- Date posted
- 2y
Made a decision, hurt/disappointed my mother
So I’ve been doing erp since the summer, and while things are a lot better, I still struggle with certain aspects/types of ocd. With this, I currently got an increased prescribed dose and are instituting more planned exposures. I had a chance to do a good exposure today but didn’t do it because I was so afraid. One of my first ocd themes before I was diagnosed with religious/scrupulosity ocd, which has led me to avoid most things religion-related and am terrified of the intrusive thoughts that come with going to church. Since all of my siblings and I are home for thanksgiving, my parents wanted to go to church this morning, but I was so so so scared. The exposures I’ve been doing have been putting a Bible on my desk, opening the Bible, playing an iocdf religious video, etc., which while they are small, really freak me out still but are getting better. But getting dressed and going to the church from high school? Irrationally it seemed like a lot and I really didn’t want to go. When it was time to leave, I said that I wouldn’t go if that was ok, and my mother said that she was really disappointed but I could make my own choices. When they get home, she asked why I wouldn’t go (she knows I have ocd) and I didn’t want to go into this whole conversation infront if everyone about my religious intrusive thoughts, so I said that I was just tired and wanted to do some work, and when she asked if there was anything else, I said that church sometimes made me anxious so it was hard to go to sometimes. She then said that she doesn’t ask for a lot of us (which she doesn’t, she’s a fantastic mother), and the one time she wanted me to do something was for us all to go to church. She was hurt that I couldn’t get over whatever my problems were with church to do something for her that was important. And I feel absolutely horrible. I hate that this hurt her so much, and even though I understand myself why I was so afraid, that doesn’t excuse using mental health as an excuse for hurting people. But the worst part is that I would do it again, I’m so selfishly afraid to go that I would do it again. And I wasn’t as honest as I should have been because I was afraid if the conversation. So I’m trying to apologize (not go into the detail of my thoughts, but say that that’s something that really distressed me at the moment, and it’s ok if she doesn’t understand, but if she could accept that I’m working on it one step at a time. And specify that this wasn’t a sign that I didn’t love or respect or wouldn’t do things for her, just that I wasn’t ready for this step right now). But I also don’t know whether to do it in person tonight (likely have a kind back and forth, possible be pressured to share the content of my thoughts, possible put a damper on the rest of the night) or write it in a note to leave when I return back to school. Do y’all think one is better than the other? Not sure exactly why I’m posting this, I’m just feeling alone and horrible since idk if people quite understand how afraid I am, but I also hurt someone and want to make it right to what extent I can.