anything about OCD (and OCD hadn't even been DISCOVERED yet by psychologists, who themselves would probably have called me crazy and not known ANYTHING about how to handle this 'mental patient'!). I was at a total loss.

  It would be 36 years until psychologists discovered OCD, and began to develop therapy experiments for it. ...Just 36 years, that's all.....and for every one of those 36 years, I struggled with similar fears and compulsions, just with different objects and different situations. [Side note - two years after the shock 'scare-and-dare' experience, I was expelled from public school for these 'strange' behaviors, and I found myself commuting by train daily to a special school for 'exceptional children' in New York City ...... and I got 'stuck' ......again...same scare/dare/scare/dare....this time on the thought of reaching out and touching the electric third-rail that powered the trains I was on. Fortunately, I never DID act on this.]

  Yes,....I've been there (stuck in those kinds of scary situations) and done that (and done that and done that and done that again!) so I know it well. Feel free to call me at 631-486-4818 anytime and we can talk about it (and maybe even share some of these strange and scary memories with each other, if you want.) There IS effective therapy for this exact kind of thing, called "Exposure-and-Response-Prevention" (ERP) behavioral therapy that anyone with OCD can do at home and recover from this torture in a few months.

THE READING ROOM

 What is OCD?

What is OCD? Here's a good quick intro.. (and read what happened to "Bob" and "Sue"!)

A Story about 'Susan' and 'Bob', two fictional people suffering from OCD:

'Bob' loves his job, but his OCD is getting in the way. His job performance begins to suffer,                                                and his boss starts to lose patience.                                                                                                                                          'Susan' loves her job, but her OCD is getting in the way. Her job performance begins to suffer,                                         and her boss starts to lose patience.                                                                                                                                           Bob talks to his regular counselor, who tries to learn about OCD by reading about it in old grad school                           textbooks, and tries the wrong, scary techniques. Bob spends a lot of time talking with his trusted counselor,                              snapping rubberbands on his wrist, listening to relaxation tapes, and taking anti-anxiety  drugs like Xanax & Valium.   Nothing works.                                                                                                                                                                                Susan meets with an OCD behavioral therapy specialist, who identifies her problem areas, and sets up                        the correct, non-threatening  treatment plan.                                                                                                                             Bob waits a week until his next counseling session, and gets more frustrated at not getting any better.                           Susan goes home and follows the easy instructions daily, and makes remarkably fast progress .                                     Bob struggles with the wrong therapies for years, and his OCD just keeps getting worse.                                                   Susan practices her therapy exercises daily, meets with her behavioral therapist weekly for more advanced                  help, & recovers in just months.                                                                                                                                                     Bob's uncontrolled OCD causes him to lose his job, and he retreats into a deep depression at home.                                 Susan's job performance improves dramatically, and she gets a promotion and a raise.                                                           Click here and learn about the correct OCD treatment plan 'Susan' was given.   Learn how to find a competent OCD therapist anywhere. (This is Not an advertisement for Warren Barlowe.)    OCD & Family Feb. 2019 - Winter is here on Long Island.   But storms still happen, and a disaster of that magnitude can bring incredible suffering. Here is some advice from the American Red Cross:  Coping with the aftermath of tornados, severe storms (and life after Hurricane Michael) [Note: LI OCD does not endorse this information; we are not connected with the Red Cross.] (Advice from the American Red Cross, on handling the anxiety of living in the affected area; "sheltering in place" rather than staying in a storm shelter.) Typical Reactions  Understanding typical reactions to the experience of sheltering in place can help one to cope better. Personal emotional reactions during difficult times are unique. Reactions of those who have experienced shelter-in-place emergencies  have varied widely, ranging from feelings of stress to uncertainty or even fear. During a shelter-in-place emergency, emotional reactions that may occur include the following:   Anxiety, particularly when separated from loved ones Uncertainty regarding how long one will need to shelter in place Concerns for the physical safety of ourselves and others Confusion or frustration regarding questions left unanswered by public officials or the media Guilt about not being able to fulfill responsibilities, such as work, parenting or caring for dependents Feelings of boredom or isolation Thoughts of blame, worry or fear   People who have sheltered in place for more than a few hours have also reported the following: Concerns about meeting obligations and about lost income Problems making decisions or staying focused on topics Changes in appetite or sleep patterns What You Can Do Actions that will help protect emotional well-being during a shelter-in-place emergency include the following: Remain informed, if possible, by checking in with local news sources. Take care, however, not to become overexposed to such sources. Excessive or repeated exposure to media can increase feelings of stress, uncertainty and fear, especially in children. Pay attention to your emotional health while sheltering in place, remembering that many different feelings are common. Know that others  are also experiencing emotional reactions and may need time and patience to put their feelings and thoughts in order. Try to recognize when you or those around you may need extra support. Monitor your physical health needs. When sheltering in place for more than a few hours, remember to eat, rest and take regularly prescribed  medications. Avoid alcohol or substance use. Focus on positive actions you can take right away, such as taking an inventory of emergency supplies, obtaining accurate information and providing support to others. Try to maintain contact with family, friends and those around you. The telephone and the Internet can be helpful when physical separations  become necessary. Hold a picture in your mind of the best possible outcome. Make a list of your personal strengths and use these to help both yourself and  others stay emotionally strong. Maintain religious and/or spiritual practices that you have found to provide comfort and emotional strength.   Special Situations Children: Be creative, and think of fun activities that will occupy your child’s time. Keep a schedule, set appropriate limits and maintain usual rules of behavior. If you are alone: The same tips for staying emotionally strong also apply if you are alone. If possible, try to connect with others and stay informed. Pets: Plan to shelter in place with them. If something is not safe for you, it is not safe for them. Like people, pets’ behaviors may change. Keep track of their well-being and, as best you can, take care of their needs.

OCD cannot be "cured" yet*, but thanks to recent developments in medicine and psychology, you can now learn to live without the agonizing worry, anxiety and compulsive "rituals" that paralyze us. The World Health Organization classifies OCD as one of the top ten most debilitating illnesses, yet it is often considered a mild, quirky or even amusing affliction. OCD sufferers worry that people will think they are "crazy" and so do not always seek help. This has led to a lack of public awareness. You are not "crazy", and you're not alone. *Research on curing OCD is made possible by funding raised by groups like the people at the OCFoundation.   Your continued support will someday eliminate this torture.

