Kids
Does anyone have kids and harm ocd? I swear this feels unbearable, I’m suffering. My poor family deserves better than this. I feel like I’m going to throw up 24/7. I’ve Tried doing some erp therapy at home and it’s not helping. I feel like a hopeless case
Also I was at a point where I completely stopped eating. I was terrified to be alone with my kids and would cry hysterically when my husband went to work. You are not a hopeless case. ❤️
@CB6236 I completely stopped eating too, and lost a huge amount of weight. Family came to stay with us for four weeks. Humiliating is an understatement. Trauma memory got stuck and created cognitive distortions.
I do, and it absolutely sucks. I am well into recovery, I was at my worst a little over two years ago. I’ve had a few setbacks recently, stress and news stories triggering me. I went through NOCD therapy and it helped immensely but I recommend the book Brain Lock by Jeffery Schwartz and The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. Both helped me a lot, along with the OCD Stories podcast. Ali Greymond is a great resource on YouTube and so is OCD Recovery with Robert Bray. He has an amazing reading list that targets self acceptance and OCD. Hang in there and move toward your values. Being a good parent is obviously one of them, or OCD would leave your kids alone.
@CB6236 I can also recommend those resouces
Yes, I completely understand. I am through the worst I think but the experience is defiling as a mother. Praying one day it is a distant memory. Trauma does weird stuff to your head.
99% of my obsessions have to do with my kids and it is the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced.
@kels89 I’m sorry. Did you experience trauma as a kid?
@CPeach To a certain degree yes. I’ve also had OCD as long as I can remember and even as a kid I’d obsess over losing loved ones.
I am a mom and suffer with harm ocd as well.. it’s really tough considering our kids are our everything.. I get extremely triggered by news stories. I’ve been dealing with this since I was a little girl, and any flare up I had in the past would be really hard, I wouldn’t eat, lost tons of weight, was always crying, it was horrible. I’m having a flare up the past couple months and it’s my first flair up since starting lexapro years ago and I can say I notice it’s not as bad. Although it’s still really hard, I’m still able to eat and go about my life, when in the past I couldn’t. Maybe look into medication? I also love the ocd stories podcasts, along with a bunch of books on ocd has been really helpful.. hang in there ♥️ I know how horrible this is. But I truly think it makes us so much stronger in the long run
@Nina.V I’ve been in a flare up since January thanks to Lindsay Clancy. But you’re right, it’s not as bad as the first time around. It doesn’t affect my ability to function, just annoys the hell out me and heightens my anxiety. But I have had to go back to more ERP and my old recovery tools, which I probably should have been doing all along! Also you’re so right about strength. Like I know my values because my OCD shows me consistently how much I love my freaking kids lol.
@CB6236 ME TOO! That story sent me into a full blown spiral.. 😔 amazing how not alone we really are in this community. We’ve got this ♥️
@CB6236 Lindsay clancy?
@Nina.V That’s terrible I’m so sorry but also glad not to be alone in it! Reading it the first time my heart was in my stomach. I just knew my brain was not going to let that one go quickly.
@CB6236 That story completely broke me. Made me realize I had OCD and flipped my world upside down
I’m right there with you. I’m terrified to be home alone with my daughter and cry every day when my husband leaves for work. I’ve been asking my mother in law to come work from my house so I don’t have to be alone during the day. I feel nauseous and anxious 24/7. It’s awful.
@Anonymous I’m so sorry, it’s the worst feeling. I would not wish it on anyone. I promise you it gets better!
Have you signed up for a session on NOCD?
@Maninneedofasavior Yes
I dont have kids but i tend to get harm ocd with my pet cats, so i guess I can kind of relate.
@Anonymous This definitely counts. I have two dogs that I adore and have had thoughts about them in the past and honestly in the moment it’s just as bad and anxiety provoking as the kid related ones.
What sort of ERP do you recommend for this?
@CPeach It’s different for everyone and I highly recommend doing it with a therapist. I went through NOCD, and my therapist had me read stories about women who killed their kids and sit with the anxiety of never being 100% certain that won’t be me someday. She also had me write scripts about my worst fears coming true. All brutal shit, but I’ll tell you, when you consistently do exposures your brain will get bored and change. I didn’t do only ERP. We did some ACT therapy, and I worked hard on (and still do) unconditional self acceptance.
@CB6236 Do you have an Instagram? I’d love to stay in touch with a mama that deals with the same thing I do.. no worries if that’s too personal! I just can’t believe how similar we are in our journey and would love to be able to reach out to each other if we need. And I can’t figure out how to privately message on here?!
@Nina.V Yes I would love to! @watchchelsiewrite
@Nina.V Love seeing your cute little family on Insta!! Thanks for connecting!
@CB6236 Same!! Love knowing we can reach out personally when we’re having a hard time 🥰
I have severe OCD and I experience all different types of intrusive thoughts and compulsions I fucking hate it! But one thing I struggle with the most is POCD! It makes me violently sick and disturbed but I know it’s not me and I know it’s not true but then why do I feel so disgusting? I have two children, one 5 and the other is 1, I don’t want to change my daughters nappys I don’t want to get her dressed (of course I do because I don’t have a choice) but it triggers me so bad and gets me in a state, I don’t know how to get over this I’ve had this certain thought for over six weeks and I can’t do it anymore, I’m so distressed they deserve better, why can’t I just be a normal person, I’ve actually thought about giving them up over these thoughts it’s breaking me and it’s breaking my heart, I actually can’t try beat this anymore.
I suffer with harm and intrusive thoughts about my children. Sometimes I'm good sometimes I feel like a crazed woman. I was trying to put my 2 year old to bed last night and I was so scared something was going to happen but I fought through and my son was being wild as always lol and jumping on my belly and I had my hand on his chest for support and then he moved and I scratched him right below his neck on accident but when I woke up this morning I felt like I did something bad. This constant worry is driving me mad. I know deep down it was an accident but my OCD brain wants me to think it was intentional. Can ANYONE RELATE/? I FEEL SO ALONE
Is anyone else here a mom with harm OCD? It makes me question everything. If I love them enough, if I really want them, it's horrible I don't wanna have these questions or doubts. I wanna be a happy mom that is sure of herself and sure of wanting her kids and the love I have for them. OCD has taken a lot from me. I even was hospitalised for it because I couldn't take it anymore. Please tell me it gets better. Is anyone in the same position?
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond
