30 Nov 2020
Shane is a 20-year-old man who spent his early years in Hertfordshire. In his formative years he started displaying behavioural issues then was diagnosed as being on the Autistic spectrum with a mild learning disability, along with having OCD tendencies.
Every aspect of his life was affected by his compulsive acts and rituals.
He only ate at specific times and only ate certain foods and drinks. His hygiene suffered due to being hypersensitive to water and even small basic tasks such as washing his plate after eating was a major stumbling block for him.
This also affected his ability to go out and socialise. He would be fearful of getting caught in the rain and he even found it hard to go into the garden.
His OCD compulsions extends to colours and even ordering/prescribing medication can be problematic for Shane. If a colour of a medication was changed, he would refuse to take it. Even the ordering and placing of his personal items can cause him distress if they’re moved. All of these rituals and routines have a major impact on the quality of his life and started to manifest itself with acts of self-harm.
Shane came to Magic Life in 2019 following a hospital stay and the support team, headed by John Massaquoi the Project Manager, have created an environment where his compulsive rituals are not left to manifest leading him to dark depressive states. The Team reassure, encourage and provide him the space and time to take things a step at a time towards his ultimate goals. This constant support provides him with a framework to develop and see past his self-imprisonment.
Shane and the Magic Life team have worked really hard and the results are clear to see.
Shane now enjoys going out, even in the rain. In fact, he can spend most of the day out. He enjoys shopping for food and buying personal care products. He is happy to have close personal interactions. He can pay for his shopping, order a pint in a pub and even go to the barbers for a haircut just to mention a few.
His obsession surrounding food is but all gone and even the times when he eats are flexible. He enjoys take-outs and many different type of cuisines His life is enriched by social interaction and is no longer fearful of large groups of people.
The Team work closely with Shane, understand his triggers and help him to navigate away from negativity. Understanding his needs is key and the Team work hard every day supporting him to build a positive and happy life. There are still stumbling blocks and hurdles but we will continue to work with Shane come rain or shine.
