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End of Watch – Review
November 26, 2012 1 Comment
End of Watch – Review
End of Watch Review – by FilmFellaLozz – 7.2/10
Following up his previous L.A outings in Harsh Times (2005) and Street Kings (2008), David Ayer now brings us his third movie, End of Watch; another gritty portrayal of South Central in all it's grimy glory. Sharing writing credits for Training Day, S.W.A.T and Dark Blue, you may be able to see a trend forming. He's one who's definitely sticking to an area he knows, but there's nothing wrong with that; just as long as he can bring something different to the table whilst at the same time adhering to a specific formula. He may find himself a nice little niche if he's able to achieve this.
End of Watch sees a few days in the life of L.A.P.D partners Taylor and Zavala; Jake Gyllanhaal and Michael Peña. When a run of the mill day turns sour as the duo stumble across some gang related crime scenes, the pair find out that they've gotten themselves into something much higher than their pay grade. Facing obstacles head on and using unconventional methods at times to get the bad guys, are what these two hardened buddy cops do so well. But there's a line….and when you cross the wrong bald, mumbling Hispanic gangster line, all the gun-toting maniacs come out to play.
Ayer ramps up the tension by finding any means necessary to get a camera right in on the action by utilizing the handheld footage technique. This is accomplished mainly by Taylor's new camera that he flicks on occasionally to record….well anything as they go about cruising and circling their beat. The other is a badge camera on their uniforms. This found footage style does work, for the most part.
The action is exhilarating in sections; really on the edge of your seat stuff. It's a shame though, that the concept is let down by the fact that there doesn't seem to be any reason for using the technique in the first place. Within the movie, the footage captured plays no part in the narrative; even though there is so much emphasis put upon it. The sergeant telling him to put the camera away on several occasions is one example. The second downfall of this is that scenes/shots that don't involve the two leads are still available for us to see. Here, it should have been all out handheld or none at all. My vote would've been none at all. That shaky all over the place camera-work can be effective for action stuff. Just look at the Bourne movies.
Overlooking this, if you can (because I had trouble), the movie in its entirety is actually pretty good, ticking off the boxes for action, drama, with little incisions of humour. And the two of them really work well together; both actors carrying off a number of emotions and their natural rapport and banter is evident throughout. You would've seen Michael Peña in numerous movies before, but this is a stand out performance. He has a soft, mild-mannered demeanor, but always with an intensity that feels scarily real. Gyllenhaal is good; his role somewhat reminiscent of Jarhead. But even so, the two of them have a chemistry that convinces us that they are partners in crime(fighting). And the recorded footage element allows us to see a little closer into these guys' lives.
With a lot to tell about these two cops, character development goes out of the window with anybody else in this. Namely, the bottom feeding, end of chain Hispanic miscreants that represent the foe; the people we should be scared of. But we don't know anything about them, other than that they talk stupidly fast, with every other would being fuck. Annoying though, when that's the only word you understand. And they weren't even speaking Spanish! The gang felt like they were just some low-rent gringos for hire, and as such, didn't really impose a credible threat.
All in all, I would say that out of Ayers' three L.A based crime capers, this one is probably the best. Unfortunately, what made the movie work in terms of action was the gritty feel from the in-film cameras; but it was also where the movie stopped short of being great and only finds itself in the realm of good, but could be better territory. Although, saying that, somebody gets a knife in the eyeball. That's pretty cool. Extra mark for that!


