Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz Says Treatment Made A Difference
By Barbara Morse Silva

POSTED: 5:59 pm EDT July 25, 2005
UPDATED: 7:24 pm EDT July 25, 2005

There's a mental illness known as obsessive compulsive disorder. In some cases, it develops after a woman gives birth and is often confused with postpartum depression. But it's not the same -- nor are the treatments.

When Mary Ellen and Tony Lukasiewicz married more than 30 years ago, it was for better or worse. But it started getting bad shortly after the birth of their first child, David, who is now 27.

"The first thought I had of hurting him was sitting in our den in the rocking chair just holding him," said Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz, a postpartum OCD patient. "I think I was reading him a story and I had this impulse to throw him through the TV screen."

Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz was told she had the baby blues and that, after a while, those thoughts would go away. But then her daughter, Kara, who is now 26 years old, was born. More horrible thoughts followed.

"It's just like your brain is on a circuit that just can't be broken," she said.

But it wasn't until Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz's third child five years later that things went from bad to worse. Her morning ritual of making tea made her think of pouring boiling water on her child -- and worse.

"It just went right to the thought that I was going to strangle my kids," she said.

"She'd be crying and shaking and wouldn't know what to do," said her husband, Tony Lukasiewicz.

An attempted suicide landed Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz in Butler Hospital, where she met Dr. Stephen Rasmussen.

Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz was diagnosed with postpartum OCD.

"OCD is a 'what if' disease," said Rasmussen. "'What if?' and 'How can I be sure?' So, it's a fear of a thought, but they think, 'How could this thought even occur to me? That's a terrible thought that I've had.'"

Rasmussen was able to successfully treat Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz with medication. That was 20 years ago.

These days, Rasmussen also likes to include cognitive behavioral therapy, in addition.

Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz is thankful for the hope she received from Rasmussen.

"Hope that it would get better because he kept saying it's going to get better," she said. "I will get better."


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Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

One of the most under-reported and under-diagnosed postpartum mood disorders, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (PPOCD) can be extremely distressing for many women. Although experts are not exactly sure just how many women are affected by the disorder, it is estimated that between two and three percent of new mothers will suffer from PPOCD.

What Is It?
People affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) become consumed with particular thoughts, impulses or images. These thoughts or impulses often cause the person a great deal of anxiety, disgust and discomfort. As a result, people with OCD have compulsive urges that help to ease their feelings of anxiety and distress.

The main difference between PPOCD and the obsessive-compulsive disorder that affects the general population is that women who develop the disorder in the postpartum period tend to focus their obsessive thoughts on their baby. While women with this disorder may be prone to bizarre thoughts, they are acutely aware of the fact that their feelings are not normal. However, some women with the disorder are reluctant to seek help for fear that they will be looked down upon for their peculiar thoughts and fears.

Symptoms of Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Typical symptoms of PPOCD cause disruptions in a woman’s daily routine and can get in the way of her personal relationships. The rituals that many women establish to cope and deal with their obsessive thoughts can be time consuming and interfere with regular activities. Signs of postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder include:

* Intrusive, recurrent and obsessive thoughts, usually involving the baby
* Avoidance behavior, possibly of the baby but generally anything that will cause fear
* Establishing rituals which include:
o Repetitive behavior (touching every door knob you pass)
o Obsessive cleaning and/or washing
o Hoarding (done to combat fear of losing objects
* Anxiety and/or depression
* Fear

Women affected by PPOCD usually experience obsessive thoughts about their baby coming to harm. This can result in repetitive behavior such as repeatedly sterilizing the baby’s bottle for fear that it may be contaminated or checking on the child an excessive number of times. Some women may also harbor fears that they will harm their child in some way, such as drowning the child during bath time. However, while these fears can be especially disturbing, very few mothers with this particular disorder are likely to actually cause themselves or their child any harm.

Who Is At Risk?
Although any woman has the potential to develop PPOCD, women who have a personal or family history of obsessive-compulsive disorder have an increased risk of developing PPOCD. Women who develop an obsessive-compulsive disorder during their pregnancy are more than two times as likely to have PPOCD.

While PPOCD can develop for the first time during the postpartum period, some women may have already been diagnosed with OCD prior to becoming pregnant. For these women, their symptoms of OCD may become even worse during the postpartum period.

Getting Treatment
It is important that women affected by PPOCD seek professional help. Left untreated, PPOCD can impede a woman’s ability to cope as well as interfere in her relationship with her partner, family, friends and child.

There are different treatment options available to women with PPOCD. Some may be treated with anti-obsession medications. Other may receive the medication in combination with other forms of treatment or may not receive any medication at all.

Another treatment approach uses psychology to help women. Through different types of counseling, including couples therapy, support groups, interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavior therapy, women are able to change their behavior and the way in which they act. This helps them gain control over their PPOCD.

The final form of therapy takes a social approach to the issue. Through this treatment, women are able to learn coping strategies. Additionally, because this approach involves a woman’s partner, family and friends, she is able to build a network of social support.

Because of the different treatment approaches, it is possible for each woman to have a very personalized therapy that will be the most beneficial to her. With proper care and treatment, it is possible for a woman to overcome this disorder.


http://www.pregnancy-info.net/postpartum_obsessive_compulsive_disorder.html