A follower gives some insight on OCD re: our discussion on the pod about Scheana:
the episode is so good! and just fyi: re scheana and brock and the babysitter debate, i have OCD and the way scheana is behaving is ABSOLUTELY in line with OCD. OCD is all about irrational fear, an iNTENSE need for control, a need for things to be done your way and ONLY your way, and believing that your fear is actual intuition. She absolutely wants to control the situation and control Brock, and part of that may be for other reasons, but OCD is definitely a part of this picture. The reason she’s so resistant to his point of view is because her OCD is so intense that she can’t consider it or she’d have to change – and changing compulsions is HARD. It takes many hours of exposure and response prevention therapy, taking little tiny baby steps, to get over something like that. She’d need to, like, leave Summer with a babysitter for 5 minutes, and then sit in therapy and process her anxiety with a professional. Then 10, then sit with a therapist. Meanwhile Brock just wants to bulldoze.
(happy to explain more about how OCD really works and feels, btw. It’s actually wild, and waaaay more complex than I ever knew. It explains A LOT about Scheana, including her checking people’s locations. I bet that’s one of her compulsions.)
Another follower:
Just listened to the pod and I wanted to weigh in on the Sheana babysitter issue- I’m a therapist and specialize in postpartum OCD and not being able to the leave the child with a nanny is VERY common with OCD sadly. She is very impacted by OCD that I can see, and many moms have intrusive thoughts about the safety of their child when they are being watched by anyone else 🙁 I’m assuming the mom also has OCD from what Brock said to her in one of the first episodes. OCD is a genetic mental health condition.
Ok maybe some OCD but Scheana’a ALWAYS been like this (controlling with her men, wants this and that her way etc)…js
Sincerely appreciate both perspectives.
Being a new mom is hard! Really hard. Being a new mom with OCD tendencies, anxiety and/or depression can feel horrible. Experience speaking. I didn’t want to leave my child w a babysitter…..fear of abuse (mental, physical, sexual).
We joke about OCD means you have a clean house…it’s not that “fun”. it’s a manifestation of trying to create safe spaces and order to find stability.
Therapy is life changing when you take it seriously and have the right therapist/care provider (and/or the right meds).
Try to – be kind to Scheana – she is far from the only one who has experiences OCD behaviors and they aren’t fun. My wish is that S is able to find a great therapist …..
Having children provides an opportunity to look in the mirror. people feel retraumatized when their children reach an age where they struggled w family situations you don’t want to repeat.
S, she’s probably always had OCD, so the symptoms/behaviors would have always been present. They probably just worsened postpartum. Episode 260 of the APA “speaking of psychology” podcast does a great job of discussing the experience of truly having OCD. Highly recommend.
Brock needs to learn more about his wife’s condition, but Scheana also needs to work through it, otherwise it can make her life miserable.
I want them to work this out so badly
Generalized anxiety can look like ocd, too.
Thank you, Scheana
“Irrational fear that you think is intuition”–wow 10000%. She-shu has bugged the living ish out of me this season with the exception of her sharing THIS side of her life. I had no idea PPA even existed until after my baby was born in 2020 (when Covid ruled the world). Didn’t know PP OCD existed until this season of VPR. 2 babies later and I still struggle with leaving them. I made my husband watch every scene of scheana and Brock discussing this! It’s a relief for my husband and I both to know we’re not alone in feeling this way about (me) leaving our kids and (him) getting frustrated with spouse for not being able to let go.
Another reason why I love The Valley, there’s many millennials in their same shoes!