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The old mail-bag is filled with fun stuff lately, including my preview copy of Elephant & Piggie's next adventure, Can I Play Too? It's always fun to have the actual, real book in your hands. Somehow it's much different than all of the printouts, proofs, and what have you.
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In Can I Play Too? Gerald and Piggie meet a new snake friend who wants to join in a game of catch. But don't you need arms to catch?
I like this one. Snake was good fun to draw. I hope you enjoy this one when it comes out in early June.
Available at your favorite local bookseller or library in early June. Pre-order here.

subset: commoncrawl


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|Media needs to re-evaluate how it runs meetings.
Nobody wants to go to a meeting and have the same conversation with the same group of people they had just the month or week before. It's frustrating and creates a negative experience towards community service. Worse, is the time people put into these meetings only to see little return. I've been to them and have seen it first hand. I'm not the only one, as I just had a recent conversation with someone who observed the same problem. And that's a problem, because their are a lot of people who bring a wealth of judgement, insight, experience and executive experience, but aren't willing to endure hours of what seems like nothing more than a book club meeting.
I would suggest that Media invested in the time to find a chair that has the credentials with leading and running a committee like this. That's important in drawing people to the group who can make it effective, productive and have the abilities to get to decisions.
These are the types of issues Media has to re-evaluated from the ground up. Participation is what is needed, and it's out there; but people want assurances that their time is of value. These meetings could easily be run in 60 to 90 minutes tops, not 4 hour swirl-a-thons.


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This week I planned to get into the sewing room each day. Today I spent plenty of time un-sewing. Gosh putting one half of a block the wrong way up was causing a huge problem. Of course it all fell into place once I had worked out what I had done wrong. The next block came together in a matter of minutes. I am working on a quilt which has 16 blocks in the centre.
Yesterday I received some lovely mail all the way from America.
I hope you have a wonderful Friday doing something you love. I will be in my sewing room.
Happy days.
Bev C


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Christian Marriage
some notes and extracts from the Common Worship Marriage Service
Invented by God – "The Bible teaches us that marriage is a gift of God in creation"
"a holy mystery in which man and woman become one flesh" – united together in a new relationship
Purposes of marriage:
(1) CHARITY / PARTNERSHIP – love, friendship, companionship - "Marriage is given, that husband and wife may comfort and help each other, living faithfully together in need and in plenty, in sorrow and in joy."
(2) CHASTITY / PURITY – sex - "It is given, that with delight and tenderness they may know each other in love, and, through the joy of their bodily union, may strengthen the union of their hearts and lives."
(3) CHILDREN / PROCREATION – family - "It is given as the foundation of family life in which children may be born and nurtured in accordance with God's will, to his praise and glory."
A covenant – vows – promises – commitment – solemn binding agreement
"N, will you take N to be your wife?
Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her,
and, forsaking all others,
be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"
Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her,
and, forsaking all others,
be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"
A life-long exclusive relationship – "forsaking all others, be faithful as long as you both shall live"
"I, N , take you, N ,
to be my husband,
to have and to hold
from this day forward;
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love, cherish, [and obey],
till death us do part,
according to God's holy law.
In the presence of God I make this vow."
Unconditional promises: for worse, poorer and in sickness – given great security – makes working at making your marriage the best it can be in your own interests!
"N, I give you this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,
within the love of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,
within the love of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
"Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder."
The full text of the marriage service is available at:
Some key Biblical passages:
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-25
The Song of Songs (a love poem in the Bible, a picture of the relationship between God and his people)
Proverbs 5
Matthew 19:1-9
Ephesians 5:22-33
Some books on marriage from a Christian perspective:
Christopher Ash, Married for God: Making your marriage the best it can be (Nottingham, IVP, 2007)
David Harvey, When Sinners Say "I do": Discovering the power of the Gospel for marriage (Shepherd Press, 2009)
Pete Jackson, Preparing for Marriage: God's Plan for your Life Together Study Guide (New Malden, Good Book Company, 2007)
Timothy & Kathy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 2011)
Nicky & Sila Lee, The Marriage Book: How To Build A Lasting Relationship (London, Alpha International Publications, 2000)*
Rob Parsons, The Sixty Minute Marriage: Transforming Your Relationship in One Hour (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1997)*
Michael & Hilary Perrott, The Highway Code for Marriage (Farnham, CWR, 2005)*
John Piper, This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence (Nottingham, IVP, 2009)
Winston T. Smith, Marriage Matters: Extraordinary change through ordinary moments (Greensboro, New Growth Press, 2010)
Paul David Tripp, What Did You Expect? Redeeming the realities of marriage (Nottingham, IVP, 2010)
Simon Vibert, The Diamond Marriage: Have Ultimate Purpose in your Marriage (Fearn, Christian Focus, 2005)
Douglas Wilson, Reforming Marriage (Moscow, Canon Press, 1995)
* - less full-on Christian content


