- Date posted
- 3y
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
I’m sorry you’re going through. I’m glad you’re sticking to erp!
- Date posted
- 3y
That is a great idea
- Date posted
- 3y
Thanks!! I am going to just ignore what she says. She is not the expert.
- Date posted
- 3y
Period
- Date posted
- 3y
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
I love your idea. That might be beneficial for us.
- Date posted
- 3y
@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
Oh thank you.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
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
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
Sounds toxic to me :( try explaining to her how ocd works and why u need ERP for it .
- Date posted
- 3y
@Brian :) Oh just now read ur comment sorry
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 3y
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
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
- 23w
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?
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 19w
Hi everyone, I’m Cayla. I’m a mom that’s lived with OCD since childhood, but my breaking point came more recently after having my son. I was consumed by terrifying thoughts—What if I hurt him? What if I did something awful without realizing it? I was so afraid of my own mind that I couldn’t be alone with him. The shame and exhaustion were unbearable, and I convinced myself I was broken. In 2024, I finally sought help. ERP therapy at NOCD was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it saved my life. Even now, I have tough days, but I know I don’t have to be ruled by OCD. When my 12 year old daughter began showing signs of OCD, I felt overwhelmed with guilt. I never wanted her to go through what I had, but I knew what to do. I told her that I have OCD too and made sure she knew it wasn’t her fault—and that she wasn’t alone. One of the hardest parts of this journey was trusting someone else with my daughter’s OCD. I knew how vulnerable it feels to share intrusive thoughts, and I wanted her to feel safe. Her NOCD therapist was able to establish trust and genuine empathy from the start, and that relationship gave her the confidence to face ERP head-on. Seeing her build that trust made me certain she was in the right hands. ERP has helped both of us reclaim our lives, and it is beautiful to see my daughter managing her condition and making visible progress. Parenting with OCD while raising a child with OCD isn’t talked about enough, but I know so many parents are struggling with these same challenges. If you have questions about managing OCD while parenting, helping your child through ERP, or breaking cycles of guilt, drop them below—I’d love to share what I’ve learned. I’ll be answering all of the questions I receive in real-time today 4-5pm ET.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 18w
December 14, 2024, marked two years since my first ERP therapy session with my NOCD therapist, Mixi. And October 2024 marked a year of being free from OCD. It was not an easy journey, confronting my fears face to face. Exposing myself to the images and thoughts my brain kept throwing at me, accepting that I might be the worst mother, that my daughter wouldn’t love me, and that I deserved to be considered a bad person. It was challenging having to say, “Yes, I am those things,” feeling the desire to run, but realizing the thoughts followed me. At the start of my therapy, I remember feeling like I couldn’t do this anymore. Life felt unbearable, and I felt so weak. I longed for a time before the OCD, before the flare-ups, before the anxiety, the daily panic attacks. I thought I’d never be myself again. But I now know that ERP saved my life. The first couple of sessions were tough. I wasn’t fully present. I lied to my therapist about what my actual thoughts were, fearing judgment. I pretended that the exposures were working, but when the sessions ended, I went back to not sleeping, constantly overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. But my therapist never judged me. She made me feel safe to be honest with her. She understood OCD and never faltered in supporting me, even when I admitted I had been lying and still continued my compulsions. My biggest milestone in therapy was being 100% transparent with my therapist. That was when real change began. At first, I started small—simply reading the words that terrified me: "bad mom," "hated," "unloved." Then, I worked on listening to those words while doing dishes—not completely stopping my rumination, but noticing it. Just 15 minutes, my therapist said. It wasn’t easy. At one point, I found myself thinking, “Will I ever feel like myself again?” But I kept pushing through. Slowly, I built tolerance and moved to face-to-face exposures—sitting alone with my daughter, leaning into the thought that my siblings might die, reading articles about my worst fears, and calling myself the things I feared. Each session was challenging, but with time, the thoughts started to lose their grip. By my eleventh session, I started to realize: OCD was here, and it wasn’t going away, but I could keep living my life despite it. I didn’t need to wait for it to be quiet or go away to move on. Slowly, it began to quiet down, and I started to feel like myself again. In fact, I am not my old self anymore—I’m a better version. OCD hasn’t completely disappeared, but it’s quieter now. Most of the time, it doesn’t speak, and when it does, I know how to handle it. The last session with my therapist was emotional. I cried because I was finishing therapy. I remember how, in the beginning, I cried because I thought it was just starting—because I was overwhelmed and terrified. But at the end, I cried because I was sad it was ending. It felt like I had come so far, and part of me wasn’t ready to say goodbye, even though I had already learned so much. It was a bittersweet moment, but I knew I was walking away stronger, equipped with the tools to handle OCD on my own. If I could change anything about my journey, it would be being open and honest from the beginning. It was the key to finding true healing. The transparency, the honesty—it opened the door to lasting change. I’m no longer that person who was stuck in constant panic. I’m someone who has fought and survived, and while OCD still appears from time to time, I know it doesn’t define me. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. Have you started therapy, is something holding you back? Is there something you want to know about ERP therapy? I'll be live in the app answering each and every one today from 6-7pm EST. Please drop them below!
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