      Feeling OK about yourself living with OCD

 Anger and Rage from OCD  http://www.emaxhealth.com/11406/rage-ocd-and-its-depressive-partner

 

Video on Handwashing

How can I recover from OCD? Therapy:

NEW ARTICLE: Should your OCD therapist participate in your Exposure-and-Response-Prevention "exposures"? (I do.) ['may'? There is nothing new about this - it's been the gold standard for OCD therapy for over 20 years.] How to find a competent, effective OCD therapist NEW: How to Evaluate your ERP Therapy - Excellent, 'right-on-target' advice to help you know you're getting the right help! -Warren      Posted on June 7, 2015 by Janet (ocdtalk) photo by stuart miles freedigitalphotos.net  I believe one of the most difficult aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder is finding the right treatment. Evidence-based exposure-and-response- prevention (ERP) therapy, a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the first-line treatment for the disorder, and it works. Yet so many people (including therapists), have never even heard of ERP. I am doing my best, along with other advocates for OCD awareness, to spread the word. But knowing that ERP therapy is what you need is only half the battle. The other half is finding a good therapist who is properly trained in ERP and really knows how to utilize it correctly. Imagine thinking you are getting good ERP therapy when in actuality you’re not. You wonder why you’re not getting better; after all, ERP is supposed to work. Maybe you’re even feeling worse. You worry that your OCD is not treatable, or 'treatment- resistant'. After all, ERP is the gold standard for treating OCD.  You lose hope. So how do you know if you are getting good ERP therapy? In this wonderful article, Finding the Right OCD Therapist, we are given some great suggestions on how to find a good OCD therapist, including questions to ask and things to look for in a health-care provider. What I think is particularly helpful is the last section of the article which lists some ways to evaluate the effectiveness of your ERP therapy. We are told that good OCD therapists: Collaboratively create hierarchy items WITH YOUR INPUT(organized lists of things we get 'stuck' on; arranged in order of difficulty.) Collaboratively choose exposures and agree on specifics. A therapist should not force you to complete an exposure. Individually tailor treatment for you. Even standardized treatment is not a "one size fits all". Do not provide reassurance that will temporarily reduce anxiety and interfere with natural habituation and learning. Identify rituals that get in the way of progress, (mentally reassuring yourself, mentally undoing/neutralizing the exposure, distracting, or counting silently.) Get at the core fear. As therapy comes to the successful end, (NEVER AT THE BEGINNING), choose exposures at the top of the hierarchy  that go “above & beyond” normal situations to fully target core fear, without being unsafe, harmful, or  outside of what is accepted in your culture or religion. Help you grow into the role of becoming your own therapist. [Learning relapse-prevention. -Warren] When my son left his intensive residential treatment program we connected with a therapist who told us he specialized in treating OCD with ERP therapy. Once we heard that, my husband and I didn’t ask any questions or request any specifics about his approach. I realize now how incredibly lucky we were, as this psychologist turned out to be an excellent therapist with extensive experience using ERP. Of course, not everyone is so fortunate. If you are in the process of looking for a therapist, or things aren’t going well with your current health-care provider, please take a few minutes to look  at the above-mentioned article. It could help steer you in the right direction – toward the road to recovery from OCD.              OCD MYTHS and non-truths:                     There are many people who do not know how to treat OCD, and there are many professional-looking websites that offer the wrong information. Here is one example from a professional site that LOOKS very educational: (  https://www.verywell.com/psychological-therapy-for-ocd-2510628?utm_source=exp_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=list_ocd&utm_campaign=list_ocd&utm_content=20150510  )   Untrue "Drawbacks" Although ERP behavioral therapy is highly effective for about two-thirds of people who complete treatment, some people believe there are drawbacks, including: ERP Behavior therapy involves facing your worst fears. Many patients dropout before treatment is complete. NOT TRUE ERP Behavior therapy is hard work and requires completing homework in between sessions. NOT TRUE ERP Behavior therapy may not be that effective for people who experience primarily obsessions without compulsions." NOT TRUE The TRUTH: ERP therapy means starting with your least-disturbing thoughts. A skilled therapist can be valuable here in building a compassionate treatment plan. Most patients complete ERP behavior therapy successfully when it is done in gradual steps.. ERP behavior therapy is fairly easy, taking only about 5 minutes, 4 times a day. Real recovery DOES require completing homework in between sessions. ERP works for people with obsessions without visible compulsions, (once called 'pure-O'. There's no such thing as "obsessions without compulsions.") Mon. Dec. 9:  How an incompetent therapist and an insensitive insurance plan can RUIN anyone's therapy!   "I've been in therapy for a long time, but I'm STILL not getting better. Why?" Call me and I'll help you figure out why it's not working as well as it should. For no charge. (631) 486-4818. And get involved in your local activists' efforts at improving access to good healthcare. Article: How an incompetent therapist and an insensitive insurance company in a RUSH can ruin anyone's therapy! http://ocdtalk.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/ocd-and-flooding/ Watch the film "The King's Speech" and see how effective a para-professional therapist can be, even without an advanced degree or license. Raeanne Dumont is another effective behavioral para-professional therapist, located in Staten Island, N.Y., and the author of "The Sky Is Falling".  (Call Warren at the OCDHotline: 631-486-4818 to learn how to choose a therapist for the proper short-term therapy for OCD that will result in recovery). Can you find the errors in the treatments descibed here? "Rituals define OCD" http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/15/1680703_p2/rituals-define-those-living-with.html Here is a quick link to some support groups and therapy resources on Long Island, courtesy of the International OCD Foundation: https://iocdf.org/?s=11731&post_type%5B0%5D=iocdf_provider&post_type%5B1%5D=iocdf_clinic&post_type%5B2%5D=iocdf_support_group&post_type%5B3%5D=iocdf_program&search-type=provider    How OCD Makes me Suffer - Articles grouped by OCD 'symptoms' (in red) OK...here it is...what everyone thinks OCD is: HANDWASHING Video on Handwashing "FOMO" - ("fear of missing out") - reading friends' Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. & obsessing about "what am I missing out on?" (as WCBS TV reported; May 12, 2015) "I'm sorry....(did they hear me?)... I'M SORRY!  ..... (I still feel bad)..I'M REALLY SORRY!! " All about compulsive apologizing.  BOOK ON HIV OBSESSION: Why OCD Is 'Miserable': A Science Reporter's Obsession With Contracting HIV   Read story: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/01/12/376438311/why-ocd-is-miserable-a-science-reporters-obsession-with-contracting-hiv?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=books  Or you can listen to the story: there is a link on the page.  You can even read an excerpt from his book: http://www.npr.org/books/titles/376433853/the-man-who-couldnt-stop-ocd-and-the-true-story-of-a-life-lost-in-thought#excerpt PICKY EATING or AVOIDANCE of certain foods Recent Article as of July 21, 2015: http://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2013-1-29-more-picky-eating Recent article (Nov. 17, 2014) "When Healthy Eating Calls For Treatment: A desire to eat ‘Clean’ [or refusal to  eat specific] food Can Become an Obsession(in the Nov. 17  Wall St. Journal) http://online.wsj.com/articles/when-healthy-eating-calls-for-treatment-1415654737?mod=e2tw         June 6, 2014  "Why it Doesn't Pay to be a Perfectionist" with comment by Warren Barlowe.  "When LOOKS are EVERYTHING: 'Selfies' and Social Media can aggravate Body Dysmorphic Disorder"  (or "imagined ugliness"...how do I look?)  Religious OCD: 'I'm going to hell' Listen to Podcast on Hoarding by Gail Steketee When Is Exercise an Addiction or Healthy Lifestyle Choice? Individuals With Exercise Addiction Often Struggle  With Co-occurring Disorders; (OCD) 15 to 20 Percent of Exercise Addicted Individuals Are Also Dependent on Nicotine, Alcohol, or Illicit Drugs    Postpartum Anxiety or Normal New Mom Fears? Article: Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013: Anorexia? No... this is how it's so easy to misdiagnose OCD. (See below) But 'what if' I don't just 'check' or 'wash my hands too much'? What if it's my 'racing thoughts? ("Pure-O")      What if it's all in my head - obsessing and worrying? What if I DON'T wash my hands a lot? This is still OCD. This used to be called 'Pure-O' - meaning purely obsessions but no obvious physical compulsions. It is now known that compulsions can be in the form of thoughts, too, like continuous repeated worrying, reviewing past events over and over, rehearsing future events, or thinking special secret 'magical' words, numbers, songs  or pictures. These thoughts are NOT OBSESSIONS. They are COMPULSIONS.   