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Suggests bountiful generous, countless forms --- 'The way a crow.
Shook down on me. The dust of snow. From a hemlock tree.
Has given my heart. A change of mood' Robert Frost
sits exhausted in an airport
hoping for a pretty sky;
hearing words from nations' update,
jumble into purple sky.
Every word intends connection
- hopeful – casting line and fly.
Once outspoken, lost in motion,
kisses in a pretty sky.
Down it loosens from the sky
along the trees and city blocks,
trampled on by squeaking feet
from 6 o'clock to 6 o'clock.
It gets inside the downfall pipes
and open upward mouths and eyes;
dropping through uncertainties
on certain hats and city types,
whitening our blackened streets,
changing an indifferent world.
The snowman's little smile is curled
because he knows he'll never cling
to a billion crazy snowflakes, each,
uniquely shaped - and everything.


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But this is exactly what it means for someone to be a Lord. A lord is a master, someone whom you must serve and obey. We do not have masters today in most contexts, certainly not in America. We do not have kings who can have us put to death if we do not submit to their authority.
It seems that few people have a real comprehension of what a God is. We take God for granted, almost as if he exists to serve us rather than the other way around. So the notion that we would want to give God complete authority over our lives may at times seem foreign even to many who actually call themselves Christians.
So there is nothing wrong with using the idea of being filled with the Spirit for a new sense of purity, power, and authority God takes over our lives that comes once we surrender completely to him. Although it is not exactly biblical language, holiness preachers were on to a marvelous image when they talked of the fullness of the Spirit. After all, will God take full control of our lives if we have not given him all of our lives that we know to give?
But this idea, valid though it is, does not seem to be what the book of Acts had in mind. [1] As we have seen, the coming of the Spirit in Acts primarily has to do with the initial experience of Christians when they first believe in Jesus as Messiah and are baptized. The situation of the disciples is different because the Spirit had not yet come in this way until the Day of Pentecost.
In Luke-Acts, the Day of Pentecost, as we saw earlier, is finally the fulfillment of the prediction John the Baptist made that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. [2] The disciples could not have been filled with the Spirit in this way until after Jesus died and rose from the dead.
So what is the coming of the Holy Spirit about in Acts? Yes, for those who are first believing on Jesus, being filled with the Spirit is truly the mechanism of past sins being cleansed. Baptism is the outward act with our bodies that corresponds to the spiritual act the Spirit does in cleansing our sins. Acts 15:9 tells us that the hearts of the Gentiles had been purified when they received the Spirit.
But Acts focuses much more on the power that comes when people receive the Holy Spirit. Isn't this exactly what Jesus predicted in Acts 1:9: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you"? And it is exactly power that we see the disciples have in the chapters that follow the Day of Pentecost. They receive power to perform miracles, such as the healing of the lame man in Acts 3. They receive boldness to witness to the resurrection even though they are persecuted for it.
And this power is available for believers even today. In Romans 8:9, Paul tells the Romans that a person is not truly a child of God if he or she does not have the Holy Spirit. Most people today do not experience as dramatic an experience as those in Acts, although some do. Most today experience a peace, a calm assurance. [3]
Luke-Acts draws a line to us, as if to tell us that in the power of the Spirit we can do the same miracles today. Luke-Acts shows Paul doing the same miracles that Peter did, which were the same miracles that Jesus did. The three points make, as it were, a line that points to today.
[1] Again, if the Spirit-fillings of Acts were about a distinct spiritual experience like entire sanctification, we would surely expect Acts to be more explicit about it. We should always question interpretations of this magnitude that require us to read between the lines. Interestingly, John Wesley himself did not use Acts to present his teaching on sanctification anywhere in his writings.
[2] Again, John 20:22 is not part of the narrative of Luke-Acts. As far as Acts is concerned, the Day of Pentecost is the first time the promise of Luke 3 comes to pass.
[3] For whatever reasons, some believers are also plagued with difficulty experiencing the love of God. In such cases, the body of Christ often steps in to embody the love and assurance of God for them.


