Is it okay to seek reassurance from my mom for my OCD struggles?

I am sorry you are having a difficult time right now. And I fully understand how reassurance would feel so good - but I would encourage you to do your best to NOT seek that reassurance. That will be actually make ocd stronger. Instead try to sit in the middle - perhaps saying maybe maybe not - and letting the anxiety go down naturally. It is very hard to do I know - but it is the way out of ocd grip.

I encourage you to press the SOS button when you want reassurance. Reassurance is a compulsion. So hit (the button) and sit with the thought. You can do hard things.

OCD can be such a debilitating, isolating disorder. Uncertainty and fear are uncomfortable, so it makes sense why you want and feel like you need reassurance. But as a few people have said, seeking reassurance is a compulsion that keeps us locked in OCD’s cycle. It feels good for a little while but it will fade. I used to seek reassurance from my mom too because it made me feel safe. But after going through therapy here at NOCD, I learned how to handle things on my own. I know things can get hard/scary, but you are not alone and help is available. Recovery is possible! I highly recommend getting a therapist who specializes in the treatment of OCD using ERP therapy.

Thank you for sharing what you are going through. Reassurance is one of the biggest compulsions I struggle with. My mom is definitely one of the people I’ve went to the most for reassurance. Unfortunately, I began to realize that while I may have received a temporary reprieve when getting reassurance it was never enough. The fears always resurfaced or another fear popped up in its place. ERP (exposure and response prevention) therapy has helped a lot. With ERP you work on tolerating the obsessions without giving into the compulsions such as seeking reassurance. Also, I was able to understand that the compulsions I was doing were not really having a helpful effect on the fears I was obsessed with. In fact, They were actually causing my fears and obsessions/anxiety to increase. Then I was able to focus on understanding and accepting the obsessions and fears without engaging with them. I was able to see the path to recovery and believe it. Wishing you all the best in your recovery journey.

i actually just finally got up the courage to talk to my mom about my struggles night before last and it helped me so much. your mother loves you no matter what and either way, it’s your OCD not who you really are. 🫶🏼

Question, does your mom know you have OCD?