- Date posted
- 3y
OCD + Kids
Can we just talk about how our kiddos are the best but also so triggering š¤Ŗ
Can we just talk about how our kiddos are the best but also so triggering š¤Ŗ
Sounds like my sister! My sister is like a āwalking exposureā for me, as said by my mom! šš
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Try to remember how sweet they are and think about sitting with the anxiety for them. I did this once and it helped me so much.
Please read this. Iāve had ocd pretty much a lot of my life but never knew what it was until my senior year of highschool. Iām 21 with 2 kids and i believe iāve had pocd a little bit before my daughter was born (which was 8 months ago). It made me start looking at all kids differently and i hate it. But it really started triggering me about 3 months ago. Iāve been thinking if iād intentionally touched or harmed my kids the wrong way, or any kids for that matter. This started giving me false memories (or at least hope they are). Iāve been having panic attacks, yelling at myself, punching walls, praying, and even thoughts of ending my own life. I grew up in a severe toxic household throughout my childhood and teenage life. Iāve never wished that on my kids since i became a dad. I wanna give them the life i never got. I look back my photos of my children and i feel like iām a complete fraud of a dad. I cannot look at my kids or be around them a lot of times. I canāt hold my daughter right. I canāt change their diaper when they need it. Even my son came and was hugging on me the other night while i was watching tv and i acted like a stranger to him. I can very little do this stuff sometimes because itās either i get relief or i push my thoughts as far back as i can. I get scared if i did something to not just my kids, but any other kids in the past. I have such a a great life and such a beautiful family. It was hard and stressful at first being young with a family but i couldnāt be more thankful at all for them. Iām just so lost and stressed right now that i just donāt know what to do anymore
Hi everyone, Iām Cayla. Iām a mom thatās lived with OCD since childhood, but my breaking point came more recently after having my son. I was consumed by terrifying thoughtsāWhat if I hurt him? What if I did something awful without realizing it? I was so afraid of my own mind that I couldnāt 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 Iāve ever done, but it saved my life. Even now, I have tough days, but I know I donāt 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 wasnāt her faultāand that she wasnāt alone. One of the hardest parts of this journey was trusting someone else with my daughterās 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 isnāt 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 belowāIād love to share what Iāve learned. Iāll be answering all of the questions I receive in real-time today 4-5pm ET.
Overwhelmed
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