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So I am surprised and very happy with the module "rules " . It is an extension of the "trigger" module and also a newer version of "workflow-ng" module .
It works on a simple policy of Event + condition = Action . And before someone thinks that its too geeky to use , this little picture would show how simple it is .
I was able to create a new page each time a user comments and also send an email thanking him for the comment in that particular page . It was also easy to substitute variables like user who commented ,user who recieved comment etc .
Kudos to Wolfgang Ziegler aka fago who made such a nice module and has added great documentation with future plans coming as a research article !!


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Todd had a post this morning you absolutely have to check out. There was a church in North Carolina that had their trailer stolen, and they've launched a campaign to find out who stole it… but it's not what you think. Rather than looking for justice, this church is looking to connect with and forgive these people, and even offers to buy them lunch. They are doing it through a website, a YouTube video directed towards the new trailer owners :), and through some pretty radical billboards.
Pastor Steve Jobs
Great post this morn from Bobby Gruenewald over at Lifechurch.tv. You guys know I'm an Apple freak and his post marries the best of both worlds: the Church and Apple. What would the church that Steve Jobs ran be like? Here are my favorites from his list:
- Incredible imagery would display behind Pastor Jobs as he demonstrated the iJesus and invited everyone to demo it immediately.
- Everyone would be twittering as they were amazed by the iJesus…"I have to have that!" and "That changes everything!" would cross the twitterfeed.
- Everyone would have an iPod with their own worship playlist (and if you're new, one would be provided to you at the door).
- Everyone with an iPod—earbuds in…would press play and simultaneously begin singing different songs (but no one would care, because you couldn't hear everyone else and they couldn't hear you…sing away!)
Testing blogger from…
Big Weekend
Just got back from the gym. It's all quiet in my house, everyone is asleep. I'm thinking about this weekend, and now I'm getting pretty excited!
- Friday at 7:00pm
- Saturday at 7:00pm
- Sunday at 8:45am
- Sunday at 10:10am
- Sunday at 11:30am
- Sunday night at 6pm at our Joshua's Crossing location
Selling my whole life…
How many of you have ever wished you could trade your entire life for another?
Where is Scott Hodge?
I was bored completely out of my mind and tried to call several friends but no one answered… so I called the last one on my list. He did not answer. I wept bitterly 🙂


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Dog Food
These are my kids. They are messy and dig holes and occasionally smell a little funky, but I love them terribly and want to protect them from harm always and forever. They are my beloved Chessie and Emmett. Foofie and L'il Brown Dog.
So when it became known that some assholes in China were purposely adding Melamine to ingredients used to produce pet food (in order to artificially boost the protein percentage) I became worried. They have eaten Iams their entire lives, and Iams dry dog food wasn't on the list. But Iams wet cat food was. So it wasn't a great leap to think that it could be in the dry food as well, they just haven't reported it yet. Well, I don't think Iams dry food was ever recalled, but the torrent of other foods and treats being recalled was too much for me. They started getting homemade dog food. I could not imagine taking such a huge chance with their health. And I could not imagine the guilt I would feel if something happened to them because of what I was feeding them.
Jamie was asking on her blog if anyone was making their own pet food because of this awful recall situation. For the last several weeks, I have been feeding my dogs a mixture of ground turkey, rice, carrots, a little red bell pepper (Chessie's favorite thing in the world), garlic and spinach, topped off with a dollop of cottage cheese. They get about 2 cups total: one cup of turkey and one cup of the other ingredients mixed in.
They absolutely love it. They have never been so excited about dinner time. And Chessie's allergies have improved a good bit.
I make a big batch every 5 days or so and it takes about a 1/2 hour to chop and cook everything. It is worth it to make sure that what they are eating isn't going to kill them.
Roy (the cat) has been eating Whiskas wet food. I tried a combination of hearts/gizzards etc. cooked up for him but he wanted no part of it. And plain tuna is good but for him to get everything he needs it has to be mixed with other things and then he wants no part of it. So for now he is still eating his wet cat food (not made by Menu Foods). Any ideas on homemade cat food for a picky kitty?


