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Obsessed

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2009 - 2: Obsessed users admin

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Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 5:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
Starting a new thread for Obsessed and moving a few posts over. :-)

Stacey718995
Member

07-05-2007

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 5:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Stacey718995 a private message Print Post    
Did anyone watch the show Obsessed on A&E last night? I haven't watched it yet, but have it recorded. I was curious if it was any good?

Beth4freedom
Member

10-24-2003

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 8:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beth4freedom a private message Print Post    
Yes, I watched Obsessed. I would give it a mixed review. One odd thing that REALLY bothered me was not the show itself, but one of the sponsors. It's one of those anti-germ products (maybe Lysol??) which shows an average looking object as it supposedly looks covered with germs (represented by colorful camouflage-looking pattern). It's the worst possible commercial for a person with OCD to look at (I should know, I have a clinical diagnosis of OCD). I close my eyes every time I see it, because although I am not a germaphobe, I know how OCD can "jump tracks", and this just should not be airing with the show. Another ad showed a traffic jam, also imitating something on the show, although in this case didn't seem so destructive (was advertising something the guy was glad to have with him in the traffic jam).

In any case, back to the show. I thought they made it seem a little too easy, that would be my major complaint. Especially with the woman, who was dealing with grief issues, checking, AND fear of driving. I would have thought she would be going to grief therapy and support groups in addition to the CBT therapy, and I had trouble believing that ALL her symptoms had disappeared at the end. Oh, and how about someone afraid of dying in a car accident doing something that actually might encourage that to happen--talking on her cell phone to the therapist. And the therapist was not hands-free either. At least in my state, that is not only dangerous but illegal.

I thought the piece with the man was more realistic. Especially like the part where he said when he passed the picture hanging on the wall he would want to touch or straighten it, and therapist said: we can't control our thoughts and emotions, but we can our actions.

I think maybe they thought it would be too "boring", but I wish they had stayed in detail with one person and not suddenly skipped 3 months to the future.

Stacey718995
Member

07-05-2007

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 3:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Stacey718995 a private message Print Post    
Thanks Beth, I ended up watching Obsessed. Was not my favorite, boring overall I thought. The whole therapist giving details about what she had to do in his bathroom was a bit much for me.

Beth4freedom
Member

10-24-2003

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 5:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beth4freedom a private message Print Post    
Found interesting review of the show in a Newsweek blog at:
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/05/27/raina-kelley-finds-empathy-among-the-obsessed.aspx

In part she says:
"I wanted to hate this show—dismiss it as another “documentary” that presents its stars as freaks for America’s couch potatoes to laugh at—but it's not that show. It is heartfelt and well-meaning. ...I want lots and lots of people to watch "Obsessed.'"

Stacey718995
Member

07-05-2007

Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 8:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Stacey718995 a private message Print Post    
Thanks for the thread Jimmer, didn't mean to take up so much space in the other one, just curious if anyone watched.

Beth, I am going to give it one more week. OCD issues are rampant and I am curious to see the treatment process. I will say though if the show stays as is, I am not sure I will be all on board.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 8:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
Oh no problem Stacey. We welcome new threads any time people show more than a passing interest in a show.

Beth4freedom
Member

10-24-2003

Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 3:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beth4freedom a private message Print Post    
I am interested in watching because in spite of attempts at CBT treatment, I am still "stuck" with my OCD issues, although I have done work to be able to live with them. "Do anything differently" is one of my mantras, because OCD tends to lock you into familiar patterns. One thing I learned to do was to play around with HOW I wash my hands: one hand instead of two? cold water instead of hot? just that one finger that feels contaminated?

I am really hoping they will show more in-depth with just one person, although I think next week it is 2 people again. One is a person with obsessive thoughts of harming another person--which thank goodness I have never been burdened with.

Looking at their schedule, it looks like the 4th week deals with OCD hoarding (which may yet be separated for diagnostic purposes from OCD; it shares similarities and differences). This one I will be interested in for a different reason, since I work with clients with hoarding disorder.

Sia
Member

03-11-2002

Monday, June 01, 2009 - 2:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sia a private message Print Post    
My whole family watched the initial episode. It's interesting that what just seems like the "right" way to do things comes across as "compulsive" to other people. I wish I were as neat a housekeeper as the guy who was featured, yet I can see that he goes to extremes in cleaning and straightening. I'm totally the opposite and would fall more into the hoarding category. I keep things out in the open where I'm reminded that I need to do something with my "projects," but it makes for a confusing, jumbled environment that is bad for everyone.

Bluejaxrock
Member

04-23-2004

Monday, June 01, 2009 - 3:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bluejaxrock a private message Print Post    
This was hard for me to watch, probably because I'm starting to have some OCD behavior. It takes forever for me to get out of my car because I have to check for the keys. I tell myself, Lori, the keys are in the front zipper pocket of your purse, and I still have to check numerous times.
My therapist says it's because since my life is in such disarray, I'm picking one thing I have control over. OK, now that I know that what do I do about it? I can definitely see where it can start small and soon take over your life.

Beth4freedom
Member

10-24-2003

Monday, June 01, 2009 - 8:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beth4freedom a private message Print Post    
Only saw the last 15 minutes tonight. Noticed they had a warning placard after commercial break saying "this treatment could be dangerous, only do with a trained professional." I guess that was because the treatment of the woman obsessed w/violent thoughts had to do exposure with guns, and earlier, a knife. I myself am not obsessed w/violent thoughts, but the idea of touching a "weapon of destruction" still unnerves me. When unpacking my mother's house following her death, I had to briefly handle a civil war sword that my brother wanted, and it really bothered me to touch something that might have killed someone. I was much happier when later research revealed that the sword wasn't used in the war, but was a decorative part of a masonic(?) lodge uniform.

Next week looks like a "classic" OCD case of compulsive washing. That's something I will be more interested in watching.

Anyone else see tonight's show?