‘I’m not in that dark hole anymore—and you don’t have to be either’: Christina reflects on her turning point in OCD and anxiety residential treatment

As a child, just getting dressed every morning was difficult for Christina. Certain fabrics and textures triggered intense anxiety, sometimes even panic attacks.

“Say you put on a wool sweater, which can be uncomfortable, but after a while, your skin gets used to it,” explains Christina. “My skin never got used to what was touching it.”

That meant Christina wore the same “safe” clothes every day through elementary school.

“I knew people could see that I was struggling,” she shares. “But I never talked about it.”

Her parents took her to doctors, but they couldn’t find the understanding and help they needed.

“I became very depressed,” she recalls. “Every day felt like a challenge. I reached a dark place where I felt hopeless and didn’t want to keep living because I couldn’t see my life getting better.”

Eventually, her mom found Rogers’ OCD and Anxiety residential treatment for children in Wisconsin.

“I remember thinking, ‘If they can help me, without a doubt, I’ll go,’” she says. “There was no hesitation. I finally felt hope.”

During her stay, Christina says she felt accepted and understood. In a significant moment during treatment when she wore purple corduroy skinny jeans she previously would not have been able to withstand. That put her on a path forward she never thought she would travel.

“That day I realized I’m getting better,” she says.

Christina is sharing her story to remind others they don’t need to suffer alone in silence.

“I’m not in that dark hole anymore—and you don’t have to be either.”

The team at the OCD and Anxiety Center was thrilled to hear about Christina maintaining her progress.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see past patients’ residential treatment continuing to positively impact their lives,” says Dr. Andrew Butchart, DO, Service Line Medical Director Child and Adolescent Residential Care, Oconomowoc. “Helping adolescents find a path forward and allowing them to connect with peers who have similar challenges are some of the most important and unique aspects of residential care.’