My teen says that chores "stress" him and exacerbate the OCD. I of course don't want this to happen but I also feel that his chores are minimal and he needs to be able to be responsible and to function.
For me I’ve been recently diagnosed with ocd, a lot of tasks I would put off because I was stressed to move certain things that would trigger it or move stuff around. However that was just me and everyone’s situation is different
Thanks for reaching out. This can be hard, as parents we usually want our kids to be happy, and to see them stressed out causes us stressed. Remember that with OCD treatment we want to teach our children that they can tolerate the distress of the feelings they have. Many people who have OCD feel that they cannot tolerate uncomfortable feelings and must learn that they indeed can. By working alongside a therapist who specializes in OCD you can develop a treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. You can call NOCD today for a free 15-minute call to get started.
Thank you. He's actually scheduled for his first appointment in a few weeks. I'm hoping the therapist can help us, as his parents, to learn how to best support him.
For me its always been dificult because for example cleaning my room thr mess freaks me out and makes my intrusive thoughts worse cause everything feels dirty but then i have to touch the stuff and clean it again/clean down my whole room and the amount there is can be overwhelming or if things have to be done in a certian way and the intrusive thoughts anf other compulsions can drain me, sometimes there are small things to that can help a lot for example with cleaning sometimes putting things into 3 baskets helps tho it still sometimes feels dirty and things it isnt so overwheling and there is order to it
I’m feeling kind of sad cause today was not a really good day in terms of my ocd. I was feeling kind of foggy/numb and that send me to spiraling. I’m 21 years old currently studying but my family has been having trouble with money for the last couple years(we’re just me and my mom) and I kinda want to get a job but everything is far from my home and I wouldn’t be able to return back at night, also it’s either way more expensive to move or the schedule wouldn’t let me take my classes. The point is that because of that every time my mom is stress tends to treat me bad, she speaks to me like I’m stupid or she just screams to nothing cursing all life and everything and that actually makes me feel soo bad and guilty for not doing anything, I know it’s hard for me to get a job that actually helps us without quitting school but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like I’m a burden. I want to help, I want to maybe hug her or something but I know she will be angrier and probably will reject it. So that’s it, I just feel like she punishes me for the stress she’s carrying and I get it but one day is happy and it feels like all love and the next is treating me like that, Idk it’s hard (also I feel like I shouldn’t be saying this cause it’s all my fault) 🫤
Last night I was staying at my boyfriend’s house and couldn’t sleep. I felt like i desperately needed to go back to my parents and clean and organize my room. This has happened a few times before when I was staying at his place. Since then he’s been very upset with me. Does anyone else’s partner do this? Any advice? It’s been hard. He’s made me feel so shameful for having OCD. As if it’s not tough enough /:
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.
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