Tics

Dealing with OCD OCD needs to be diligently dealt with at a young age in order to avoid consequences acquired over a lifetime. Parents should enroll their kids in special programs in an effort to control their OCD. The symptoms of OCD, accumulated over a period of time, can prove to be hazardous to not only the one diagnosed, but to those around them as well. These symptoms got out of hand in David Sedaris’ memoir: “A Plague of Tics.” Luckily, they were dealt with and avoided in “Two-Way Mirror.” These examples prove how important it is to treat OCD at in early age and ultimately help eliminate outbursts. To begin, although the tone in “Two-Way Mirror” was negative, the outlook of the plot was optimistic. Beth Machlan wrote about her daughter’s struggle with OCD. At a young age her daughter Lucy would have frequent bursts that left her parents scared and bewildered. Beth herself has had experiences of coping with a mental illness. Because of her knowledge of these problems, Beth would take Lucy to see a doctor twice a week. “’You’re doing great, sweetie,” I tell her. “I know it’s hard”’ (4). Beth knew the struggle that Lucy was going through which is why she brought her to the doctor right away. Because Lucy was having sessions twice a week, it is likely that by the time she grew up, her tics would become less frequent and maybe even dissipate completely. Lucy was lucky enough to have her behaviors looked at by a doctor, however David Sedaris recalled in his memoir: “A Plague of Tics”, that his urges followed him throughout most of his childhood. The kind of support that Lucy received from her mother was not given to David when he was a young boy. His outbursts would annoy his parents to the point where they wouldn’t want to deal with him. Over a glass of scotch with his teacher, David’s mother mocked the way he acted in class. She had talked to everyone of his teachers all the way to high school. David’s father also had a problem with the way he behaved. David’s father introduced violence into his life when he made David bleed from his nose. From that day on David enjoyed the pain, it was a form of pleasure for him. He would do things such as roll his eyes far back into his head and punch himself to bring the pain back. Because David’s symptoms were not treated his OCD continued throughout college. Illnesses like OCD can be controlled if they are caught and treated at a young age. Its important for a child’s parent to be concerned and want to help their child overcome their problem. “Two-Way Mirror” and “A Plague of Tics” both illustrate the idea that the parents’ involvement in the treatment of their children’s disorder is crucial. If the parent has a positive involvement, and they want to genuinely help their child, there is a greater chance that they will rise above their troubles. On the other hand, if the parents are oblivious to their child’s needs, and the OCD goes untreated, they will continue to experience tics and their will become worse.