- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 28w ago
Relationship check-in
How has OCD treatment affected your relationships?
How has OCD treatment affected your relationships?
Going through OCD treatment brought my family closer together. They became my biggest support and cheerleaders. They have also worked to educate themselves on OCD which allowed them to be more understanding.
@RobynšŖ“š§š»āāļøš§ I love this
Love this! Education is so important.
@RobynšŖ“š§š»āāļøš§ I would but you donāt take my insurance
Ocd treatment has helped me realize that I had ROCD. For years I had struggled with it not knowing what I was dealing with. Letās just say this treatment has helped me in my marriage tremendously.
So amazing to hear!
Treatment helped me to lean on my close friends for emotional support, and to accept their kindness, both of which used to scare me. I also got the courage to tell my family about my disorder. It helped me with my relationship to myself too, in terms of giving myself grace and self-compassion, and ending cycles of negative self talk. Some days itās hard, some days itās easier.
This is completely relatable! Giving grace to yourself can feel challenging but can be important in the recovery journey.
My family is very supportive. Sometimes I feel like a burden when I get into a reassurance seeking loop but they are so good about it. My So knows I have rocd and we even joke about it it which actually helps a lot because I don't have to hide anything
Iām constantly over analyzing every little thing he says or does and how it can be taken the worst way possible. Always questioning whether things are right and that heās āthe oneā, and checking to see if itās normal to feel the way Iām feeling. Itās so fucking exhausting
OCD can be exhausting, but know that there's hope for symptom management!
I donāt ask my mom for reassurance anymore - I can just be present with her and hear how her life is going and talk about my own without needing to do a compulsion. Such freedom!!
So much hope found in this message! Thanks for sharing!
Once I found out I had relationship ocd, therapy helped me lean in closer to my values. I am so much closer to my boyfriend. I feel more present in my life and relationship. I have my period where I have more intrusive thoughts, but its mostly in passing now
OCD treatment has allowed me to grow in my relationship. From the lowest of lows, and now recovering back to that high. My relationship isnāt the same before the OCD hit, but now something different my partner and I have both learned to live with
I lost my most important relationship due to extremely high OCD and so im committed to making sure that doesnāt happen ever again. It was so painful to have happen.
I'm so sorry to hear that.
My OCD was relationship OCD. Therapy helped me deal with my thoughts so we could actually see and enjoy the progress we had made with marriage counseling. Being free from those obsessions gave me time, and motivation to be the mom and wife I want to be. I think the whole family is better because of it.
Wow this is awesome - thanks for sharing this piece of encouragement!
NOCD has helped me develop relationships (marital, family, friends, work) in the sense that before I would avoid mostly all places and people including my family (my kids and siblings) because I never felt like I was there meaning I was physically at a place but never mentally there. I had become a stranger to others and even to myself. NOCD has helped me regain myself and has allowed me to be present for those who matter the most. On behalf of my husband, family, friends and kids but more importantly me, Thank you NOCD!!!!!!!
Love this!
OCD treatment has allowed me to connect better mentally with my friends and have just a better and greater time being in the moment compared to the beginning of treatment and where I was months before now šŗ
I have relationship ocd. For years, my wife has occasionally had to go out of town on business trips. I always get nervous whenever this happens because I have trust issues with her and think of all the possibilities of her with someone else. It drives me crazy. I obsess about it until we end up in a huge fight, and one of us threatens divorce. I have no friends to rely upon when she's gone. I also end up sick and sometimes in the E.R. I NEED TO BREAK MY CYCLE!
OCD treatment has allowed me to create relationships that I thought Iād never have š
Definitely made all of my relationships easy I wasn't shaking from anxiety thinking harm could come to them :)
Messed up my life I donāt have relationship friends
Me too. But I know now that I didn't screw up. I wasn't taught things I needed to know but didn't know I needed.
Honestly, when I was good for a few months and had zero symptoms. My relationships were amazing. My head was so clear. But other stuff come to the surface and I'm not the best with them right now because I'm almost hyperfocused on what's in my head (creativity wise rather than ocd). So still currently not the best but I am healthier than what I was
Progress isn't linear!!
My parents donāt understand OCD. Especially, my dad, who does not believe in ERP. He thinks OCD can be cured with a pill. Iām alone, on my own. OCD gets triggered whenever my dad argues or has an attitude with my mom (even if they are divorced my dad will find a way to speak bad of her in front of me) I had to learn how to do ERP on my own, but whatās also eating me is my environment. I am in therapy for trauma, but I feel controlled. Iām sinking and each day I canāt see the surface
I have ROCD. My wife refuses to educate herself and tells me that she does not think that I have OCD. She really pushes meds. Which Iāll admit meds have made a huge impact, once I got through the bad meds. Iām doing better but worry about our marriage long term. My relationship with my kids is better and Iām focusing at work better.
That's a loaded question.
Treatment for my ocd has given back my relationships with my friends and family! Iām no longer compulsively confessing any moment I get to be with them and am spending time with them while being present. My relationship with my husband is less strained as we have been working together on being with each other and through our current needs.