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GenY Startups - SwimZip.Com
Daily Advice Link - Free Logo Service
Betsy Johnson, 27, started working for Boeing as an intern in 2006 while attending the University of Puget Sound in Washington. After graduating in 2007, she was selected to enter the company's BCFP (Business Career Foundation Program) in Philadelphia. Four years later, she decided it was time to leave her day job. Although her job offered her a steady paycheck, the opportunity to travel abroad, mentorship, and even a pension, she realized that working hard to climb the corporate ladder was getting her nowhere.
She ended up at Disney in a new position right after quitting Boeing, but she grew frustrated with legacy processes and systems. She lasted at Disney for two months before deciding that it was time to start her own company, SwimZip.
SwimZip sells UV 50 swimwear for babies, toddlers, and children. The idea came to Johnson after she was diagnosed with skin cancer. SwimZip is currently in its business development stage but is forecasting a profit for this year.
[Via - CNNMoney.Com]
Awesome Statups - NorthSocial
The (Evergrowing) List Of Cool Bootstrapping Sites
From 0 To $30,000 A Month With Dropshipping
10 Great Books About Underground Economy, Working Under The Table And Surviving When Economy Sucks
How I Increased Sales 350% With Press-Release
101 Businesses You Can Start With Less Than One Thousand Dollars: For Stay-at-Home Moms and Dads
My Name Is Beer, Mr.Beer
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You


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Brickipedia is currently undergoing a change with the naming of part articles and this article's name may be outdated.
|Design ID: 3959
|Years in production: 1978
| Available Colours:
Part 3959 is a Torch for minifigures. It may also be used as a Space weapon, such as the gun used by the UFO Blue Droid, or as a Jawa's stunner. This piece is very common and was released back in 1978, being included with the first Minifigures.
|This article or section is incomplete.
Please improve the article, or discuss the issue on the talk page.


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For all the earning I did in March on SwagBucks I got a higher bonus then I thought I was going to get, since there was a few days I wasn't able to work since I was sick and not able to work.
For those that don't know what SwagBucks is it is a search and win site that you can also watch videos and complete surveys as well as shop and earn from other sites and get a bonus from that, and lots of other great things.
You can earn rewards, such as Amazon gift cards, virtual visa gift cards, paypal, and much more.


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Eating this way, it stimulates a hormone called "insulin" which generates excess body fat through the junk food that is consumed everyday.Cellulite is more common in women than in men due to the production of female hormone estrogen, so women especially, should create healthier eating habits in order to avoid cellulite, plus a sports culture (exercise). These elements are essential to avoid starting from the bloom of youth with a body full of cellulite.Cellulite or "orange peel" that corrodes the female body even when the girls end up to become women, many of them with 16 years of age have this problem!. The good thing is that some are aware that this is a result of consuming junk food, lack of exercise and water; is well known that lack of exercise brings more adipose tissue naturally and as consequence, the odious cellulite.
Another factor contributing to this health problem are extreme diets, where women fail to consume calories, and in turn protein and other important nutrients are not being consumed and as a consequence they lose weight rapidly as the body loses muscle tissue and increases the proportion of fat, also poor blood circulation by not exercising, imagine the evil that you are giving your wonderful body!!
There are 4 types of the dreaded cellulite ranging from first grade or "emerging" that appears in adolescence or perhaps later, to the most serious Level 3 or 4 that it does not go away unless you do something radical and definitive like a lifestyle change.
For me it is a pleasure to help you manage your health, write me with any questions or comments you have or simply "like" my facebook page, where periodically I update nutrition tips health and wellness.
I wish you the best of health


