Is there therapy for me? To help me understand my sons OCD? He is struggling. Just starting a new med on top of Luvox. Clomipirine…. Spelling. I just don’t think anyone truly understands what he is going through or what I am going through.
OCD is one of the most misunderstood illnesses out there. Most of the time people pay attention to the symptoms of OCD, but not really the root. Anxiety. Someone with OCD will suffer from severe anxiety, this will lead to their brain creating compulsions to alleviate the imagined danger, then they perform the compulsion, this causes the anxiety to temporarily go away, however it always comes back in the same cycle. However lots of people without OCD think of it as a personality quirk. That the sufferer wants to do the compulsions, however that couldn't be further from the truth! The sufferer may be happy to be relieving the anxiety, but they aren't happy to be doing the compulsion itself and, in most cases, they understand that the compulsion is completely unreasonable. That said, the anxiety is so severe that they have to do the unreasonable thing anyway. ERP therapy aims to basically desensitize these imagined dangers *HOWEVER* it is very important to note that it is done in a controlled setting with preparation. If one were to simple confront an OCD sufferer with their fears without any preparation this may "shock" them and make their OCD worse. Therapy often includes starting with the easier to tackle compulsions and working ip as more confidence is gained. Not by directly assaulting them with the worst one out of nowhere. To answer your question, I think that if you son is speaking to an OCD specific therapist and doing ERP, that it might be alright to have his therapist either have a meeting with you, or to have his therapist recommend someone for you to speak with. A non OCD specific therapist could help as well, however, in my experience, they tend to not have as clear of an understanding about the illness as a specialist will. NOCD is a great resource of course, as well as checking out the IOCDF. Good luck to both of you!
Thank you. He has not started ERP - he is afraid. He see’s an OCD therapist Tuesday. Praying hard.
@Caden0520! Honestly, ERP is hard, but it's the only thing that ever made a dent in my OCD. It's tough, but it could change his life. But that's definitely something to talk to his therapist about since I'm not an expert. Everyone has to find their own way :)
Hi there Caden0520! NOCD offers psychoeducation sessions for individuals who do not have OCD, but want to learn more about it so they can help their loved ones. If you're interested, please contact us and we would be happy to get you in touch with one of our therapists for an education session!
How do I contact?
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Thank you so much.
My struggles with OCD began in childhood, but it wasn’t until after giving birth to my first child at 30 that I finally received a diagnosis. For years, I suffered in silence with intense anxiety, insomnia, and intrusive thoughts, but because my compulsions were mostly mental—constant rumination, reassurance-seeking, and avoidance—I didn’t realize I had OCD. I experienced Pure O, where my mind would latch onto terrifying thoughts, convincing me something was deeply wrong with me. After my son was born, I was consumed by intrusive fears of harming him, even though I loved him more than anything. Seven weeks into postpartum, I hit a breaking point and ended up in the emergency room, where I was finally diagnosed. For the first time, everything made sense. I didn’t discover exposure and response prevention (ERP) until years later when my son developed Germ OCD during COVID. I went through the program myself first, and it completely changed my life. ERP helped me sit with my intrusive thoughts instead of reacting to them, breaking the cycle that had controlled me for so long. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s so much better than before. I can finally be present instead of trapped in my head. Now, I’m working on trusting myself more and handling challenges without fear of “losing control.” As I prepare to help my daughter start therapy, I feel empowered knowing I’m giving my children the support I never had. If you know you have OCD but haven’t started therapy yet, what’s holding you back?
Hello i got this app hoping to maybe find some support for my partner i thought about reddit but reddit has become a hateful place and i figured this is a safe place. i love my partner more than anything and he’s been struggling with OCD his whole life he has a hard time talking about it with anyone because it’s too painful he’s stated that it’s gotten worse as he’s gotten older His biggest issue right now is overwhelming thoughts of his actions having tragic outcomes and being unable to stop these obsessive thoughts (such as needing to check out door handle 5 times to make sure it’s locked but still panicking that it’s unlocked) he’s not open to one on one therapy or meds although he loves learning and watching informative videos i fear he’s afraid to confront his OCD or just afraid nothing will help i really wanna help him live a stress free and happy life he deserves it would anyone possibly have any ways to naturally help with OCD or recommend any great individuals that could share techniques on managing OCD or helping your partner with OCD? i would very much appreciate it!
What is a common family joke. OCD is hereditary on my father's side. However I also live with complex PTSD, and ADHD. I didn't learn till recently how severe my OCD is and the intensity gets amplified if the though goes to either of the other two. It's a loop I've identified recently... just little too late. I've lived with OCD for years not really addressing it till I see that's the very reason I cause damage to loved ones. I'm married, 33, a vet. My marriage is not in the best place now. I have a son who's 4 and already showing signs of OCD. Currently my marriage is at a point where we are working on ourselves. It's discovered that my wife's issues are reflections of my own. I understand fully now that I am the center of the issues but also the solution. I need help for me. What happens with my relationships depends on me showing that I am better and able to process thoughts and emotions better. Journaling helps alot. Trying to do hobbies or this that and 3rd but. I'm willing to try anything. Things are on a line. I'm open to any and all POV and ideas. I'm not out crying. I'm taking a big step for me. Something 25 years over due. Thank you for reading this. As I tell myself now. You'll best this and be better
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