"Extreme Exposures" ( Ep. 106 ) from The OCD Project | Full Episode

The OCD Project
Ep. 6, Extreme Exposures

Posted 7/2/10
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Dr. Tolin asks one patient to leave the program. For the rest of the group, today begins the highest level of exposures. They have now reached the top of their "Fear Hierarchies" and the exposures are extreme!

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jmilesv (11/19/2010 7:30:44 PM)

When watching the previews for the next episode at the end when Kristen is putting urine all over her clothes, i would have to agree with her, that is just nasty!!!! I would be upset too! Who in their right mind does that? He is crazy, and when I saw a trailer for this and he licked the bottom of a shoe, i about threw up myself! There are germs on the bottom of a shoe, that is why we wear them! when you walk in a bathroom there is millions of bacteria in there that were then all over on the inside of his mouth! And the episode where he throws babies at Arine's car saying she has hit a baby, that is just ridiculous! That would make me go even more crazy, Wouldn't that confirm her fears? And, if if did work, wouldn't that desensitize her and when and if she actually ran over someone, she wouldn't care? I'm just saying that some of his exposure methods I agree with, but some of the other ones are just crazy!

arambo1 (8/26/2010 1:48:09 AM)

I think that it was the right thing to do, as far as kevin goes. Not because there is anything wrong with him. I loved him. More because this a group setting and he unfortunately was not able to keep up with the group. He needs a more slow moving, one on one program. I think it was in the best interest of the others for their own progress as well as Kevin's. He felt terrible about being behind the others. That was puting added pressure on him and making him feel bad about himself. That's the last thing he needed. I wish Kevin lots of luck. He has alot of supporters!

the_watcher (8/22/2010 11:39:23 PM)

A person with aspbergers has the ability to "switch" to an alternate reality(no unlike schizophrenic...). How can the doctor treat someone who is not 100% in the normal reality? When the doctor speaks, does Kevin understand 100%? When Kevin speaks is he talking about what's going on in reality or in his alternate reality? Does Kevin have OCD in his alternate reality? Is it in his normal reality?

Carol (8/20/2010 1:40:57 AM)

noooo they got rid of Kevin Q.Q

Nurse_Fannie (7/26/2010 1:26:16 PM)

I've watched every episode and was absorbed in everyone's story, especially KEVIN'S. I'm glad Vh1put our comments for this episode back. I was wondering if they were trying to hide something. I cut and pasted the the comments to my own email in the case they're accidentally deleted again. To TisBetter, I AGREE with most of what you said. As I watched the show, I did not consider Aspergers until he "supposed" it. However, there are TESTS involved to make a valid diagnosis. And I agree, I do not consider it a disorder either. Was there any testing done by Dr. Tolin? Probably not. That's why he has wiggle- room to make this what he suspects. Seems a bit unethical and here's why. A widely known psychological clinician mentions Asperger's and everybody jumps to the conclusion that Kevin has it. Dr. Tolin gets Kevin out of the (his) picture, passing him off to another Dr. which we never were told about. Who is that other Dr.? Did the other Dr. administer tests to make a real diagnosis? Was he an MD? Meanwhile Kevin potentially takes on a new label, now nationally. And who knows how that might impact his future career, as I understand he was a teacher. I've read Kevin's open letter on his website, very interesting; it addresses some of this. ---On the other hand, I must say it's great to see that Kevin's doing well in Episode 8. As for the others, I'm glad Kristen got the help she needed where Dr. Tolin's way didn't quite work.. The other four, keep up the great work! Hope to see a reunion show someday :) If anyone hears of any media follow-up on these six, please post it here..

Nanci S/ (7/11/2010 4:05:59 AM)

Kristin, I have a similar OCD to you. I have watched and cringed over the things that the show has had you do. I go to therapy monthly and manage my OCD to the extent that most people don't realize I have it. I firmly believe that aversion therapy isn't for everyone. I know it isn't for me and doesn't seem right for you. You can feel what might work for you and what just feels wrong. I couldn't and wouldn't let anyone put urine on my personal property - whatever their reasons were. Take care of yourself and don't let a program that is wrong for you, make you feel less than you are. You can make it!