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That is from Kanye West's new song, Power. It just made me think, we can't let our inner child go! Don't ever grow up completely. Yes, we should all be mature, but don't lose the ability to have fun in that. Be able to laugh and enjoy life to the fullest. Don't let anybody take that away from you. :)
Friday, May 28, 2010
Inner Child.
"Reality is catching up with me, taking my inner child, I'm fighting for custody!"
Posted by cgrfan at 1:24 PM


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|whats that Jessica? I have 400+ followers?!
Well, to those 20-30 of you who tolerate my random/lameness I say thanks. I know I've been neglecting my blogger duties a bit lately, but pesky life/reality bullshit has been getting the best of me. MOAR posts in the future though! Thanks again. Here's to the next 100+ suckers...er, followers I nab in this year!


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Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) during pregnancy and after having a baby has, until recently, received relatively little research attention, despite being a significant problem that is now thought to affect 2–4% of all new mothers.
Some women develop OCD for the first time either during pregnancy or shortly afterwards, whilst others find that pre-existing OCD symptoms become worse.
Where OCD occurs during pregnancy this is referred to as prenatal or antenatal. It might alsobe referred to as perinatal if the OCD occurs during the period around birth (five months before and one month after). The word 'perinatal' is a hybrid of the Greek 'peri' meaning 'around or about' and 'natal' from the Latin 'natus' meaning 'born'. Here in the UK, prenatal is perhaps the term you will be most familiar with.
Where OCD occurs after giving birth it is known as postnatal or postpartum OCD. Generally here in the UK postnatal would be the term used (postpartum is more frequently used in the US). Postnatal actually means 'after birth' in Latin.
The increase in the frequency of OCD is likely to be related to the fact that pregnancy and early parenthood is a time when mums are naturally focused on the safety of their developing child and feel uniquely responsible for them. During pregnancy women will read and hear many guidelines encouraging them to be more careful about their diet and behaviour, and frequent messages about the safety of various activities for their baby in the short- and longterm. Most women become a lot more concerned about protecting their baby and about how their actions can impact on their unborn child. It is also a time of increased stress, major physical change and transition to a new role which can increase vulnerability to developing difficulties.
Some fathers may also experience postnatal OCD because of their feeling of responsibility to protect their new baby, a strong indicator that hormonal factors are just part of the story.
In mothers with prenatal/postnatal OCD, the focus of the obsessions and compulsions is very similar to other forms of OCD, but usually the obsessions focus on the fear of purposely harming their newborn baby, or somehow being responsible for accidental harm.
Perinatal OCD usually revolves around significant fear of harm coming to the infant, with worries frequently focused on accidentally harming the child, the child becoming ill or deliberately harming the child. It is important to note that the occasional experience of all of these worries is absolutely normal and indeed very common in mums and mums-to-be. However, some people find themselves so distressed that they will take measures to manage their anxiety or prevent their fears coming true. In this way the thoughts and behaviours can interfere significantly with their well-being and their experiences of pregnancy and parenting. It is the extent of, and response to, the worries rather than just having them, that becomes the problem.
For example, in pregnancy a woman may be very concerned that something she eats or touches may cause harm to the unborn baby. This may cause her to avoid and restrict foods, places and situations well beyond the recommended guidelines in order to keep as safe as possible, or at least feel that she has done everything in her power to do so. She may spend large amounts of time cleaning and washing and ask those around her to do the same. Women with such concerns may seek excessive reassurance from friends, family and professionals that the baby is developing satisfactorily and that her behaviour is 'safe'. Unfortunately she will seldom be reassured by the answers given. After the birth, these concerns may revolve around other illnesses of childhood, with mums taking measures such as excessively checking their child when asleep so that she then does not sleep or relax at all herself.
