So Lonely

Image courtesy of Ohmmy3d at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“I’m just so lonely,” says the young adult in front of me, the despair apparent as the words sit in the air between us.

I’m sitting in the living room of my patient’s family home during one of my recent treatment visits. This past week has been one with slips backward and, to one so new to OCD treatment, they are demoralizing. OCD has taken such a huge toll on this young person’s life that friends and social activities have become a distant memory. OCD demands almost every waking hour and the rituals only end when sleep wins out in its urgency.

I’ve stopped doing exposures at this point in our session – I’m here to do exposure and response prevention (ERP – if you don’t know what this is, you can read about it by clicking HERE) work. My patient wants to do more, wants to move on and get better as fast as possible, but I realize it’s time to step back, time to help paint a clearer picture of what to expect. OCD treatment is not a race to the finish. It is about learning new healthier ways of managing discomfort. In this young person’s case, it is about rebuilding a life worth living – and that takes time and patience.

So, I’ve stopped the session. I’ve changed course. Sometimes OCD recovery is not all about exposures. Sometimes it’s about caring for the whole person and finding something to live for in the moment. Why do the hard work of beating OCD when there’s not something keeping one moving forward right now?

We sit on the sofa. We explore what’s going on. We connect. We realize my patient misses other people, misses being involved with something that is connected to the bigger picture. We brainstorm. We find a regular activity that is doable and that will provide uplifting moments. We look at when the next time there’s an activity available. We arrange for transportation and a companion to go with. For the first time in this hour, my patient smiles.

I get ready to leave and, suddenly, the twenty-something is standing in front of me, apologetic that we didn’t do more exposures today and didn’t get further in treatment. I gently and optimistically adjust that perception. We DID get further in treatment today. We addressed something that needed to be addressed. I encourage my patient to be kind to themself and I note, on the way out the door, that I will look forward to their renewed energy the next time we meet.

When Words Don’t Mean What We Think They Do

I was recently reminded that some of the most simple things we say to one another, words that are meant to inspire, connect, or that are simple formalities, can mean something very different to someone struggling with depression or other mental health issues. On a daily basis, there are words that pop out of our mouths out of habit. We usually don’t give them much thought, yet just last week, Blake gave me a window into a different perspective on words that I use.

“There’s something that I’ve been struggling with a lot recently,” Blake says. “People keep asking me how I’m doing.”

“Yes, they do that,” I say.

“Well, the thing is. I’m not sure what to say. I mean, what do you say when the answer to that question, ‘How are you?’ is, ‘I’d rather be dead?’ I don’t think that’s what people want to hear.”

He repeats this quandary to his therapist.

“Yes. It’s one of those formalities,” the therapist says. “I sometimes answer, ‘More or less.’ It confuses them.”

Blake laughs at this response, and then says, “There’s another thing people say. When things go wrong they say, ‘That’s life.’ ” Then he sighs and hangs his head. “That’s life.”

An entire conversation about depression ensued after that, but I took something away from those moments. It made me realize, more than ever, the power of words and how they may be construed by someone who is profoundly depressed. I realized that by saying “That’s life” to someone who is struggling to find even one reason to live, I may be reinforcing that life is nothing more than a series of bad stuff. I may be reinforcing the view of a world the depressed individual already finds so oppressive, so defeating. “That’s life. First it sucks, then it sucks more.”

I also thought about the power of asking, “How are you?” When we ask, do we really want to know? I thought of the depressed individual knowing what the socially appropriate answer is, and recognizing that, by giving it, they are telling a lie. Maybe there’s the feeling of being a misfit in a world where most people seem to be able to answer, “Good,” or “Fine.” Perhaps there’s a desire to say how awful they feel, but not wanting to be rejected for saying so.

I’m not suggesting we stop asking, “How are you?” Nor am I implying that we should drop, “That’s life,” as an expression when we want to explain to someone that the world is not perfect. I’m just taking a step into another frame of reference and, perhaps, taking you there with me for a moment. I just hadn’t ever realized quite the way my profoundly depressed 18-year-old son hears things, and I was given the opportunity to step into his perspective ever-so-briefly.

Of course, for Blake, it doesn’t end there. In his therapy, he is learning how to respond to the “How are you’s.” He is learning that there are some people he can be honest with, and other instances where he might give a social answer. He is also learning to challenge his view of the world. He is learning that “life” is not made all dark by some challenging moments. He is learning that there are shades of gray, and he is even beginning to notice moments of joy. For his father and I, it is a privilege to share in the journey.

I Don’t Want To, But I Have To

“I really don’t want to be here, but I have to…”

It’s another Thursday afternoon and, as usual, Blake, the hubby, and I are sitting in our therapist’s office. In what’s become a more and more commonplace occurrence, the hubby and I are sitting quietly on the sofa. Blake is in a chair hunched over his knees. The therapist is sitting close to Blake and is locked in conversation with him.

I’m not sure why the hubby and I are in the room sometimes, lately, but Blake wants us in there. The hubby allows his eyes to close; I think that’s how he focuses on the intimate conversation taking place to our left.

The topic, as it has been lately, is depression. Blake is describing the all-too-familiar pattern of following his depressed, dark thoughts down an endless rabbit hole of despair. Our therapist is gently directing Blake toward possibly confronting this pattern. Blake shares his perception of life holding no positive meaning. Suddenly, he seems a little breathless.

“This is really uncomfortable to talk about,” he notes. “I really don’t want to talk about it, but I have to.”

I watch him gather himself and continue. He pauses again, later – and, again, he comments. “I don’t want to, but I have to.”

I take this as a sign of bravery, a sign that Blake recognizes that, in order to gain the upper hand on his depression and his OCD, he has some very uncomfortable work to do. Later, I ask him about it, and he confirms this interpretation to me. Blake understands that he must share how he thinks, even though it is incredibly uncomfortable, so that he can move forward and begin the process of healing.

Honestly, this is remarkable to witness. We, as a family, have been though years of struggle. We’ve watched Blake succumb to OCD thinking, and then to depression. He has battled facing anything that is even the slightest bit uncomfortable. Yet, now, at age 18, there are glimmers of willingness to do the hard work – to fight for a life worth living. I recognize that there will be more struggles and steps backward, and that this will be a process. Yet, this is new and it is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen in my son before. I am so very proud of him.