Better. All better. I'm able to actually be emotionally present with my friends and family in a way I never was before. I always felt like I was presenting a false self and I was stuck in the throes of guilt. I have rocd as well, so treatment allowed me to recognize this and have a great relationship with a great man.
OCD treatment has really helped me to be able to spend more time with my friends and family without the interruption of compulsions. It helped me to not worry so much and focus on the present with whoever is with me in that moment.
Well I told some dear friends of mine and they thought I was a psychopath so there's that. These are adults in their 50s .
Meh
My OCD GOT SOOOOO BAD ?!!!
Not at all. First of all Iām single and always will be. Secondly my parents have always been there for support
In terms of hand washing, my parwnts(my father, mainly) joke abt me washing my hands endlessly. At this point Iām used to it, but they get rlly upset when I canāt control something, and it feels like Iām just ocd
Boss isnāt happy Iām missing some work. Other than that itās still pretty terrible hahaha
My firsthand treatment experience has helped me to educate my loved ones. My mom just recently bought a book about OCD to learn more!
Time. Time is literally being taken away from my loved ones. Itās sad to me, but not only till then end of the day. I go, go, go and do things until bed time comes.
Yes :( friend, family and spouse !@! I hate this sickness t
I used to self isolate switch hurt my relationships with family and friends. I stoped self isolation after treating ocd with greatly helped my relationships.
I finally feel like I can connect to people like real people do. I donāt have the need to anxiety dump or confess as strongly as I used to. I can simply just enjoy the people I love.
I have always felt so guilty and ashamed around my family but still reached out cause I didnāt want to fight it alone as a kid- I would sleep next to my mom for comfort in the night, through my teens it was so bad, and like mumbling reassurance shit to myself, calling my youth pastor, my sister, anybody with great reassurance at like 3am- it was bad
I was really struggling and I felt like I was dragging my family down the drain with me- the worst part was none of us knowing what this was all about and judging myself for having these mental breakdowns- I could barely handle going to the bathroom alone with my thoughts ā¦ my family has tried their best and Iām so glad Iām finding better support so I can share these thing with them to help them understand whatās going on and how they can get help
I would say 2 big things for me are 1) Iāve stopped asking people for advice for the most part and comparing their answers and agonizing and 2) being able to do an exposure when Iām very anxious to target a specific insecurity
I also feel significantly less jealousy of exes and other people my partner could be interested in
It has given me hope and grace for myself. It has taught me how worthy I am of my life and the people I have in it
They improved a lot. Iām finally able to go out with friends and my boyfriend. I am less distant too.
Iāve never had a girlfriend. Thatās how itās affected my relationships.
Going through this has caused me to get confused when it came to my romantic one and has been so hard to try and figure out fact from fiction sitting with this is not the best feeling
My relationship with my anxiety :3
Actually not affected at all.
OCD fād up so many relationships, to the point where all I could do was let. Go.
What should I do if my family calls me too sensitive? How can I tell them lovingly that I have OCD without seeming aggressive?
It has affected my relationships in many ways but my family has a long line of people with OCD that lets us understand who we are and what we need to be functional!
100% yes. There is very little OCD hasnāt affected in some way.
I notice that after I complete an exposure, I need to decompress before I can walk back into social interactions. One time, I finished an exposure, went right out of my room to spend time with my sister, and she asked me, āAre you okay?ā because I didnāt seem quite myself. Exposures can be really intense, and I need to be in solitude (watch a funny video or something, by myself) for at least a little while after completing an exposure.
What is an exposure
@yadasake It is intentionally bringing about the anxiety that triggers your OCD, or āknocking on OCDās doorā instead of the other way around. However, instead of responding with compulsions, you respond with ERP messaging.
What is ERP messaging?
@yadasake Statements like āI just donāt know,ā or āI donāt have all the information to be certain.ā
Going through OCD treatments so far as Iām a beginner has got me to bring my family and friends who are very supportive closer for emotional support. Itās got me to understand that my relationship with myself is just as important and how some days harder than others to end negative feelings
I honestly have felt pretty alone going through treatment. I know my husband loves and supports me but just doesnāt fully understand. And my mom and dad they didnāt know what to do at all which is nothing against them. All the way from when I was a child they would get frustrated and then as I got older and my themes shifted to more taboo themes they were terrified and so was I. We donāt really talk much but I know they love me and support me as much as they can. Iāve learned that while yes having support from others is nice however, I am the one who has to put in the work. Regardless of what type of support Iām receiving. My therapist is obviously a support and Iām so happy to have met her. I know others have to go through this completely alone so I am grateful for the support I do have. My heart goes out to those who are doing this alone. You are amazing and strong and you can do this.
I donāt visit back home because I am apprehensive about traveling or āwhat ifsā of traveling or being away from my comfort zones. I over-question my feelings in my marriage, if theyāre real, genuine, even there at all. I sometimes get existential thoughts about how I even got to where I am like it was by chance rather than choice.
