- Date posted
- 3y ago
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I’m sorry you’re going through. I’m glad you’re sticking to erp!
- Date posted
- 3y ago
That is a great idea
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Thanks!! I am going to just ignore what she says. She is not the expert.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Period
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Is there any support groups near you or over zoom she can attend to hear other people talk about their ocd and the erp therapy. There is a support group in new hamspahire over zoom on Thursday nights and there was a mom who attended last week to get info because her 25 year old daughter has it and the mom did not understand. It seemed very helpful to her.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I love your idea. That might be beneficial for us.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
@AA16 I hope it helps. It’s so hard for people who don’t have ocd to really understand. For that matter I have trouble understanding mg own ocd. Best of luck 💜
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Oh thank you.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I’m not sure why she thinks it’s wrong but perhaps try using the addiction metaphor with her? Ask if she would give you drugs if you were in pain and going through withdrawals.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I tried explaining that to her and she kicked me out of the house. Then let me back in. I try to explain to her she does not listen. I will not listen to her. Thanks
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Sounds toxic to me :( try explaining to her how ocd works and why u need ERP for it .
- Date posted
- 3y ago
@Brian :) Oh just now read ur comment sorry
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Try looking over these support groups and hopefully she can attend one https://www.treatmyocd.com/support-groups I am so sorry that you are struggling with this. It is very difficult for a parent to see their child struggle and in pain- and with ERP, initially there may be an increase in anxiety and discomfort but that is actually a good thing- it sounds counterintuitive but that is what makes it work. Maybe your therapist could meet one on one with your mom and explain the intent behind the exposures, if they haven't already done so and give education about why ERP works and how.
- User type
- NOCD Alumni
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Do you have the NOCD app? You can access groups in the app and I would encourage you to sign up for the supporting others with OCD group and the new to NOCD group. And you guessed it! Have your mom there for the groups with you. I think she will learn a lot. However, if she is not accepting then if you have been diagnosed with OCD please stick with ERP. It is the standard for treatment and talk therapy makes OCD worse. Also, is it possible that she thinks you are worse because when you start ERP it does increase your anxiety before you start seeing a reduction? I think she needs some education. You can also let your therapist know and ask if they have any resources to help educate her.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w ago
I’m so tired of my OCD changing “themes.” And no matter what it changes to, it’s always directed towards a specific person - my mom. My mom and I are very close. I consider her my best friend and we live together. I can share anything with her and she’s very supportive. I’m 32 now, but harm ocd started when I was 15 and she was the main target back then as well. I had a bad flare up this year and the harm thoughts came back, but about a week ago they turned into sexual thoughts. Graphic thoughts and images about incest. These thoughts typically make me feel panic and dread, and just an overall depressed feeling. It has made me uncomfortable to be around my mom, since I can’t even look at her without a sexual thought or image popping up. Even watching a romantic scene in a show, listening a romantic song, etc. My brain wants to put an image of her in my head. Even me fantasizing about a man that I’m attracted to will replace the man with my mom. They just keep popping up. So this of course makes me think I actually want these things, and are actually fantasies. I have started to wonder if I’m in actual denial or that these are my true feelings. I have never been a relationship before due to not having much interest in it plus my mental health issues started as a teen, but someday I would like to get married. But now I’m thinking maybe I’ve never pursued a relationship with someone else because I’m actually in love with my mom and want to be with her, but I can’t so I’m just suppressing my feelings. And I do love my mom, but I question myself is this just platonic or familial love? Also questioning our relationship in general now - is it unhealthy or too dependent? It makes me feel doubt, since I have never really been in love before with someone else so I have nothing to compare it to. Always just crushes or finding a man attractive, and I identify as straight. But I also have not thought of my mom in a sexual way before, so I’m hoping this is just my OCD acting up. Even thinking about a future relationship with a man is making me feel nervous, since I think if I have feelings for my mom, will I ever be able to be in a serious relationship someday? If I’m with someone will I actually just picture her? It makes me feel hopeless, like I can’t help how I feel and what if these things are true? Would I act on them? My brain even made me think, “you want to ask your mom to be in a sexual relationship with you and/or want her to ask you.” I feel like such a pervert for writing that, like a truly disgusting person. I know I don’t want these things to be true, but what if they are and I can’t help how I feel? Again just feel doubt and uncertainty, that I’m in denial, and not to mention just feeling like a very sick individual.
- Date posted
- 22w ago
Having a really rough night tonight. Currently I'm having a lot of contamination obsessions and compulsions with using the bathroom and when I use it I usually end up spending at least an hour and a half including all the cleaning rituals and showering afterwards and I just started seeing a new therapist to help with this. Tonight it unfortunately hit me in the middle of the night at like starting at 1 am and finishing close to 3 am. This ended up making both my mom and dad really angry with me and this is not a new situation. For context, my dad doesn't believe in mental illnesses at all and my mother is better and much more understanding, but still doesn't believe it's real to an extent. With my mom being more supportive than my dad, it leads to arguments between them a lot especially ever since they brought me home (I recently graduated college and my OCD got to the point where I was unable to have a job or function normally in taking care of myself by living alone). My mom tends to lash out at me when she gets stressed about these arguments with my dad over me because she can't talk back to him and that in turn usually causes me to spiral and get worse and so the cycle continues. This recent time my dad started yelling at me from downstairs because I was flushing the toilet too much for his liking and my mom said some hurtful things to me. I understand that it's not easy living with me especially right now and I can see why they're upset but I really am trying to get better but I can't just get better overnight and automatically be able to control all my compulsions, especially with the severity they're at right now. I'm not really sure how to navigate my family situation like this with a lack of a support network or someone in my family who believes that what I'm going through with OCD is real and it's not just me choosing to do these things. Has anyone else experienced a similar home situation and have any tips on getting through it?
- Date posted
- 13w ago
I feel really scared and worried that the therapist I find on NOCD might not be effective, and instead of getting better, I might end up feeling worse. I’m afraid that if I don’t feel any progress, I’ll want to switch therapists, but my mom might get impatient with me. I worry that she’ll lose faith in therapy, stop paying for it, and think it’s a waste of time and money. I know therapy takes time and it’s not a quick fix, but I’m scared that things won’t go the way I hope. What if I don’t connect with the therapist? What if they don’t understand my OCD as well as I need them to? I’ve already been struggling so much, and the thought of going through another disappointment is exhausting. I’m only 14, and I feel stuck because I can’t manage this on my own. I need help, but I also need my mom to stay patient and supportive through this process. I’m scared that if things don’t improve fast enough, she’ll give up on paying for therapy. I don’t know what to do, and it’s making me feel really anxious. I just want to get better, but what if nothing works out?
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