- Username
- EightiesGirl
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Hello!! I know that was probably difficult for you. I had to deal with this myself at work when my boss was saying he was OCD with how things are presented or displayed. I got really annoyed and offended. “I’m so OCD” is overly saturated and very ignorant. I think it’s great you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and doing exposures! It seems like you have a good friend and maybe this will be a good time to tell her how you feel and what you’re struggling with. In order to minimalize the stigma and stereotypes, we need to address and correct them. Maybe you won’t have to go into much detail, but it might be a good idea to say you were hurt. I’m sure she will understand and show compassion.
I definitely like your response . 100% agree with what you said !
Yeah....it is so frustrating. Theres a while marketing campaign around OCD as Obsessive Christmas Disorder. I didn't want to tell my mom about my OCD. But she caught me at a weak moment and basically guilt tripped me by saying that I always shut her out and never tell her anything. I knew she wouldn't be able to handle a lot of detail, so I gave her just bare bones. When I got done, she says "I think everyone is a little OCD." It was so hurtful and so dismissive. It sent me into a massive spiral and I almost quit treatment because of it. I started doubting myself, my counselor, and my treatment. A friend helped me through it. My mom just doesn't get it when it comes to mental illness. I have offered her opportunities to get educated, but she refuses.
I know she loves me, and I know she has good intentions, but it still hurts
Thank you so much for your responses. I have thought about this a bit and do realize that she likely doesn't mean any harm, and to be fair she doesn't know that I have OCD (not that it makes it okay to use the term incorrectly!). OCD is so commonly misused in everyday conversation, that many people just have no idea that their usage could be damaging or offensive. I'm going to write up an email tonight (that I may or may not send) but at least it will help me organize my thoughts. I really appreciate you both sharing your experiences and insight.
Yesterday, I listened to an interview with one of the founders of NOCD. He was talking about this very subject and was talking about how to get people to understand what OCD feels like. He said to have them get a pen and paper and write I hope (name of person they care about) dies tonight. Ask then to notice how uncomfortable that is and how they felt writing that. Some people will refuse to write it. Others will scratch it out or wad up the paper. Then he Imagine having that thought 100 or 200 times a day. Imagine how distressed and upset that would make you feel. That is what it is like for someone who has OCD." I thought that was genius.
@Lms526 That’s definitely accurate . He was on point with that analogy 💯
@Junior96! I thought so too
I told my close friends about my OCD a few months ago and they were really supportive at first however there is this one girl who is really horrible about it. She tells me regularly that I should ‘just stop’ and that if she had OCD, she would just find a way to turn it off which makes it seem as though I am making my problems up! As well as this, she will often laugh at me for doing my compulsions even though I have explained to her on numerous occasions what they are and why I need to do them. Does anyone have any ideas about how to explain to her why I am like this? I feel like I have tried everything! Any advice would be greatly appreciated ☺️
*me preparing to share with loved ones or friends about my mental illness* *taking a deep breath and being brave* me: “So... I wanted to share something deep with you. I have recently been struggling with OCD.” them: “OH MY GOD ME TOO!!!! I hAtE iT wHeN tHiNgS aRe NoT cLeAn!!!!!!!!!”
Hello dear friends. I hadn't been on this app for a while, I've been getting by. Today I just need to vent and to feel validated and understood. I have OCD, I consider myself in permanent recovery. It is an everyday job. I am ina relationship with a wonderful guy. I deeply love and care about him, but he doesn't understand anything about OCD. I've explained it to him a million times. I've directed him to online resources. I've talked him through what to do to help me get out of a loop without giving me reassurance. And yet, he never knows what to say or do when an episode appears. It is tiring to pull myself out of the loop and then having yo explain to him what just happened to me, over and over again. I think, in general, he lacks empathy for other people's feelings, but, when it comes to me, I can see that he tries but achieves nothing. I think I don't have ROCD, I have diverse thoughts. But the last few weeks this thought got into my mind: what if he has met someone else and they are texting each other and flirting and he's gonna leave me? (He left his girl to start a new relationship with me). And he are apart due to the covid-19 epidemic, so we didn't see each other almost at all during last year. Of course, I had been able to keep this particular thought to myself, buy yesterday, it just came out of my mind after him not picking up the phone. He was in shock. He reacted defensively (which I completely understand), replied that he had nothing to explain to me as to why he couldn't answer the phone when I called him and that we was surprised that I asked him such a thing (if the reason why he didn't answer me was that he was talking to someone else). I knew it was just an OCD thought of mine, but I just couldn't keep it to myself any longer. Of course, I apologized to him and had to explain it had been an OCD thought. He was supporting and understanding and told me everything was ok and to forget about it. This morning I feel sad that he couldn't recognize this for what it was despite all the explaining I have done. I have dealt with my ocd on my own, despite being in a relationship. I just needed to vent and would like to read your thoughts about this whole thing. Thank you in advance for reading and replying.
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