A spike in ROCD when I moved in with my boyfriend (first time living with a partner) is what made me realize I had severe untreated OCD. Iāve been in therapy for over a decade, but OCD was the missing piece of the puzzle I could never find. I wasnāt broken, unlovable, or a terrible personāI just never had the correct tools for what I was dealing with. This new awareness + ERP has helped me work on myself and stop self-sabotaging. I was always stuck in the past or future and was never able to enjoy the present with my loved ones. I no longer feel doomed to repeat this cycle of self-torment. It has also helped me identify OCD symptoms in my partner and family members (I went under the radar because everyone around me has OCD) and share hope and courage for their journeys too. We were all unknowingly feeding off each othersā OCD, but in just a few months Iāve seen so much improvement in my life and relationships with others.
Iāve just recently found out that Relationship OCD is a thing. I feel like I relate but it also feels like relationship trauma. Iām in a fairly new relationship and I keep telling myself that things are going great, we are good, he cares for me, but does he? Thereās this unbelievable amount of self doubt that sits in me because of what my ex did to me many months ago. I kept getting told that I do too much, i smother, need constant reassurance, then got told that I donāt care enough, the things I do arenāt enough and that Iām not enough. I feel like I am waiting for the day that I get broken up with because of these āproblemsā just so I can be proven right at the fact that I should be considered unlovable. I go through this every month around my period because I get so emotional and nervous that I stress over the idea that he doesnāt like me. How does someone continue a relationship with Relationship OCD? How do I explain it?
Looking back, my introverted nature and struggles to find belonging in high school may have set the stage for how OCD would later impact my relationships. I had my first relationship in high school, but OCD wasnāt a major factor then. It wasnāt until my longest relationshipāsix years from age 18 to 24āthat OCD really took hold. The relationship itself wasnāt the issue; it was what happened after. When it ended, I became obsessed with confessing past mistakes, convinced I had to be completely transparent. Even when my partner was willing to work past them, I couldnāt let go of the intrusive thoughts, and that obsession landed me in the hospital. From there, my struggle with ROCD (Relationship OCD) fully emerged. For years, every time I tried to move forward in dating, doubts consumed me. I would start seeing someone and feel fine, but then the questions would creep in: Do I really like her? Do I find her attractive? Is she getting on my nerves? What if Iām with the wrong person? Iād break things off, thinking I was following my true feelings. But then Iād question: Was that really how I felt, or was it just OCD? I tried again and again, each time hoping I could āwithstand it this time,ā only to fall back into the same cycle. The back and forth hurt both me and the person I was with. By the time I realized it was ROCD, the damage had been done, and I still hadnāt built the tools to manage it. Now, at 28, I know I need to approach dating differently. I recently talked to someone from a dating app, and my OCD still showed upāquestioning my every move, making me doubt my own decisions. I havenāt yet done ERP specifically for ROCD, but I know thatās my next step. Just like Iāve learned tools for managing my other OCD subtypes, I need a set of strategies for when intrusive doubts hit in relationships. My goal this year is to stop letting uncertainty control meāto learn how to sit with doubt instead of trying to āfigure it out.ā I want to break the cycle and be able to build something healthy without my OCD sabotaging it. I know Iām not alone in this, and I know healing is possible. Iām hopeful that working with a therapist will help me develop exposures and thought loops to practice. I donāt expect to eliminate doubt entirelyāafter all, doubt is a part of every relationshipābut I want to reach a place where it doesnāt paralyze me. Where I can move forward without constantly questioning whether I should. And where I can be in a relationship without feeling like OCD is pulling the strings. I would appreciate hearing about your experiences with ROCD. Please share your thoughts or any questions in the comments below. Iād love to connect and offer my perspective. Thanks!
Hello, I unknowingly have lived with ROCD or OCD (not sure what one. Iām new to this). It has ruined so many amazing romantic and platonic relationships and I am so sad that just now I am finding out what the hell is wrong with me. Maybe life would be different if I have known. My OCD and anxiety is at an all time high (ATH) due to some horrible events that have happened in the recent months. I am at the point where paranoia has taken over my life now. I had my first panic attack a few weeks ago where I fainted. My anxiety attacks are so extreme I go thought cognitive distortion that has lasted days. My girlfriend of 3 years is my emotional guardian and she no long has the energy to be that and honestly itās not her responsibility to be that. She is bi and wanted to have an open relationship and for someone who has OCD this has not been good for me. She also was assaulted in my own home by a good friend of ours when I was out of town but itās not a clear situation because it sounded consensual at first. I just left my very high paying job. I am financially secure but the job was emotionally abusive and looking back made my OCD worse. I am taking some time off to get my head rightā¦but now, all I have to do during the day is live in my OCD. Iām very happy I finally figured out why I act the way I do but I donāt know if I can get better quick enough to save my relationship. I have never been so worried about myself (M 28 years old). I am a confident young professional and never thought I would be writing on a page like this. Anywayā¦I hope it gets better.
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