A therapist who is not confused by this, but who understands it, and who understands how to use Exposure-and-Response Prevention (ERP) behavioral therapy in gradual,  non-threatening ways, can help treat it easily, and recovery doesn't take long. And a new support group is really needed now, especially for people with "Pure-O". An article I read recently tried to sum up OCD, but completely missed the 'Pure-O' concept:  It mentioned that "A critical feature in this disorder is an overinflated sense of responsibility, in which the patient's thoughts center on possible dangers and an urgent need to do something about them. Over half of patients with OCD have obsessive thoughts without the ritualistic compulsive behavior." I disagree with the statement that some patients with OCD have obsessive thoughts without the ritualistic compulsive behavior. 'Obsessions' are intrusive, unwanted scary thoughts that generate anxiety, and the sufferer feels an urgent need to invent a 'compulsion'; an action or internal thought that seems to 'neutralize' the obsessive thought in a desperate attempt to end the anxiety. Every obsession is paired with a compulsion; what used to be called "pure o" (obsessions only) is a misnomer; the compulsions can be invisible internal compulsive thoughts like worrying or reviewing past events, excessive praying, thinking special magical statements, words or numbers. (If a person had obsessions without compulsions to attempt to reduce the pain and fear, they would believe they will never get relief and would suffer a lot more anxiety).  I prefer to call this expression of OCD "obsessive thoughts without visible compulsions".   [I'm glad to see that the media is beginning to recognize this 'hidden' expression of OCD. Epoch Times, Feb. 18, 2013 features an article by Rosemary Byfield, explaining that  "OCD has two parts: Obsessional thoughts and the compulsion to dampen those thoughts. The compulsion becomes a ritual like hand washing or checking the front door.  It can also be a mental routine used to stifle a feeling of anxiety or stop a particular thought." IMPORTANT NOTE - we CAN NOT 'stop' the obsessive thoughts - everyone has 'silly thoughts' - 'recovery' from OCD is learning how to 'ignore' these thoughts - see them as just thoughts - recovery is deciding to respond differently to the thoughts. We have that FREEDOM TO DECIDE.]   "Exposure-and-response-prevention" (ERP) behavioral therapy is the only effective technique for "obsessive thoughts without visible compulsions". It's the same technique used to successfully help people with visible compulsions. It can be accomplished successfully with a competent therapist, who knows how to make it non-threatening.  A skilled  therapist can separate the obsessive thoughts from the compulsive thoughts.  Planning the non-threatening way to do this therapy process starts with having the sensitivity to, and empathy for, the client's pain. (This does not mean telling you to 'stop worrying' or 'that will never happen to you'. That's NOT understanding.) A therapist with experience will work with you and understand your different obsessive thoughts. This will enable them to chose the precise level of exposure that you can handle in reasonable comfort, for each week's step in the process.  FREE OF CHARGE - To talk about this struggle and the therapy for it, call Warren Barlowe at 631-486-4818 or email him at woodge1@hotmail.com .  Social and Lifestyle with OCD STRESS ALERT: OUR OCD MAY TEMPORARILY INCREASE due to our personal emotional excitement about winter, school or job assignments, the changing     weather, & responses to what's  happening in the news, national emergencies, politics, medical/dental appointments, and any new changes in your own life. We should discuss how to deal with these concerns in online support groups and in therapy. When Is Exercise an Addiction or Healthy Lifestyle Choice? Individuals With Exercise Addiction Often Struggle With Co-occurring Disorders; (OCD) 15 to 20 Percent of Exercise Addicted Individuals Are Also Dependent on Nicotine, Alcohol, or Illicit Drugs.  -Dealing with Current Difficult Events in our lives-  In light of the conversations around the school shootings and mental illness, we at LI OCD felt it would be helpful to offer some articles, on a separate page, in support of our peers and those needing talking points.   OCD & School 1 New Article as of May. 2017: OCD & Transitions - Graduation, coming home, starting life after school    Not All Attention Problems Are ADHD It's a common assumption, but there are other causes that are easily overlooked, such as OCD  http://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2015-9-22-why-attention-problems-hard-diagnose-not-just-adhd What Does OCD Look Like in the Classroom? How to recognize the signs a child is struggling, even if he is hiding his anxiety    http://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2014-9-16-what-does-ocd-look-classroom (Note: the following 2 items* are part of advertising for a private NYC therapy center. OCD LI does not endorse this company.) *Going Back to School after a Tragedy   http://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2012-12-16-going-back-school-after-tragedy *OCD: To Tell or Not To Tell? http://www.childmind.org/en/events/2013-1-8-tell-or-not-tell  OCD & Work A Story about 'Susan' and 'Bob', two fictional people suffering from OCD:       'Bob' loves his job, but his OCD is getting in the way. His job performance begins to suffer,                                                and his boss starts to lose patience.                                                                                                                                          'Susan' loves her job, but her OCD is getting in the way. Her job performance begins to suffer,                                         and her boss starts to lose patience.                                                                                                                                           Bob talks to his regular counselor, who tries to learn about OCD by reading about it in old grad school                           textbooks, and tries the wrong, scary techniques. He spends time talking with his trusted counselor,                              snapping rubberbands on his wrist, listening to relaxation tapes, and taking anti-anxiety  drugs like Xanax & Valium.   Nothing works.                                                                                                                                                                                Susan meets with an OCD behavioral therapy specialist, who identifies her problem areas, and sets up                        the correct, non-threatening  treatment plan.                                                                                                                             Bob waits a week until his next counseling session, and gets more frustrated at not getting any better.                           Susan goes home and follows the easy instructions daily, and makes remarkably fast progress .                                     Bob struggles with the wrong therapies for years, and his OCD just keeps getting worse.                                                   Susan practices her therapy exercises daily, meets with her behavioral therapist weekly for more advanced                  help, & recovers in just months.                                                                                                                                                     Bob's uncontrolled OCD causes him to lose his job, and he retreats into a deep depression at home.                                 Susan's job performance improves dramatically, and she gets a promotion and a raise.                                                           Click here and learn about the correct OCD treatment plan 'Susan' was given.   Learn how to find a competent OCD therapist anywhere. (This is Not an advertisement for Warren Barlowe.)   Example of Incorrect OCD treatment  OCD & Family Feb. 2019 - Winter is here on Long Island.   But storms still happen, and a disaster of that magnitude can bring incredible suffering. Here is some advice from the American Red Cross:  Coping with the aftermath of tornados, severe storms (and life after Hurricane Michael) [Note: LI OCD does not endorse this information; we are not connected with the Red Cross.] (Advice from the American Red Cross, on handling the anxiety of living in the affected area; "sheltering in place" rather than staying in a storm shelter.) Typical Reactions  Understanding typical reactions to the experience of sheltering in place can help one to cope better. Personal emotional reactions during difficult times are unique. Reactions of those who have experienced shelter-in-place emergencies  have varied widely, ranging from feelings of stress to uncertainty or even fear. During a shelter-in-place emergency, emotional reactions that may occur include the following:   Anxiety, particularly when separated from loved ones Uncertainty regarding how long one will need to shelter in place Concerns for the physical safety of ourselves and others Confusion or frustration regarding questions left unanswered by public officials or the media Guilt about not being able to fulfill responsibilities, such as work, parenting or caring for dependents Feelings of boredom or isolation Thoughts of blame, worry or fear   People who have sheltered in place for more than a few hours have also reported the following: Concerns about meeting obligations and about lost income Problems making decisions or staying focused on topics Changes in appetite or sleep patterns What You Can Do Actions that will help protect emotional well-being during a shelter-in-place emergency include the following: Remain informed, if possible, by checking in with local news sources. Take care, however, not to become overexposed to such sources. Excessive or repeated exposure to media can increase feelings of stress, uncertainty and fear, especially in children. Pay attention to your emotional health while sheltering in place, remembering that many different feelings are common. Know that others  are also experiencing emotional reactions and may need time and patience to put their feelings and thoughts in order. Try to recognize when you or those around you may need extra support. Monitor your physical health needs. When sheltering in place for more than a few hours, remember to eat, rest and take regularly prescribed  medications. Avoid alcohol or substance use. Focus on positive actions you can take right away, such as taking an inventory of emergency supplies, obtaining accurate information and providing support to others. Try to maintain contact with family, friends and those around you. The telephone and the Internet can be helpful when physical separations  become necessary. Hold a picture in your mind of the best possible outcome. Make a list of your personal strengths and use these to help both yourself and  others stay emotionally strong. Maintain religious and/or spiritual practices that you have found to provide comfort and emotional strength.   