Being a young person with ocd

I’m 16 years old am I’ve been struggling with ocd my entire life. It started off with compulsive hand washing and touching things until it felt right. I remember being only a few years old with compulsions. When I was 13 the pure ocd kicked in HARD. It was hard for me to do basic everyday things even writing. I went to the doctor and she signed a note for school giving me some extra time to finish tests although I only used it for one semester and haven’t really touched it in 2 years. I talked about my ocd and she immediately shut me down, she said “why are we even talking about this?” Verbatim. It really broke me because I felt like no matter what I would be judged for my compulsions. I know people with ocd tend to get severely judged the rare times we open up about these sorts of things. She referred my family to a child psychologist who misdiagnosed my older sister with anorexia. She doesn’t do anything. I have no trust in this woman and I don’t know any other way to get formally diagnosed to maybe get therapy or medication. I’m too scared to open about any of it to my family. My family knows I have ocd, but not how debilitating it can get.

elizabethbar...

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

I know it’s scary to open up, sometimes especially to the people closest to us, but I think it’s worth it. You could write it in a letter even, if it’s too difficult to talk about. If your family understands what you’re going through, I’m sure they would want to get you the best care possible to make things easier for you. You’ll always have a support system here!

Clem.99

Date posted: 2y

You don't have to share anything too personal if you don't want to. I would suggest telling the psychiatrist as much as you can tho and explain it using ocd concepts so it's hard for her to misdiagnose. I would really explain my symptoms using the terms obsessions, compulsions that ease the anxiety that the obsessive thoughts create, and explain that not doing them creates more anxiety. Also explain the type of ocd (such as contamination, just right, etc.). When i was a teenager i had terrible contamination ocd and was never diagnosed, i didn't even realize it was that until 5 years later. Knowing you have ocd is one huge step closer to recovery. Also, if you want to get treatment i don't think you need a diagnosis from a psychiatrist to get ERP therapy which is the gold standard. Make sure you find someone who is very experienced in treating ocd and that they treat it with ERP, don't settle for less. And if your psychiatrist ends up somehow diagnosing you with anxiety or depression, the meds (SSRIs) that they use to treat that, is what is used to treat ocd! So if you want meds, and your psychiatrist gives you a prescription for an SSRIs cus she thinks you have something you don't, it won't matter too much because ocd is treated with SSRIs. It's great too that ur family knows you have ocd because they can help support you through your recovery and to getting the support you need. I def suggest ERP with an ocd therapist, but if you can't access that get a bunch of ocd books and read them and maybe have ur mom read them too. They'll teach you how to respond to ocd and how it works in the brain.

idkrandom12.6

Date posted: 22w

advice please?

I’m not sure if this will reach the right audience but i’m still in my teens not far off 18 and i have struggled with ocd since i was around 9. My dad had it quite badly so it’s passed down genetically. I get false memories and I have to replay the situation in my head to see which version sounds more accurate, I also have to keep moving certain objects to a certain position or something bad will happen or my relationship will fail. I’m in counselling but only seems to help my anxiety and not OCD. Do i go to my doctors? Can they give me medication if i’m under 18?

iluvpink

Date posted: 18w

A small vent

I've been struggling with ocd since I was 7. I'm 18 now and it feels like the older I've gotten the worse it's gotten. I don't know how to deal with it and i feel so lost and alone. Its hard for me to even say what my intrusive thoughts are or to even fully acknowledge it to myself in my head because im scared that if i put it out in the world itll be true or if i acknowledge the thought it solidifies it and makes it true. i feel like im just over exaggerating what im feeling and im turning something that isnt there into something bigger which makes it hard to talk about it with other people. Especially because im not diagnosed but I know it's ocd but what if it isnt? What if im lying to myself or I'm just doing it to get attention and I don't realize it? I just try to deal with it on my own but it's so hard and feels impossible. I feel like ocd has contaminated every part of my life that I enjoy. The things that used to bring me comfort are now filled with things that trigger my ocd and bring me anxiety.

Adi7

Date posted: 17w

Advice please ❤️

Hi ❤️ I’m really struggling right now I’m in my sophomore year of Highschool and I’ve finally started planning or thinking abt my future (for context I was extremely depressed and suicidal from 6-9th grade) After conquering my depression this is a huge leap for me and I’m proud of myself ❤️ But there’s something still holding me down :( and I’m not sure what to do anymore that thing is OCD. Since 6th grade I have had strong and invasive intrusive thoughts all the time they scare me so bad and make me feel as though I’m not even real anymore :( I’m sick of taking the time to do ridiculous compulsions to rid or ease these thoughts it’s a waste of time and energy and it hurts me so bad I feel like I will never get to just live my life without this :( How can I plan my future when I can’t even find myself in this mess of anxiety 💔 I’m so tired of fighting my mental health it’s been years from anxiety attacks to sh to survived suicide attempts (I got help dw❤️‍🩹) and recovery there. Just to be thrown into a storm of awful scary sickening thoughts day and night-when can I just be a normal teenager and possibly a happy adult? How do I conquer this so I can love myself to the fullest and live my life free and happy? :( ❤️❤️‍🩹 I’m so scared to talk to my parents about it I’m ashamed of my thoughts and every time I bring it up they just say I shouldn’t be diagnosing myself or it’s just ADHD. It really really hurts me they have no idea how awful this feels and it makes me feel so alone sometimes 💔

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Being a young person with ocd

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