TisBetter (7/9/2010 8:24:59 PM)

I don't think we can assume the producers knew Kevin had Aspergers. Some people are suggesting that like it is fact. But Aspergers isn't something you can diagnose just from watching a tape or conducting an interview. Besids which, they're producers. I doubt they know anything about any of this stuff. I've had some limited exposure to kids with Aspergers (as a teacher) but it didn't occur to me to think Kevin had it until Dr. Tolin mentioned it might be a possibility. From the beginning I thought there was something a little different about Kevin but that's all. When Dr. Tolin suggested it might be Aspegers, I thought "that could very well be" because the way Kevin interacts does remind me of that. For the record, I don't personally think of Aspergers as a disorder. I think it's a difference certainly, and because Aspergers can seem strange to others, it requires treatment (like social therapy), but I don't think people with Aspergers have a 'disease' that has to be 'cured.' I think people born with Aspegers just think differently than other people. Their brains are wired differently from the start. And if Kevin has it, he would probably be served best by getting some help in understand it. I don't understand Fear_Factor's opinion that it is Dr. Tolin's responsibility to diagnose and treat ALL of Kevin's illnesses. Doctors send patients to specialists when they need special treatment. Dr. Tolin treats OCD, not Aspergers. I think Dr. Tolin made an ETHICAL choice in recognizing that Kevin may be outside his expertise and would be better served by another doctor or at least another program. And of course he says 'I suspect' about Aspergers. He doesn't know. He is making an educated guess. Kevin still needs to be diagnosed. None of us know at this point. So the safest course is to get him tested. It might also be worth noting that Kevin's OCD issues are a little different because they are religious in nature. The others in the group are suffering from fears that seem rational to them but irrational to everyon else. Religious fear is trickier. One might argue that all religion is irrational, and that all religious rituals are just as irrational as some of the other patients' rituals, but a large portion of society SHARES religious fear and belief in rituals. That makes it harder to deal with because for every person that tells Kevin "nothing is going to happen if you hex or pray" there is going to be someone else who will say that spirits are judging him by such actions and that the judgment just doesn't take place until after death. I don't personally believe that any god worth believing in would judge Kevin to hell for standing up to his fear of hell, but i can see that convincing Kevin of that might also be a specialty. Anyway, I don't think Dr. Tolin is being unkind or exploitative. I honestly think he is trying to help Kevin. The combination of possible Aspergers + religious OCD + national audience might be the wrong combination. In that respect, it might be in Kevin's best interest to leave the show and find the best help available FOR HIM. Of course, we might see him again in a later episode. Best of luck to you, Kevin! If that really is you commenting on these forums, I think you are doing the right thing by continuing to face your fears. I know you can do it.

Nurse_Fannie (7/8/2010 7:25:38 PM)

SO it's impossible for an actor to have OCD??

Nurse_Fannie (7/8/2010 7:21:05 PM)

I think this comment from "Amanda" below is worth citing again concerning this "hell exposure". This really bothers me. I should hope the participants got a chance to see the episodes BEFORE they aired. And if they're going to have Kevin on again, please have it be ethical, not exploitative.......Amanda said: I thought that too Linda...about them kicking him off after the prayed. They said it was because he was hindering his treatment by doing it but you ask any religious person on earth if they would openly damn themselves to hell they would not do it. And then when you try to save your soul and ask for protection from God they kick you out claiming there's no way you'll get better. I'm sure there were other ways they could have helped him that didn't involve this. I'm in no way, shape, or form religious. But even I was appalled when he yelled at him for praying.

FearFactor (7/7/2010 8:32:24 PM)

@iceburg I have a few degrees. I also worked with aspergers children so I think I know a bit more than you about what I saw. I expect people to be treated with dignity and respect unless there is prize money involved and the people are not suffering from an illness. In fact, it WAS the doctor's job to diagnose and treat ALL of Kevin's conditions if he was adhering to the spirit of APA ethics. He has a responsibility as a medical professional to be ethical even if he is "not perfect".