Special Situations Children: Be creative, and think of fun activities that will occupy your child’s time. Keep a schedule, set appropriate limits and maintain usual rules of behavior. If you are alone: The same tips for staying emotionally strong also apply if you are alone. If possible, try to connect with others and stay informed. Pets: Plan to shelter in place with them. If something is not safe for you, it is not safe for them. Like people, pets’ behaviors may change. Keep track of their well-being and, as best you can, take care of their needs.            OCD & Love Relationships             [This new section is still 'under construction'].  Doubting your relationship is real; doubting you love your partner... or if they love you. Doubting the relationship can survive while living apart. Doubting if they will still love you after the pandemic is over. This is a form of OCD that I have my own  personal experience with. I feel it almost every day. I have learned how it works, and how to beat it, and I am using these tools to this day. It responds well to Exposure-and-Response-Prevention behavioral therapy, just like all other expressions of OCD.The doubts are the obsessions, and asking your partner for reassurance, or worrying about if your partner still loves you are typical compulsions. Worrying about how your partner feels  about you falls under the category of obsessions without visible compulsions, since you are not 'doing' any obvious rituals. In my search for articles for you to read to get real help, I have come across one site that I would NOT recommend; https://www.relationshipocd.com/ because it is still in the 'dark ages', telling you to do 'thought-stopping' by snapping a rubber band on your  wrist, or imagining a stop sign, both of which were already found to be useless almost 30 years ago! It encourages talk therapy, which we all know doesn't work for OCD. It never mentions Exposure-and-Response-Prevention behavioral therapy. (This is one reason why searching for help online often leads to incorrect information, despite the fact that the websites look very professional - unlike mine which is written by me, an amateur at website creation but an experienced treatment professional.)     Children with OCD NEW as of 4/3/18: I am an OCD Peer Behavioral Therapy coach, utilizing family engagement. I am teaching Exposure-and-Response-Prevention behavioral therapy (the evidence-based effective therapy for OCD) over the phone, to parents of young children, who then carry out the therapy process with their kids. Anyone in their family is welcome to support, assist, and teach the process. This way, the child is not on the phone with a stranger/therapist, but is instead learning from a parent or sibling they trust. I do the parent training weekly by phone, with calls between training sessions to adjust details and address any difficulties. I am currently working with parents of a 6-year old child, and they are getting good results.* *UPDATE: 4/8/18 We are almost finished with this child’s recovery from OCD, and it has only been about 4 weeks since we started. Update: May 2018 This child has now recovered from OCD. Therapy was successful and is now finished.  You saw it on ABC 20/20 that Friday night - You saw the teens do miracles. Is it real? Yes! This is how YOU will succeed over YOUR OCD!     The documentary was realistic. It honestly showed how the RIGHT therapy works. If you didn't get a chance to watch the show,  watch it here online. http://abc.go.com/shows/2020/listing/2014-05/23-2020-0523-the-children-who-break-away , And if you didn't get a chance after the show to tweet the therapists who helped them, you can ask me those questions on the phone. And I'll answer them FREE. Right now. Just for YOU. Call (631) 486-4818. I understand you - I've been there myself with MY OWN OCD! You can be  the next success story. And, YES...it only takes a few months! Just like what you saw on 20/20! Children: Sometimes it's not just OCD. We know how to identify OCD in many of its forms and expressions, and we know how to dramatically reduce the suffering through proven-  effective therapy. But OCD isn't always the only problem, even though it often causes a multiplicity of problems throughout a person's living  activity. Family dynamics and communication problems can exacerbate OCD, and can cause other unrelated suffering. Some non-OCD issues      can best be addressed through conversations with other parents who have been there and found solutions. It would be very helpful if there were experienced childhood counselors who were also parents of kids with family and friend issues in addition to OCD. Counselors with years of experience working with children in educational settings and family issues. But REST ASSURED - Unlike some well-known North Shore Long Island OCD therapy specialty centers, we will NEVER assign someone who comes looking for help for OCD to a non-OCD professional or an inexperienced student intern just because 'the waiting list for Barlowe is closed at the moment'. NEVER.   ..is this Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? " I'm 15 and I think I have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). I have always been told that I act OCD by my friends because I have to put things in order all the time. I just ignored them because I guess I didn't want to think of myself as having a mental disorder. I also didn't really know what the disorder actually was. I looked it up and realized that I was basically reading about my life. I had so many of the symptoms that I didn't even know about. I have intrusive, violent thoughts (and sometimes behavior), I put things in certain orders, I'm a HUGE germaphobic, I do things repeatedly because sometimes it just doesn't feel right the first time, I check things over and over to make sure they're right, I have religious and sexual thoughts ALL THE TIME... I really do think I may have OCD, and I'm kind of scared because lately, I've been having very bad intrusive thoughts. I've thought about suicide, I've been tempted to hurt my pets, and today, without even thinking, I pushed my baby sister down and made her cry just because I felt like it. I'm not the kind of person to do these things, but I can't help it. My parents think I'm being a hypochondriac, but I really am worried  about this. My anxiety has been theough the roof for the past month or two and I don't know what to do. They won't let me see a doctor because apparently it's just a "teenage thing." Any help or advice at all would be really appreciated. I just don't know what to do." For my answer, go to http://answers.yahoo.com/question/answer?qid=20130906183848AAVy4K9 and read the 3rd answer.  Kids who "Catch" OCD! The experience of Strep-induced PANDAS Advocacy for OCD & Mental Illness NEW ARTICLES: Tuesday, May 30, 2017:The NY State Office of Mental Health (OMH) has released a collection of articles on STIGMA and Mental Illness: [MHANYS Update] Several Articles about the Stigma of Mental Illness---If you don't have time to read the articles, please take a second to read the quote from Prince William that we highlighted. Glenn Liebman <gliebman@MHANYS.ORG> Today, 10:38 AMRA-L@LISTSERV.OMH.NY.GOV STIGMA, STIGMA, STIGMA  This is the constant refrain we hear in the mental health community. The following stories continue to point out the impact of the stigma of mental illness. New York has been a leader in making inroads in recent years with the passage of a mental illness public awareness income tax check off bill, the mental health education in schools bills and hopefully this year with the passage of a      license plate bill, but we know there is much more that needs to be done.  We have attached portions of an interview in GQ United Kingdom featuring an interview with Prince William. A great quote from the interview states, "Smashing the taboo is our biggest aim. We cannot go anywhere much until that is done. People can’t access services till they feel less ashamed,so    we we must tackle the taboo, the stigma, for goodness sake, this is the 21st Century." --Prince William  http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/prince-william-mental-health-heads-together Also attached are two articles from New York involving stigma.  