Another common theme of perinatal OCD is thoughts of harming your own child. After the birth, many parents experience occasional fleeting thoughts that they may deliberately harm their baby, but are able to dismiss these as meaningless. Whilst many new mothers will have these thoughts of harming their baby, others with OCD interpret the very fact that they have these thoughts as meaning that they may act on them and become frightened about their potential to harm their child in a moment of madness. They may then avoid contact with the baby or take special measures to stay 'safe' around them such as hiding knives and sharp objects in the home.
Mothers with OCD do not act on their thoughts of harming their baby. If anything, most mothers with OCD go to extreme lengths to prevent the perceived threat of harm, which is what leads to the repetitive cycle of anxiety and fear.
The symptoms of prenatal and postnatal OCD vary widely from individual to individual, and like other forms of OCD, some mothers will experience many other symptoms related to OCD.
Whilst the list below is not exhaustive, it offers an insight into some of the common obsessions seen in prenatal and postnatal OCD:
The list below (again, not exhaustive) offers an insight into some of the common compulsions seen in prenatal and postnatal OCD:
These can have the result of leaving the mother feeling overwhelmed by the obsessions and the compulsions and this can also leave the mother with trouble sleeping because of the obsessive thoughts.
It may be particularly difficult for mums first to recognise their experiences as OCD and second to seek help due to the shame and secrecy associated with the illness, especially at a time when they themselves and those around them expect them to feel happy. As there is often a lack of awareness of OCD during pregnancy and postnatally, people are rarely asked about these experiences by professionals.
Despite recent breakthroughs in awareness, understanding and treatment of OCD, many GPs and mental health professionals may still not recognise the symptoms of OCD or even know how to correctly treat the disorder. Therefore, it's important that you learn to recognise the behaviours and symptoms associated with it and, if seeking help for yourself or someone you care for, to understand which are the most appropriate treatments for OCD, how to access treatment on the NHS, or how to locate a suitably qualified therapist who is trained to treat the condition if private treatment is sought.
Unfortunately, prenatal/postnatal OCD is quite often misdiagnosed as being postnatal depression which often is co-morbid with the OCD, often as a result of the OCD. This can also happen because the person with OCD is often reluctant and embarrassed or even ashamed to talk about these thoughts and feelings because of a fear of being labelled 'mad', or being thought to be a risk to their newborn baby.
Everyone, from family members to friends, expects a new mother to be joyful; the impact of postnatal OCD goes far beyond the actual OCD symptoms. It can leave a new mother devastated and exhausted. In very severe cases, if left untreated it can negatively impact a mother's ability to care for her child which creates potential for bonding problems and can cause depression. It can also have a devastating impact on the relationship with the mother's partner, because of the extreme anxiety being experienced.
Knowing when to start a family is of course a very personal decision. How you are coping with your OCD is part of the equation; other factors may include how your partner will cope with any potential change in your health and how balanced your world is. Knowing that being pregnant and becoming a mother alters your hormone balance means you are forearmed with the knowledge that you will need to look after yourself more in a general sense – for example plenty of rest, good nutrition, exercise and low stress triggers.
For most mums who have OCD the most significant impact is on their quality of life as they try and cope with significant levels of distress and anxiety during pregnancy and beyond. The symptoms of OCD can make mums less available for their child both mentally and physically. Preoccupation with thoughts of danger and harm can prevent the person enjoying this special time of life and they may feel guilty and disappointed that they are not being the parent they wanted to be.
More directly, if a person is spending large amounts of time engaging in obsessional compulsions they will most probably have less time for other parenting tasks, such as playing with their child. Depending on a person's fears, particular developmental stages of the child may present challenges, such as crawling around in potentially messy areas and mixing with other children.
OCD can be very difficult for family members of those suffering, who may be asked to provide reassurance or follow obsessional rules themselves. Often, mums worry about their child picking up on their fears and developing obsessional behaviours themselves, which can happen in some extreme cases, but is usually rare.
