Survey on OCD for a book

[Sheila]

Please see this link for a questionnaire on OCD for all ages: HERE. The information will be used for a book on OCD.

 

The author Anne Watkins, PhD, has dealt with OCD for much of her life. In collaboration with others, she drew up a manual and online questionnaire and launched it on the OCD Action website and Yahoo site in June. The survey takes around 30 minutes to complete and is totally anonymous.

 

They are aiming for 200 completed surveys so that it will carry weight with professionals, and currently have 137 completed surveys.

 

Proceeds will be donated to OCD foundations. If you do not wish to complete it online, details are given below for a manual version. I hope some of you can find time to respond, as it seems to be a worthy endeavor. Sheila

 

 

The aim of this questionnaire.

 

When sufferers of OCD go to the professionals for help, treatment starts with the filling in of questionnaires. These questionnaires, which are devised by professionals, help the professionals to make the correct diagnosis and to ascertain the appropriate treatment required. Further questionnaires are used throughout treatment to monitor the progress of the sufferer.

 

This questionnaire takes a different approach. Because it is based on questions put forward by OCD sufferers (rather than the professionals) it enables issues which may not have previously been seen as of relevance by the professionals to be taken into consideration.

 

In so doing, it seeks to ascertain:

 

· The importance of early diagnosis;

 

· The need for quicker and more targeted treatment;

 

· The need for additional counselling if the sufferer has been abused or suffered trauma;

 

· The need for closer monitoring of suicidal patients.

 

 

It also seeks to ascertain:

 

· Whether or not there is a need for more information on this illness, regarding symptoms, available treatment; waiting times for treatment; the success rate of treatment; side effects of meds etc;

 

· Whether or not a sufferer can obtain and retain control of his/her OCD without the support of parents/partners/friends;

 

· The effect which OCD has on the sufferer's education and employment/promotion prospects;

 

· The effect which OCD has on the sufferer's experience of childbirth and bringing up children;

 

· The benefits of additional support for patients in the form of:

 

1. Self help groups;

 

2. On-line forums;

 

3. Volunteers with OCD prepared to man phone lines; books and leaflets written by sufferers containing tips and advice for gaining and keeping control.

 

The overall aim is to help each sufferer to get better control of his/her OCD so that s/he can minimise the effect that this disabling illness has on his/her personal and work life.

 

 

How to access/complete/return the questionnaire

 

The survey is completely anonymous and will not file IP addresses. We have configured the survey this way so that we may elicit the most honest responses. We OCD sufferers treasure our privacy and it is in the interest of all that we designed the survey this way so that sufferers feel comfortable sharing their experiences. We feel that the more honest and comprehensive the answers, the more accurate the book will be, and a voice will be given to those who often suffer in silence. Thank you for your time and consideration. This survey should take about 30 minutes to complete, so please plan an appropriate time to be able to finish it once it's started. Online version

 

http://www.surveymon...JjjaY9N5A_3d_3d

 

 

MANUAL version: if you wish to use the manual Questionnaire, you can copy/download it from the OCD action website. Please return completed manual copies by post. If you email us on ocdsurvey@btinernet.com we will let you have details of how to do this.

[Gladis]

Hi everyone.

 

I thought I should introduce myself. My forum name is Gladis but my real name is Anne Watkins. I am 62 and retired and have been married for over 30 years. I have had contamination OCD for most of my life which has been extremely severe at times. Due to a long period of respite (after inpatient treatment) I managed to achieve a PhD in politics at Exeter Univeristy, UK. After I was awarded it, my OCD came back with a vengeance. I have been fighting to get back my control since November 2009 and currently have around 80% control as a result of private treatment.

 

This is why I decided to write this charitable book about OCD. I felt that nobody understands OCD as much as we sufferers. I therefore felt that by writing a book I could help my fellow sufferers as well as raising awareness and getting rid of the stigma. I now have several partners from both sides of the Atlantic helping with the project - though only I know the identities of the contributers. I have almost enough contributions 9from several different countries) to fill the book - but could still do with book reviews and small articles on coping tips (ie sports and hobbies). We hope to get the book ready for publishing by the end of next summer. All the profits will go to OCD Charities.

 

Thanks so much Sheila for advertising my project and survey and thanks so much to those of you who have already completed the survey.

 

 

The survey is due to close on 30th September, but I could keep it open for one more week if it would help.

 

If you would like to contact me privately the email address is: OCDsurvey@btinternet.com

 

Thanks so much

Very best wishes

Anne

[Gladis]

Hi again

 

I am so sorry to bump this topic again, but there are only nine days before the survey is closed.

 

So far, I have received 211 completed surveys from all over the world. 211 is more that the number of patients participating in some medical trials for new drugs and treatments, so 211 has a lot of credibility. But every extra survey carries added weight.

 

I am now, at last, receiving surveys from those of you with BPD or Schizophrenia as well as OCD and from those with Autism/Aspergers and OCD. This helps reveal the complexities of OCD, and, thus, why it is so hard for so many of us guys to get OCD under control.

 

I know that there are many parents on this forum who have children with OCD or with OCD and other disorders. A few UK parents have been so keen to have their voice heard that they have completed surveys with or on behalf of their children. I was wondering if some of you would consider doing this too so I can add a chapter on OCD in childhood. I have learned so much from these particular surveys including: the fact that Prozac is prescribed for chilren and sometimes has serious sie effects and that many children with OCD end up with little or no formal education. I would alos love to hear from parents of children with PANDAS and OCD as so little is known about this still.

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post.

 

Very best wishes

Anne Watkins.

 

Ps all profits will be donated to OCD charities including this charity

[Wombat140]

I don't recollect the survey saying anything about autism when I did it. I think I probably have Asperger's syndrome. I never got around to getting a formal diagnosis, but a CBT therapist once agreed that it looked very much that way to her. If that's not on my completed survey, put it on by all means - you know which mine is, don't you?

 

Good luck with the Book!