helloplanetmars

Date posted: 1y

i feel like parents don’t understand OCD

i’ve had ocd for a while now and my parents were in denial because they didn’t want me to be labeled as mentally ill. they constantly ask me why i don’t have the stereotypical OCD symptoms such as cleaning and organizing stuff. i am a somewhat messy person because i never have time to clean when i’m doing my “rituals”. i’ve told my mom about my obsessions and she always says the same thing, “why can’t you obsess over winning the lottery?” i’ve told her that it’s not how it works and that i don’t GET to choose my obsessions, it’s usually things i don’t want to happen. has anyone else experienced this? it feels like i’m being down played every time i express what i feel

Wolfram

Date posted: 1y

I've seen this lots of times unfortunately. It's like the three monkey thing 🙊 🙈🙉. They don't to look at it because it affects them some how. Maybe because they don't understand it and they feel like they're inadequate etc. Loads of possible reasons

Anonymous

Date posted: 1y

Maybe it could also be shame. Because some parents are not willing to acknowledge their child having a mental illness because then they will have to question if it was something they could have done in their parenting to cause it.

helloplanetmars

Date posted: 1y

@Anonymous i think you may be right!! thank you :)

Wolfram

Date posted: 1y

Have you tried showing them videos on it so they can understand ? Are you diagnosed?

helloplanetmars

Date posted: 1y

@Invalid i am diagnosed! i’ve tried to explain it to them but i’m not sure if they are still in denial :p my therapist even tried explaining it to them but at this point i don’t think there is much i can do anymore

Wolfram

Date posted: 1y

@helloplanetmars It's probably to tough for them. It sucks I know, my mum is like it which is bonkers to me as she has ocd herself 🤷‍♂️ anddd a therapist 🤣

helloplanetmars

Date posted: 1y

@Invalid yeah i think it might be haha it’s just so odd because a majority of my family has some sort of illness yet she refuses to believe i have one 😭

Wolfram

Date posted: 1y

@helloplanetmars My best friend has a bad illness, proved by the doctors and hospital and her family didn't want to acknowledge it for years. Her dad has schizophrenia, 2 autistic siblings, addicts in the family and the list goes on. But when it comes to her 🤷‍♂️ it's tough. Maybe there's someone you trust that you can talk to outside the family?

helloplanetmars

Date posted: 1y

@Invalid oh wow! yeah that definitely sounds like something similar to my situation, i always talk to others about my illness but you know how everyone prefers families opinions and such

Wolfram

Date posted: 1y

@helloplanetmars Yep. It's a pain. Hopefully they'll come around. I read that you're studying neuroscience, could you use that to explain it to them?

helloplanetmars

Date posted: 1y

@Invalid i’ve tried to by showing them some of our powerpoints on mental illnesses haha but unfortunately it hasn’t worked! i think also a big part may be religion, it’s kinda odd but my mom says that it’s the ‘devil’ that is making me like this and the way i act when i get compulsive is because that’s what he “wants” me to do

Wolfram

Date posted: 1y

@helloplanetmars Well, I respect the hell out of you( no pun intended) for studying it as I feel as if we need more info regarding neuroscience. Helped me understand ocd and got better. As for what your mom says regarding religion, I don't want to say anything as I feel like it'd trigger a lot of people on here. You know what you're going through and you know it's not the devil. It's tough when people are set on their ways. My mum doesn't even want to get better with her ocd and is happy doing her compulsions, I got better super fast compared to stats and said she can too but she won't have any of it 🙉

helloplanetmars

Date posted: 1y

@Invalid dwdw i completely get you lol and yeah it is tough when ppl are set! she won’t budge at all and honestly i think i just came to terms that it’s how it’s going to be :p i could never be like your mom (that sounds horrible) but compulsions are sooo draining !

Wolfram

Date posted: 1y

Too*

melaniebermn

Date posted: 20w

How to deal with parents who don’t believe in ocd

So I recently got diagnosed with ocd, and due to me growing up in a household who doesn’t believe in it I have an even harder time grasping if it’s a real diagnosis or not. I know it is but my parents still get mad at me when I tell them not to reassure me and things like that, since they don’t want to understand me anytime. They always put the blame on me and they do everything and how I’m ungrateful. I am very greatful but I told my mom to try to understand this condition but she refuses to, my dad just completely ignores that it exists. It’s just hard to cope around it and not be stuck in a loop, I’m leaving in a few months after graduating so hopefully that will help. It’s hard when my parents don’t want to try to understand what I go through.

flyana

Date posted: 20w

My mom keeps getting mad at me for obsessing

Listen, I totally get it. It’s hard to hear a loved one obsessing over small, insignificant things. My mom tries to be supportive, but she gets so mad when I tell her what’s on my mind, and she just yells at me and says I’m crazy for thinking like this. So, I just sent her this, and I hope it helps: Mom, I know it’s really hard, but when I’m suffering with OCD thoughts, all I need is sympathy. Getting mad at someone for having OCD is like getting mad at someone for having a head injury. Please understand that I can’t help it, or else I would stop it. I need someone to say, “I’m so sorry that’s bothering you this much. It must be so overwhelming. It must be so hard to cope with this.” You could even ask me questions, like “What does it feel like? How much are you thinking about this? What helps you feel better?” I just need someone to validate my experience and sympathize, not tell me that I’m crazy or say my problems aren’t real. I’m aware these thoughts are crazy — that’s why I feel so alone and sad and scared. When you tell me my thoughts are crazy, it makes me feel even more like a freak. Sometimes, I just need someone to hold my hand and tell me I’m not alone.

noneed1

Date posted: 17w

I told my mom about my ocd

She laughed and said that everyone has these thoughts "i didn't tell her about the REALLY fucked up thoughts i experience cuz i was kinda scared" and then she said it's the demon just say ur prayers and they'll go away Even though i kept on trying and trying to convince her that they're clearly not normal but she kept on refusing and it kinda sounded like she didn't want to admit and believe that her daughter has a mental illness which sucks

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