We do not know very much about the long-term impact of untreated parental OCD on children; however it is clear that many people manage to be excellent parents despite struggling with their own concerns. If you have OCD, it is best for everyone in the family if you seek help for yourself at the earliest opportunity which can help reduce and reverse any impact of the problem on you and those around you.
Perinatal and postpartum OCD is indeed a serious, but equally a very treatable medical condition. Receiving the very highest standards of care, support and treatment for OCD, and sticking to the treatment plan, are the key to long-term recovery from OCD, so that you and your newborn can enjoy a healthy OCD-free time of precious loving moments such as hugging and having fun together.
OCD-UK chair, Kylie Cloke first experienced OCD whilst pregnant with her first child, click here to read Kylie's story.
Treatment of Prenatal or Postnatal OCD
Most women with postpartum OCD are strongly aware that their obsessions and compulsions are problemmatic, but they are often scared to seek treatment in case it means that they are deemed to be an unfit mother. However, if you think that you might be suffering from postpartum OCD, it's vital to seek treatment as soon as possible to ensure that it doesn't interfere with the time when you are bonding with your baby and spill over into other areas of your life.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for supporting and treating antenatal and postnatal mental health illnesses state that severe OCD in pregnant and postnatal women can be a serious problem for the mother, her baby and her family – initial treatment should generally be with psychological therapy.
They actually go on to say that women requiring psychological treatment should be seen for treatment normally within one month of initial assessment, and no longer than three months afterwards.
Fortunately, the treatment of prenatal/postnatal OCD is essentially the same as other aspects of OCD by using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). In many cases, CBT alone is highly effective in treating OCD, but for some people with OCD a combination of CBT and medication is more effective.
Medication usually takes the form of antidepressants that act on the serotonin system, known as SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors). Medication may reduce the anxiety enough for a person to start, and eventually succeed in therapy, but for pregnant or postnatal mothers this needs to be a carefully considered option as to whether the potential benefits of taking medication for the mother outweigh the possible risks to the developing foetus. It is thought that SSRIs can also be transferred to the baby through breast milk, although there's currently no evidence to suggest that this would cause any problems in the long term. The NICE guidelines make the following medication recommendations:
If you are planning to become pregnant, it is important to discuss this beforehand with your GP or psychiatrist if possible. They will be able to advise you on the safest forms of treatment during pregnancy and breast-feeding. If you discover you are pregnant whilst already taking medication, do not stop the medication; instead make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible and ask to be referred to your local prenatal mental health service. The decision of medication during pregnancy and nursing needs to be weighed up in terms of the severity of the symptoms and the overall impact on your quality of life, with CBT being the preferred treatment of choice.
Left unchecked and untreated OCD will mushroom and feed upon itself and can have the power to consume if left unchallenged so it is important to seek professional medical advice and support the moment you recognise that your symptoms are interfering with your life.
Should you find you have difficulty accessing CBT during or after pregnancy then OCD-UK's advocacy service may be able to help you pursue access to treatment.
Maintaining Recovery
Maintaining recovery for any ailment can be just as challenging as overcoming it initially. OCD is no any different – maintaining your recovery requires time and attention. So, what can you realistically do to help yourself? The following tips and techniques are designed to help you:
REACH for Recovery
Be an OCD–free mum
If you feel yourself leaning towards OCD rituals, find yourself an 'OCD-free mum' and try modelling your behaviour on them, i.e. when you find yourself in a situation where you would conduct rituals imagine you are your 'OCD-free mum' and then act as she would. The most important thing is to focus on recovery and enjoy your pregnancy and newborn baby and to remember that you're not alone.
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