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So I’ve recently discovered my ocd, my brother had been diagnosed when he was younger and struggles to a lot more noticeable degree. My parents have tried to their knowledge to help him with his obsessions before he had started therapy. I’ve always been there for my brother when he’s really dwelling on a trigger. Over time I had learned more and more about ocd and started to discover things about myself I never understood. I have struggled with mental health since I can remember and always brushed it off as chronic paranoia. But I started notice a lot of similarities between mine and my brothers triggers and after researching, realized I too suffer ocd obsessions and compulsions. My huge concern right now is even though my triggers and obsessions are different than his, I feel doubt about whether it not I am valid to speak on it. I feel guilty because I have watched him suffer false memory ocd and I don’t experience that so to me it seems ultimately worse. I had opened up to him recently about things I’ve been struggling with since I was little and he confirmed all of it as ocd thoughts and obsessions. I feel like suddenly all these unanswered questions about what’s wrong with me suddenly makes sense, but I’m so behind in discovering this that I’m afraid of being honest about it, and it being perceived by others as me trying to combat with my brothers experiences. I can talk to a therapist and it’ll feel like I’m being seen, but in my personal life, even with my boyfriend I have the chronic fear that people think I’m lying

Username: Brooke cookieBrooke cookie

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 25w ago

I can feel you , most people do not tell family and other about their ocd has they do not want to be judged. Ocd is hard and it can be hard to talk about.

Username: LowellTLowellT

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 25w ago

I understand the struggle. I’ve had ocd since my 20’s and I’m 63 now. I didn’t know it was ocd. It skyrocketed 2 years ago and that was when I started getting counseling with NOCD and it had been a huge help. OCD had one weapon and that is doubt it will always raise one more “What if”. So it is important to not respond to those doubts with reason or try to figure them out. Then as we don’t respond to them the anxiety will become less and less. This is called ERP - exposure and response prevention. As we expose ourself to what triggers us and we don’t do the compulsion to get rid of the stress those messages become less intrusive. You can say “No” to OCD 👍.

Username: 32spoons32spoons

Date posted: 25w ago

hi!! I have that intense fear that everyone thinks I’m lying too but that’s just the lil OCD demon making you question and doubt things then ruminate! I’m sure your family and friends will be just as supportive as they are/were with your brother, and if it’s getting worse you should seek help asap!

Username: OCDFamilyOCDFamily

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 25w ago

There is def a genetic component to ocd...

Username: Ruby Reid

Date posted: 5y ago

I can’t help but slightly blame my family for my lack of mental health. I have a mother that is a good person but cares so much about appearances that I now have anxiety over any imperfections. My dad yelled at me and my brother so much that my first reaction to anything is anger. And my dad literally always talks about how amazing my brother is. I was telling him how my boyfriend helped me out a lot by teaching me how to study and he then proceeded to name how much smarter my brother is. None of this pertains to OCD necessarily but it caused me to spiral. Usually that means cleaning but my house is cleaning so I’m just obsessing over how literally everyone but my mother thinks my brother is better. I love him very much. But part of me thinks that if he wasn’t here, my life would be better. My Pure O is more of the problem than OCD. There are no compulsions. Just obsessed with the idea that my brother will always be better than me. No matter what. It’s stupid but I just want to be a priority to someone other than my boyfriend or Jesus. I want someone in my family to understand my struggle with various mental illnesses and with always coming in second to my brother.

"Pure" OCD

Username: lor

Date posted: 3y ago

This is half a vent session, half me asking for advice but: My OCD symptoms started on april 2020, one month after the pandemic. that has led me to constantly question whether it’s OCD or anxiety and of course i can’t really diagnose myself but it behaves very differently from anxiety. i’ve also been doing research and reading about OCD for over a year and i honestly honestly think i have OCD because i fit basically all the symptoms? anyways, I finally brought it up to my therapist a few appointments ago and i felt like they kind of dismissed me? not sure if that’s normal. they told me it’s could be because of heightened anxiety and to practice “thought stopping”. that has made me feel sooo bad about myself because i start spiraling and believing my intrusive thoughts MUST be true because of what they said, and because it makes me feel like I’m just using the OCD label for “attention”. i’m not sure if i should bring it up again in a future appointment? or maybe find a new therapist? or maybe I don’t have OCD at all? I don’t know what to do

Username: Jamie L

Date posted: 2y ago

OCD doubt

My sister told me today that my stepdad doesn't think I have OCD, or doubts that I do, since indont display any of the obvious, cliche OCD behaviors that he as seen or is aware of. (Such as obsessove over cleanliness, switching door locks, etc like what they show in movies). I wasn't aware he thought this, and had (about a year ago) told him and my mom about it all, when I was in therapy and getting diagnosed. I felt like they had been supportive and it was hard for me to tell them. Plus I already doubt it/myself enough. So I feel upset and angry and dejected realizing he felt this way and I didn't know it. And now I can feel it making me spiral into wondering "well, maybe he's right and I don't have it and I'm insane" etc. It's just tiring. 😔

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