At home, with the doors locked, the fear persists. She goes through an elaborate ritual to protect Jake.
Although Stephanie knows her thoughts are irrational, they are also uncontrollable. Her desperate efforts to keep her son safe make life difficult. A stroller ride down the sidewalk illustrates Stephanie’s obsession. She needs to stare at Jake continuously. Passersby pose a special threat. If they don’t kidnap him, they may still contaminate him. Stephanie carefully navigates Jake’s stroller around any potentially contaminating objects on the sidewalk, such as cigarettes.
Before her son was born, Stephanie was diagnosed as having OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). Now, her fear of contaminating Jakes leads to compulsive rituals that help her to manage her anxiety. She needs to scour her hands before touching him. She demonstrates the torturous, complex procedure that she goes through in laboriously washing each finger. Touching the garbage can, she feels compelled to repeat the process.
Stephanie’s husband describes how his wife’s obsessions have become uncontrollable since the birth of their son. Stephanie is highly motivated and eager to begin treatment because she knows that her disorder is harming her son.
(Please note that this video should be watched in conjunction with “Treating OCD: Exposure and Response Prevention.”)