The first article highlights a recent survey from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield regarding perceptions about mental illness in upstate New York. While overall the survey results are encouraging, they      still fall far short of the empathy and support expressed for physical illness. The second article highlights the work of the MHA  in      Erie and MHANYS Board Member Karl Shallowhorn, in the work they are doing for the Just Tell One campaign. (Thanks to eagle    eye stigma busters Jamie Papapetros and Bennett Liebman for finding these articles)  Survey results identify empathy gap on mental health issues:  UTICA — Sixty percent of upstate New York adults feel people are caring and sympathetic to those who suffer from mental illness, according to research findings issued recently by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. A closer look at the data reveals a less rosy view from people who have mental health issues. Using   self-reported survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield found that 46 percent of upstate New York adults who have a depressive disorder feel that people are generally caring and sympathetic to individuals with mental illness. “There’s an empathy gap when it comes to  mental illness,” Ann Griepp, M.D., Excellus BlueCross BlueShield medical director for behavioral health management, said in a media release. “Our analysis of public  survey data shines a light on the need for society to bridge that gap.” The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) defines mental illness as a condition that  affects a person’s thinking, feeling or mood, and may affect an individual’s ability to function and relate to others. “One in five U.S. adults experiences a    mental  health condition over the course of a year, making mental illness more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease,” Griepp said  “The myths and the stigma   that surround mental illness can result in feelings of shame and isolation that can cause affected persons to deny symptoms, delay treatment, and refrain from  taking part in daily life.” The CDC data show that four of five upstate New York adults agree that treatment can help people with mental illness. Mental Health America, a nonprofit that addresses the needs of those living with mental illness, promotes individual or group treatment for many who are diagnosed with mental illness. A variety of treatment options is available. According to NAMI, less than half of U.S. adults who had a mental health condition received treatment last year. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s review of the CDC data found that in upstate New York, 15 percent of adults are currently taking medication or receiving     treatment for mental illness. “People who suffer from a mental condition are less likely to seek and adhere to treatment for their illness,” Griepp noted, “and are     also less likely to adhere to treatment for such other chronic health conditions as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory conditions, arthritis and asthma. This puts   them at risk for health complications and a lower quality of life.” Medication reminders, such as pillboxes with alarms and smartphone notification apps, can help remind people of their need to take their medications as directed. “In addition to encouraging people who have a mental illness to get treatment, we can help     bridge the empathy gap by reframing how we think about mental illness,” Griepp said. “We can do that by seeing the person and not the illness, and offering him     or her support by saying, ‘We will get through this together’ or ‘I’m here for you.’” Griepp recommends initiating open and honest conversations about mental     illness to help close the empathy gap that exists between those who have a mental illness and those who don’t. “That includes starting conversations between patients and doctors, and among family members and loved ones,” she said. The World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum report that mental illness represents the biggest economic burden of any health issue in the world. They project that by the year 2030, mental illness will result in $6 trillion in associated health-care costs (two-thirds of which are attributed to disability and loss of work) worldwide. TO LEARN MORE View Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s analysis of CDC survey data online at http://tinyurl.com/mpyn3ba. Download a free infographic poster, “Empathy and Mental Illness: Bridging the Gap,” at http://tinyurl.com/kpwetw7. For an animated version of the infographic: https://youtu.be/nPHMuRLcOs4. http://www.pressrepublican.com/news/lifestyles/survey-results-identify-empathy-gap-on-mental-health-issues/article_75ef8c3c-8fc0-53ff-a184-e24865a3a6c2.html   Access to Mental Health Services Key to Reducing Youth Suicide Rates By LaMonica Peters Updated Monday, May 29, 2017 at 06:06 PM EDT  BUFFALO N.Y. -- According to research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, at least one in five teenagers will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24.  Advocates in Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) say a 2015 survey showed 13 percent of high schoolers and 16 percent of middle schoolers have seriously considered suicide. Social workers who counsel BPS students say parents need to be more proactive and talk to their children about how they're feeling.  "Please try to think of somebody in your life that you trust that you can tell something's going on," said BPS Social Worker Lisa Boehringer. "I think as a school and all districts, not just Buffalo, have a responsibility to do more suicide prevention and awareness." Boehringer says more access to services for students, as well as parents, is key to reducing youth suicide rates. Advocates at the Mental Health Association of Erie County say the resources are available, but people need to have the courage to reach out.  "We have a campaign called 'Just Tell One.' Justtellone.org is a website that you can go to for both young people as well as parents and adults," said Karl Shallowhorn, director of Community Advocacy for the Mental Health Association of Erie County and Compeer Buffalo. "So they can find out how to start that conversation, how to open up and talk to someone, how to find that trusted adult. Also how to help that parent or even educator know how to respond if someone comes to them to seek help."  Boehringer says records showed nine percent of BPS high school students and eight percent of middle school students attempted suicide in 2015. http://www.twcnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2017/05/29/buffalo--mental-health--social-worker--suicide--teens--youth--bps--services--mental-health-association-of-erie-county--karl-shallowhorn--lisa-boehringer.html     OCD Project Space (Research, new OCD medications, related Art & Culture, Creating Future Help for OCD)             [Note: LI OCD is not connected with OCD NY or any of these treatment facilities. Our view is that many people with OCD who think they are 'treatment-resistant' have not            done Exposure-and-Response Prevention behavioral therapy with an experienced, competent, caring professional. Most who DO get this help succeed and recover to full,            productive lives.           And, as mentioned previously, we do not believe in using ancient, outdated terminology such as 'patient'. We have kept up with the times, and show the respect our peers           deserve,  and so we use the 21st century phrase 'Persons with Lived Experience with OCD", which has even replaced the old 1990's word 'consumers'. ]  =============== OCD-related Arts & Culture: New as of Feb. 15, 2021: TV shows featuring characters with OCD usually only show the compulsions, and leave out the painful obsessive thoughts that trigger them.   OCD-related Research:      Dec. 1, 2014: Click here to read NEW RESEARCH:  3D Structure of Neuron-Connecting Synapse Molecules Discovered:      Seeing microscopic structures may help developing new OCD Meds! We have been waiting for this for YEARS.     Telegraph; Oct. 7, 2014      Dogs' Repetitive tail chasing     Q: I have a three-year-old rescue terrier who has always chased his tail when he gets excited, but it’s getting worse. He now does it when I am doing      something else and he feels ignored. It’s getting so bad that he even makes his tail bleed. What can I do?      LA Tyne & Wear      A: Repetitive tail chasing is a recognised type of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) but some vets believe it’s a variation of epilepsy, and some cases      may be  initiated by disease around the tail base (such as old trauma). No treatment is effective in every case: anti-anxiety medication helps some dogs;      anti-epileptic medication others. Drug therapy needs to be combined with training techniques to distract him from tail chasing. The best answer is to talk to      your vet about a referral to a behavioural specialist.  [Note: Warren Barlowe is NOT a pet behavioral specialist...yet, lol ;) . Please refer questions like this to      your vet.]      NEW ARTICLE:  Cats who pick out their fur may also have OCD      Dec. 7, 2012 - Medication is BIG BUSINESS! (of course you knew that already...)      Here is a company selling a business report for $3,500.00, that tells investors, doctors, and researchers that medication is the ONLY ANSWER to      OCD:      "GBI Research, the leading business intelligence provider, has released its latest research, “Antidepressants      Market to 2018 - Despite Safety Concerns, Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) Continue to      Dominate in the Absence of Effective Therapeutic Alternatives”, which provides insights into the      antidepressants market until 2018."   http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2261984/antidepressants_market_to_2018_despite_safety        "...absence of effective therapeutic alternatives"? Haven't they heard that Exposure-and-Response-Prevention Behavioral Therapy has been the effective gold      standard for over 25 years?      ("The leading business intelligence provider"? Duhhh...  obviously they haven't read our website.)        Creating Future Help for OCD:                       - - - Looking for a BIG Way to Help LI People with OCD?: - - -       Attention Owners of TEMPORARILY-VACANT Office space:      We sincerely appreciate the meeting space graciously offered to us over many years by the Mental Health Association in Suffolk County.        To replace the use of their old space for 25 years for our OCD Support Group, we are looking for a donation/loan of space to hold additional group meetings,      and to establish a new, free facility just for people with OCD and anxiety and their families and concerned friends.        One of our dreams has always been to create The Long Island Center for OCD and Anxiety Studies, to be directed by Warren Barlowe, OCD behavioral      therapist and support group facilitator. This new entity will include a lending library, a conference room for guest lecturers and new support groups. It will also      feature classroom space for the first-of-its-kind OCD-IPRT (Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation Training; following Persons with Lived Mental Health      Experience-directed recovery models; but based on the original four-domain IPRT concept as introduced at Hofstra University in the 1990's and definitely      NOT just a hangout). We will also offer a computer/ media center, and a CBT therapy training center where therapists in underserved communities in eastern      LI,  Brooklyn, Queens and elsewhere can learn the basics of best practices in the treatment of OCD and anxiety. We would also like to offer training in      establishing and facilitating new OCD support groups in underserved communities.        In order to maintain free services, most of the events we intend to offer will be facilitated by experienced, skilled volunteers, and the equipment and      furnishings will be donated or purchased from community surplus stores. We may also apply for grants to cover utilities and maintainance. We are looking for     a western-Suffolk County or eastern-Nassau County location with off-street parking and public transportation nearby. This facility may possibly be used as a     tax-write-off for the owner. Please contact Warren Barlowe at 631-486-4818  or email ocdtherapist@hotmail.com        Warren Barlowe and the Long Island OCD support group is the subject of the OCD chapter in the   new        book, “Alphabet Kids-From ADD to Zellweger Syndrome: A Guide to Developmental, Neurobiological      and Psychological Disorders.” by ROBBIE WOLIVER, former Editor in Chief of the Long Island Press.      The story originally appeared in the Nov. 2006 Long Island Press cover story      "Secret Suffering: The OCD Epidemic".    Read the book at http://books.google.com/books?id=szgmRS0MBRYC&pg=PA306&dq=      %22warren+barlowe%22&hl=en&ei=lzoGTYS3MoO0lQf9sPWECg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22warren%20barlowe%22&f=false                     ========================================================================                                                                       -IN THE NEWS- Feb. 2019 - Warren Barlowe invited AGAIN to explain our OCD fears to new dental students at SUNY Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, in April. April 2018 - Warren Barlowe invited STILL AGAIN to speak on Dental Phobia to Spring Semester 2018 students at SUNY Stony Brook in May 2018. [Barlowe's successful, comfortable dental experience at Stony Brook prompted Dental Phobia faculty to name him the 'poster child' for dental phobia!] See the new section on Dental Phobia below. March 2017 - Warren Barlowe invited AGAIN to speak on Dental Phobia to Spring Semester 2017 students at SUNY Stony Brook. June 2015 - Warren Barlowe invited AGAIN to speak on Dental Phobia, Fall Semester 2015 to dental students at SUNY Stony Brook Dental School. *Nov. 1, 2012 - Warren Barlowe invited to speak on Dental Phobia at SUNY Stony Brook Dental School.   Nov. 2013 - Barlowe has been invited back to SUNY Stony Brook again to speak in April 2014.  (Future Dental School programs are under consideration where the general public may hear Barlowe speak on the subject.)  Addressing a group of about 50 new dental students, Barlowe spoke on February 6, 2013 on the experience of having extreme fears of the dentist, and fears of dental procedures. Much of this came from his own personal experiences of fear, how it originated and what it feels like to be 'paralyzed' with extreme fear; avoidance, guilt and anticipatory terror in the dental chair. He gave an introduction to OCD and how it works, and also discussed the dental fear experience from the viewpoint of a person with OCD, and what the obsessive thoughts were like, and how he resorted to compulsive worrying, rehearsal, touch-don't touch, and attempting to face making dental appointments and not being able to keep them or go through with them. Feelings of loss of control, trust, the power dynamic of  'I am the DENTIST, you are just the cowardly patient, do what I tell you and stop complaining, you big crybaby!' Barlowe felt the students personalized the experience and developed a higher level of sympathy, possibly even empathy for the patient with phobic reactions.         July 30, 2012 - LI OCD Congratulates Dr. Wayne K. Goodman!          Wayne K. Goodman, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, has been chosen to receive the 2012 Outstanding          Career Achievement Award from the International OCD Foundation. (PRWeb July 30, 2012)          Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/7/prweb9749212.htm            July 29, 2012 - LIOCD congratulates Dr. Edna Foa!          Edna Foa Receives Inaugural Career Achievement Award From International OCD Foundation   ===========================================================================   OCD information continues after this section. Scroll down.) New section: Behavioral Therapy for DENTAL PHOBIA - FEAR OF THE DENTIST === (This section can be helpful for anyone, not just for us with OCD. News Item: Long Island Dental Phobia/Fear Treatment Feb. 2013 The dentist found a large cavity today. I am not afraid of having it drilled and filled the next time I visit the dentist. It is a temporary filling, because the x-rays showed it may need to be replaced or restored. That means ANOTHER dental visit. (I AM concerned about what to do with it, but that's normal.  I'm not really afraid.) Next Wednesday I'm going back for a cleaning. Update: Feb. 20, 2013: Went for the cleaning today. No problem. Even though the hygienist was very thorough and scraped firmly between my teeth, I felt about the same as if I was getting a haircut. Was advised I need a night tooth-grind guard, (another appointment). OK, no problem. How would you like to feel this way about your dentist? New behavioral therapy process eliminates patients' fear of the dentist, so they don't need sedation. Many dentists used an injection needle to give IV sedation drugs, or had you inhale a gas to put you to sleep, in an effort to comfort patients' fears.  This new treatment process instead actually ends the fear.  Many of you already are aware that I myself have OCD, which is why I am able to understand and empathize with your struggle, and it is how I am able to design  non-threatening, precision exposure therapy remediation for the most misunderstood rituals. But were you aware that I also suffered from a terrifying fear of the  dentist for over 30 years? And a fear of needles and being put to sleep (losing control).     Part of my therapy education included an internship in a Phobia Clinic, where I studied the science behind phobic (fear) behaviors and behavioral treatment. Over the years of my practice helping people with OCD, I have been studying the psychological mechanics and processes of phobia (fear) behavior. With the assistance of three of my colleagues, I have developed a new, much more effective technique for the treatment of dental phobia than the popular "solutions". Most dentists claiming to help dental phobia in reality are just offering sedation. (Read their ads carefully & you'll see that.)  I am using specially designed psychological systematic desensitization phobia exposure therapy approaches to help people on Long Island who suffer from dental phobia to actually eliminate the phobia itself. This technique does not use drugs, relaxation, music, or having a stranger touch and caress your body. The technique does not intrude into your personal space, and respects your right to privacy by experiencing it through a trusted friend or family member who has been trained  in the technique, rather than having it done to you by an outsider. Thus, no more need for sedation, no more "soft music", ...just no more fear.       Eager to run tests on the model, I trained one of my colleagues in the use of this new therapy technique. Then I had HER give ME the dental phobia treatment I had designed. With the assistance of a dentist who was willing to let me experience samples of typical dental operations that my colleague had prepared me for, I put my recovery to the test.  I  had successfully overcome my dental phobia in a few weeks, and was able to undergo a complete dental examination, hypodermic needle injections of novocaine/lidocaine, and the extraction of a damaged wisdom tooth that had bothered me for years! All this while feeling comfortable, calm, and safe  in the dentist's chair without general sedation.    