FearFactor (7/7/2010 8:31:13 PM)

@Nurse_Fannie What makes this more like a freak show is the fact that the "tasks" they ask them to do are so over the top--eating scones dunked in toilet water? I think the CDC might have a problem with that one. Why make it so over the top? Sure, eat out of a toilet-that will cure OCD...We also have no way of knowing what will happen to these people AFTER the show is over--I mean YEARS later. Will it make a difference if they ate the toilet dunked scone, or if they had just eaten the one on the rim--it might have been enough. That is why I think it IS a freak show--forcing a task on someone with a threat- "if you don't do this, you must go home now" is purely for drama and effect and not "treatment" in my book.

KatieB (7/7/2010 8:26:13 PM)

aww that was sad how Kevin felt about being asked to leave, I really hope he gets help

iceburg (7/7/2010 6:07:55 PM)

Its national TV...come on how much can you really expect? And i think its funny how people can sit and watch the show and then do nuthin but complain about it, because its not up to their expectations. Unless you have a degree i really dont think you should be saying anything at all. It wasnt the doctors job to diagnose Kevin with aspergers. It was his job to cure his OCD and if he felt he couldnt do that for Kevin then im glad he had him leave. People are only human......no one is perfect!

Nurse_Fannie (7/7/2010 2:14:53 PM)

Where can one find answers to these questions? This is a one way blog.

Nurse_Fannie (7/7/2010 2:13:18 PM)

To the above post, I have to agree. But I would NOT call this a freak show. It looked like it definitely benefited some of them. But they most likely had an extensive screening. But I don't see Asperger's with Kevin. I think that was wrong to mention this "possibility". If the camera always zooms in on someone when they make a facial grimace (esp. when he talked about focusing, it was right on his eyeball!), that's what the viewer remembers: the flaws, when show over and over. Also, when Kevin makes different points, instead of answering him, the camera just cuts to the Dr. talking in a quiet room. So we have these half-sentences that seem like gibberish, when it might just be the film cutting. I know a LOT of shows do that. What I would like to see is a few minutes of UNEDITED footage of Kevin. That would be more believable. And I think somebody owes Kevin an apology.

FearFactor (7/7/2010 12:00:52 PM)

I agree with those that posted about Kevin . This doctor is supposed to be a professional with training. He doesn't know aspergers syndrome when he sees it? These people had interviews BEFORE they were even accepted to be on the show--the show and the doctor KNEW FULL WELL what they were getting into when they got Kevin, and not only that, I think they accepted him on purpose, PRECISELY because of the controversy he would bring to the house..lots of good "TV" because of him. The doctor/producers knew that his days would be limited on the show--they have to throw someone off just to make it interesting. It was poor judgment on this "doctor's" part to go along with this "plan" and his professional ethics are wishy-washy at best if he agreed to bring Kevin on this show. It was exploitation at worst and just plain sad at best, and makes the OCD Project look more like a modern day "freak show" than anything designed to benefit the people involved. Sad that modern psychology has to be dragged through the mud like this and shame on Dr. Tolin for setting back the cause of mental illness another 100 years. He should know better.

iceburg (7/7/2010 1:08:11 AM)

Leah-ok so if not the funeral for her son what exposure do you think they should have done to help her?

iceburg (7/7/2010 1:03:34 AM)

I think that we should let the Dr. do his job. Like he said in the episode, he didnt think he could help him in their program. So why waist his time? And who cares of he says suspect or suppose? Its not his job to diagnose him with anyhting different. I give props to the Dr. for not draggin Kevin through the program when he wasnt sure if he could make him better.

Nurse_Fannie (7/6/2010 1:35:57 PM)

I agree as well. Where did he go? if Dr. Tolin could do 'nothing more' why did they let him drive away? They made it look like he really wasn't doing so good, but then 'SEE YA' and good luck?? "How long after he left did he folow up with treatment? DID HE FOLLOW UP? CAn anyone offer an answer? -NF..

Nurse_Fannie (7/6/2010 1:31:57 PM)

I think perhaps Kevin should have stayed and Dr. Tolin should have been kicked off.....Well, I wonder if anyone will be told to "back their bags" next episode

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The OCD Project Ep. 6, Extreme Exposures

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Ep. 6, Extreme Exposures