Home

Nix Your Tics

Documentary

Writings

Youth Haven

Ask Dr. Dunc

Accolades

Presentations

Resources

Links

Disclaimer

Contact

If you are a new visitor, diagnosed with a difference, please read this introduction letter to you.

For all other new visitors, Dr. McKinlay also has a special introduction letter to you.

Nix Your Tics!

The Second
(E-)dition from "Life's A Twitch! Publishing". Click here to learn more.

To watch the Life's A Twitch! documentary via streaming video, click here.

If you would like to reprint writings from this site, please click here.

Before Signing the Guestbook

If you wish to return to the 'Ask Dr. Dunc.' mainpage, please click here

If you wish to visit the 'Ask Dr. Dunc.' question archives, please click here

 

Question 93: Hello: My daughter was recently diagnosed with OCD and high anxiety... The problem I have is that there is very little help out there for her or me and how to cope. She has obessive sexual thoughts that have caused her much distress and discomfort. she is receiving therapy but there is little out there on how to approach this. In most cases the therapist told me exposure is used but in this case it is hard to do. Exposure to masturabation is not an option my daughter wants to take. She is taking [medication] but her Doctor wishes to stop this medication in early 2004. I guess what I want to know is there any approaches oout there that could help her. i just feel at times to be at the end of my rope. The medication to me has made her more demanding and outspoken.

There are approaches out there, yes, but a key component of all successful ones IS exposure. I understand that this is distressful for your daughter -- and in fact this is the crucial point. Obsessions lose their hold on you once the emotion behind them is eliminated -- and this is precisely what exposure does. Avoidance in a very real way 'fuels' the anxiety, and therefore the problem. Put another way, if the idea of exposure DIDN'T bother her, then she wouldn't be in a position to need the therapy in the first place.....

Another thing worth noting is that the masturbation component would be the COMPULSION to be eliminated, not the OBSESSION to be exposed to. By exposing your daughter to the thoughts that make your daughter feel this need to masturbate, but then preventing her from actually doing so in a controlled fashion, this starts to weaken the association between the thought and the action. This ultimately leads to freedom -- she may still have those thoughts, but can hold off on acting on them. The technique is known as "Exposure and Response Prevention".

I hope this helps. Take good care!

Dr. Dunc.

Top of Page

Nix Your Tics!

Documentary

Writings

Accolades

Presentations

Resources

Links