The technique is somewhat similar in some ways to the daily behavioral therapy I use to help people overcome their OCD, but with many marked differences. Like OCD behavioral therapy, it does not use hypnotism, nor does it involve any sedation, music or distraction; you are fully awake and aware of the dental work being done. It involves the help of a trusted friend or family member, who learns the techniques in their entirety, and who then functions as your dental phobia therapist, helping you actually overcome your fear of the dentist. I talked about this in a panel discussion on Feb. 6, 2013 at SUNY Stony Brook's School of Dental Medicine, as part of the expansion of the Dental Phobia Clinic.     I happily look forward to the day, in the near future, when people who were once as terrified of the dentist as I was, will be able to completely undergo years of neglected, necessary dental treatment, feeling comfortable, calm and safe in the dental chair!     We are considering starting a support group, as part of the SUNY Stony Brook Dental Phobia Clinic for people on Long Island with dental phobia, and I am doing  some writing on the new subject.     ps:   I am looking forward to having a large cavity drilled and filled the next time I visit the dentist!      Update: Feb. 19, 2013: I DID visit the dentist last week and had that cavity filled! I was relaxed and comfortable, from getting into the chair, to having the procedure completed! It was emotionally as easy as sitting here and typing this. It is a temporary filling, because the x-rays showed it may need to be replaced or restored. That means ANOTHER dental visit. (I AM concerned about what to do with it, but that's normal.  I'm not really afraid.) Tomorrow I'm going back for a cleaning.   Update: Feb. 20, 2013: Went for the cleaning today. No problem! Even though the hygienist was very thorough and scraped firmly between my teeth, I felt about the same as if I was getting a haircut. Was advised I need a night tooth-grind guard, (another appointment). OK, no problem.   Update: May 12, 2013: [Dental work had to be put on hold the past 3 months because of other healthcare concerns.] The dentist examines the xrays of the temporarily-filled tooth, and tells me it will need to be replaced with a bridge or an implant. I will need to come in for the dentist to take impressions of the surrounding teeth, which will be the model for a bridge if I decide to go that route. I make the next appointment.   Update, May 18, 2013: Went for impressions this morning. No problem. The dentist and the assistant worked together over me; pressing soft wax or plastic around  the teeth to create impressions for possible bridge details or implant creation. I was relaxed. (It is SO convenient not having to struggle with fear now!)   Update, June 25, 2013: Yesterday I went to the oral surgeon and had the tooth extracted. I actually felt relaxed getting into the chair, and even more relaxed as the assistant reclined the chair. I was given a local anaesthetic injection which I barely felt because they swabbed the area with something to numb it first. Then the surgeon told me I'd feel pressure and it might hurt slightly, which is what happened, but not extreme, so he injected more numbing liquid.  I was told he was going to stitch up the opening, which I didn't feel. Then it was over, and I was given after-care instructions.   Update, July, 2013: Went to have a temporary plastic bridge installed. Dentist examined the space left from the extraction, and used a drill to shape the plastic bridge. He 'prepared'  one front tooth (ground it down in size) so the bridge would cap it. This tooth had been cracked in a fall when I was about 10, and had darkened considerably. He made some final shaping adjustments to the bridge, then cemented it over the prepared tooth. It looks very similar to the other natural teeth, and unless you knew it was a bridge, you'd think it was natural. Now I have a really nice smile for the first time in over 50 years!   Update, April 4, 2014: This Monday I'm going back to the dentist to have the permanent bridge installed. (The temporary bridge fell out a few times over the months, necessitating a few visits to the dentist to have it cemented back into place.) The last time I came in, they again took impressions for the permanent piece. The dentist  also had to re-shape the next tooth, with the drill, so the bridge would have more support. Yes...I was tense...but that faded and I had no problem with it!   Any questions on this subject will be answered by Warren Barlowe; call my Dental Phobia Helpline at (631) 486-4818  (Don't worry - I'm NOT a dentist.)  I'm here for you. I would be happy to speak to groups on the new work.  Update: Nov. 2013 - Barlowe again invited to speak on dental fear at SUNY Stony Brook Dental School panel discussion March, 2014 for new dental students.   Update: April 25, 2012: Barlowe invited to incorporate his therapy research work into SUNY program.     For the past 2 years, Barlowe has been doing new research in the field of phobic anxiety as it pertains to one of the most common and terrifying fears: the fear of going to the dentist. He developed a protocol for reduction of dental fears, built upon state-of-the-art exposure-and-relaxation therapy techniques. Barlowe first studied the underlying concepts in the phobia and anxiety therapy he was trained in, as an intern at Peninsula Counseling Center's Anxiety and Phobia Reduction Center.   Upon hearing of the new work in April 2012, Dr. Mark Slovin, DDS, Director of SUNY Stony Brook's School of Dentistry Phobia Clinic has asked Mr. Barlowe to  share his new techniques with their dental interns as part of the expansion and enhancement of the School's behavioral component. Barlowe has spoken on the new  work in a University Dental School panel discussion. Update: November 1, 2012:  Barlowe invited to speak at SUNY Stony Brook Dental School panel discussion February 6, 2013 for new dental students. (Future Stony Brook Dental School presentations are under consideration where the general public may hear Barlowe speak on the subject. Barlowe is also glad to speak to YOUR group on this subject.)    Addressing a group of about 50 new students, I talked about the experience of having extreme fears of the dentist and fears of dental procedures. Much of this came from my own personal fears, how they originated and what it feels like to be 'paralyzed' with extreme fear; avoidance, guilt and anticipatory terror in the dental chair.  I gave an introduction to OCD and how it works, and also discussed the dental fear experience from the viewpoint of a person with OCD, and what the obsessive thoughts were like, and how I resorted to compulsive worrying, rehearsal, touch-don't touch, and attempting to face making dental appointments and not being able  to keep them or go through with them. Feelings of loss of control, trust, the power dynamic of  'I am the DENTIST, you are just the cowardly patient, do what I tell you and stop complaining, you big crybaby!' I feel the students personalized the experience and developed a higher level of sympathy, possibly even empathy for the patient with phobic reactions.   Visit the new website on Long Island Dental Phobia Therapy. Or email me at dentalphobia@hotmail.com   ====== OCD Website continues here ================= Coming soon: TEENS LikE Me: Kids with OCD - A New Page on LIOCD=   Enjoy the autumn of 2018 with FEWER OCD SYMPTOMS! 4 weeks of therapy  can begin to make the difference! Call 631-486-4818 or (631) 708-2092    *New Approach and New Page! Natural OCD Recovery  Using Inositol and Behavioral Therapy  Group currently resumes meetings!  As listed on the International OC Foundation web page http://www.ocfoundation.org/map.aspx?id=1086                                     LONG ISLAND PRESS 9/28/06 Cover Story:  "Secret Suffering": The Press Discovers Our OCD Support Group for Adults & Kids ***The Long Island OCD Support Network The Long Island Press REPRINTED our 2006 story: Order a copy of "Our Childrens' Brains" Supplement: our OCD Support Group story is on page 29!                                                              Or read the story in the new book "Alphabet Kids" by Robbie Woliver                                                                       OCD-Ireland also loved our story and reprinted it! http://www.ocdireland.org/secretsuffering.shtml  Example of Incorrect OCD treatment: (Warren is  NOT IN  Chatroom right now.) Enter Chatroom by right-clicking HERE , then click "Open in New Window". TIMOTHY'S LAW IS NOW LAW!!!: For the FULL TEXT of NY State's Timothy's Law for Parity for Mental Illness, Click Here. Note: The blank space below this point is a problem with the software. We are working to correct this. Please scroll down a few inches to where our website continues after the blank space. AT LAST! WE NOW HAVE FEDERAL Mental Health Insurance Parity! Click here. Looking for the OCD Foundation? www.ocfoundation.org    203-315-2190      Fax: 203-315-2196    email: info@ocfoundation.org  [Note: WE are not the OCFoundation] Help for Seniors Are you a senior who would like help paying for your Medicare benefits and prescription drugs? Free assistance is only a phone call away if you qualify for extra help because of limited income. There may be a way to alleviate some of the cost of Medicare – deductibles and coinsurance, Part B premiums, prescription drug plans (Part D). Reducing monthly premiums, annual deductibles and co-payments, aiding with coverage gaps (the doughnut hole). To learn more call a LIS/HHS (Low Income Subsidy from US Dept. of HHS) counselor from Family & Children’s, a community of caring. 485-3425, ext. 222.  Here is another resource, not run by LI OCD: "We would like to let you know about a new resource available for people who suffer with the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. There is a 12-step TELEPHONE group called Obsessive Compulsive Addicts Anonymous (OCAA) that is available for both men and women that suffer with OCD. We are based on the steps and principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.We value each other’s anonymity and our meetings are currently open to people who suffer from the disease,although we welcome contact from family and friends. We have a weekly phone conference call that is held each Sunday at 7pm EST. The phone number is (218) 339-2694 and PIN 349956. The conference call is free and open to anybody who is suffering from OCD. Please contact us for more information at www.ocaaprogram.org or at BigBook12by12@gmail.com or at 1 (800) 511-5983. Sincerely, Dmitri"   Support Groups for Hoarders: Clutterers Anonymous Thursdays 1:00-2:30 PM ~ United Methodist Church, 265 Asbury Ave, Westbury 1st & 3rd Fri, 7:30-9:00PM~ Community Reformed Church, 90 Plandome Rd, Manhasset.   Mon eves, 7:00-8:30PM~ Plainview-Old Bethpage Lib, 999 Old Country Road, Plainview. Name: Duffy Spencer. Phone Number: 516-334-8985   Clutterers Anonymous (CLA) A 12-step self-help group, offers help and support to those who have clutter problems in their homes or workplace. Meets at the following locations: Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 265 Asbury Ave, Westbury first and third Friday, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the School of the Community Reformed Church, 90 Plandome Rd, Manhasset. Monday evenings, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Plainview-Old Bethpage Library, 999 Old Country Road, Plainview. There are no dues or fees. For more information, call 866-800-3881.     New Dating Service JUST for Persons with Lived Experience with Mental Health issues! Totally Free & easy to use, & allows you to identify yourself with others who also have OCD! I Like this one! Click here: http://nolongerlonely.com/       Attention artists with OCD, and those who love art: Click here:       NEW ARTICLES ON OCD: As of June 25, 2013 : (I receive 'alerts' for many more articles than I list here on our website. I read them, and ONLY IF I feel they  have correct, current, useful information of value to our readers, I post links to them here. Recent, newly-posted items will have "NEW" in front of them.)  [To see an article's address, right-click it (or its "Click Here" ) & click "Properties".]     App claims be helpful in guiding your OCD therapy work. Watch tutorial carefully and you will catch the problems that as yetmake this app ineffective: Barlowe's Review: The app has provisions to create your ERP practice hierarchy, but it does not ask you the questions about anxietylevels neccesary for constructing a workable plan for recovery. Effective OCD ERP should have you gauge the levels of anxiety you would experience from each compulsion if you couldn't do the ritual. This is the only way to arrange your exposure steps in the order that will encourage you and promote success, so you don't become frustrated and tempted to quit therapy. (This is often the reason clients quit therapy.)   Another problem with the system is that it asks you to set the amount of time you will practice facing the anxiety of exposure. You can only know this by doing the actual exposure and self-rating your anxiety on an imaginary 1-10 scale. And to make things even worse, it offers you relaxation techniques to do while you are waiting for this exposure anxiety level to come down. This is totally counterproductive because if you relax during your exposure, you will lose the benefit of experiencing the exposure, and you will not re-train your brain to tolerate the anxiety that drives you to feel you have to perform the compulsive behavior.   In addition, the app does not remind you how many times per day to practice. Not practicing enough daily is another major reason why some clients experience failure in their attempt to recover, and if this is not instructed by the therapist, it is often why some therapists cannot achieve success with their clients.   An app that makes it possible to structure your OCD therapy correctly would be a major breakthrough in making effective therapy more available and more affordable. We are still awaiting this.                            Another offering, in the form of a book, claims to help you get control over your OCD and even "cure" it. There's no mention of Exposure-and-Response-Prevention (ERP) behavioral therapy being used here at all. 'Cure' is a very big claim, and one they can't prove. Read the book review and my comment at the bottom.  ...but here's a few books you might find helpful. ...and a book I recommend for relapse prevention AFTER RECOVERY. (I do not suggest trying these techniques as primary therapy.)                                                                                     ARTICLES  Kids who "Catch" OCD! The experience of Strep-induced PANDAS  and Strep can cause PANDAS  OCD concerning Moral Decisions (Hypermorality; Scrupulosity)  Is "Extreme Couponing" OCD? Surviving College With OCD - One student's story  Parental criticism is linked to poorer outcomes for the child after treatment  How a fixation on healthy eating can be OCD. People with OCD who are concerned about climate change do rituals in attempts to reduce their carbon footprint.   3 stories of common OCD problems beyond handwashing: Isobel is intelligent, but she is failing her first period class in biology because she is either late to class or absent. Meredith's pregnancy was a time of joyous anticipation. Then the obsessional thoughts began; she feared that she might harm her child. John was given work that should have taken two or three hours, he was going over and over the figures, checking and  rechecking, spending a week or more on a task.     A Better Way to treat "Obsessive Compulsive Kids" - Exposure-and-Response-Prevention CBT is best therapy.     New Obsessive Compulsive-Disorder Handbook Focuses on OCD in Schools   Dangerous Cell Phone Usage Tied to OCD Traits: Laws banning use while driving wrongly based on addiction models.         Behavior therapy & Persons with Lived Mental Health Experience  Extensive information about OCD. OCD, Anxiety Linked to Risk of Eating Disorders         Teens and Compulsive Counting in School Scrupulosity OCD in Children Very basic explanation of OCD & home visits   Read Connie Foster's ONLINE book on kids w/ OCD: "Kids Like Me"                                                           Kids and OCD: Click here.         OCD Virtual Behavioral Therapy. If you can't afford to go to therapy, but you can follow instructions and do your  daily homework diligently, therapy by telephone may be for you. You will work with an experienced therapist who has helped many people with OCD by phone throughout the USA, Canada, and Brazil. A few openings currently exist. Call the number above to see if this may be right for you. (See 2 articles below.)   Article on On-line Therapy in the Journal of the American Medical Association: (See Above) "Researchers Provide Psychiatric Care From Afar" by Tracy Hampton, PhD (In Print only; not online. JAMA. 2006;295:21-23.)     NEWSWEEK Article on Virtual Therapy (see above) Attracted by the convenience, anonymity, and low prices, more Americans are going online for psychological treatment. A FUTURE urine test for OCD Hope for people with OCD  Kids, Meds, and Mental Health Body Dysmorphic Disorder (IBDD)           Living With Uncertainty Obsession with Religion: Scrupulosity Counting rituals  What life's like with ocd - by a 10 yr old boy                                  Teen weight-gain on OCD meds       Behavior therapy for kids with ocd                       Addiction to shopping             Living with a packrat  Behavior Therapy for Hoarding      Compulsive Slowness as it applies to Hoarding        Treatment for Hoarding   Treating Anxiety to Prevent Suicide, alcohol, drug and physical abuse.            OCD is More than "handwashing:    OCD Book Review:  "Here's The Deal: Don't Touch Me" by Howie Mandel   OCD Support Groups Worldwide List, maintained by the OC Foundation.Click here.    Center helps Queens Parents Negotiate Mental  Health System Click Here Living w/love & chaos/child w/several llnesses lus ocd;with video.Click here           Dating services for persons with lived experience with OCD: /woodge2/ocdDating1.html Help Find the Cure! Click here for OCD Research projects to get involved with. http://web.archive.org/web/20080211213959/http://mywebpage.netscape.com/woodge2/ocdResearch.html   OCD CHATROOMS: 24/7, OCD chat w/people worldwide. Free, w/ moderated discussions several times a week.CLICK HERE or go to Healthyplace.com at http://healthyplace.com/Communities/ocd/site/comm_calender.htm      and http://web.archive.org/web/20080211213959/http://dmoz.org/Health/Mental_Health?Disorders/Anxiety/Obsessive-Compulsive/Chats_and_Forums/   OCD Behavioral Therapy with Warren Barlowe.  Therapy by phone: https://sites.google.com/site/longislandocdsupportnetwork/Home/ocd-therapist-warren-barlowe Radio & TV Shows on  OCD:  "Out of control": TV documentary shows that when saving turns to hoarding, clutter can consume your home & life: "Packed House," produced by former San Diego newscaster Jody Hammond & photographer Rob Amato. Click here. Free Anxiety & Depression Screenings Every Monday 3-4pm S. Nassau Communities Hospital Mental Health Counseling Center. Meet Friends with OCD through the Friendship Network. CLICK HERE. Click here to go to LI OCD Calendar (listing other local meetings and support groups and other events). Behavior Therapy for Tourettes Click Here 2 NEW FREE Singles Dating Services (meet someone also with ocd? COMPLETELY FREE): http://web.archive.org/web/20080211213959/http://mywebpage.netscape.com This is the end of the LI OCD website. Due to a problem with the computer or the software used in our website, there is a huge blank space below this point.  You are not missing out on anything. We are working on this.