- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 27w ago
Opening up about OCD
How do you approach talking about OCD with loved ones?
How do you approach talking about OCD with loved ones?
I remember telling my mother I was diagnosed with OCD for the first time, and telling her “don’t be scared but THIS is what I’ve been thinking” she was definitely terrified at first because she didn’t understand how I could be having these thoughts- but once she started researching and receiving more information about OCD she is definitely was a lot more supportive
Same experience for me, and my mom is my lifeline as well as my fiance who is still learning.
I was diagnosed 15 years ago and never told anyone. They noticed my behavior and nicknamed me “crazy” as a joke and I never felt comfortable sharing any more of my journey. They’ve noticed me getting better over the years so I’ve been more vocal overtime. Now, I speak freely about it because I’m not ashamed anymore. I worked hard to be better and feel better and I don’t let people make me feel bad anymore.
Love it!
My fiancee was the only one to understand me but he passed away suddenly 😔
I am sorry, Tina.
I'm sorry to hear that. We understand you ❤️
We are so sorry to hear this. Please always remember how strong you are.
@Anarch_Stirner Tyvm
@Brokenbutterfly Tyvm
@Brenna - NOCD Team Member I never feel strong just lost
Only to a couple family and friends like 4 people. People often look down on people with mental health issues. I hope one day it will be normal for people be open about their mental health. I think even though ocd causes me great pain it also makes me more compassionate, think through my decisions and understanding that others may have things going on with them I don’t understand and treat their issues with respect like I want someone to treat mine that they don’t understand. I think having OCD is help me understand that everyone thinks differently, and that it’s OK for others to have different opinions to me as long as they are not unethical or flat out unlogical .  
At point in time that I entered talk therapy, every one close to me , even my primary doctor, insisted that I go because I was suicidal. It took several sessions before I opened up and once I did I learned a lot about myself and our family dynamics. I started sharing in small amounts what I learned but more importantly I changed how I responded to certain situations and siblings and that was the big difference. Then when I was diagnosed with OCD everything changed for the best. I shared some of my exposures with the family and they all got involved. It was such an amazing experience.
I have a therapist now!
I’m so so so thankful that I can talk openly to my friends and family about my OCD. It’s been heart warming how loving they’ve been and taken time to understand and research further about what OCD actually is!
This is awesome!
Telling friends or coworkers isn’t so bad, I have to disclose epilepsy anyway. When I first told my dad he dismissed me and essentially said ocd wasn’t proven or factual. It’s been a couple years and we don’t talk very much but if I bring it up he’s more supportive and respectful of it (he was diagnosed with bipolar and was skeptical about mental health because of his own parents). Education saves lives, so I do my best to share and be vulnerable, in case someone doesn’t know what it is. I wasn’t diagnosed until 25, because I was ignorant of what OCD is.
@Anonymous Wow you are very strong if you are able to talk to so many people about your mental struggles. I think this is great because it also shows your peers that they are not alone with their own struggles and that they could be vulnerable too. I myself have a very hard time telling anyone who is not my mom or my therapist. No one in my friend or family group ever talks about mental health, which makes it a taboo topic in general. I’m actually contributing to this by not talking myself 😐
You're right: education is SO important.
I haven't . Usually, where i come from. Mental illness are followed by stigmas and hence: i keep it to myself. Not to mention, i don't wanna be vulnerable in my family since it isn't exactly safe to be so. I am still debating whether to or not. Its been a year since having OCD for me. And i think about if i tell my loved ones. They would be more understanding but my past experiences of sharing my problems tell me otherwise. Though, i have shared it with my sister and while she doesnt fully understand it. She is supportive and kind. Its not enough to deal with this terrible thing but then to feel alone about it too😵
@Waleed Yeah I haven’t told my family because it’s not safe too either. If I don’t feel safe talking about my OCD I tell people I have severe anxiety or worry and that usually is more socially acceptable where I am. I’m sorry you’re alone in this but I’m glad your sister is there for tou!
@Honeyshark Thanks. I actually somewhat do the same. People who don't go through mental illness mostly lack empathy and aren't afraid to be insensitive. And since OCD's nature is a bit complicated(more like "eating at you alive") . I only explain it to those who i can trust are listening to understand and not to dismiss or ridicule or (people are quick to do that especially when its mental illness) or even worse exploiting your illness. No need to be sorry. It's not like you caused it lol! But thanks for the kind words. My sister struggles with understanding things but she tries nonetheless. I wish you healing and swift progress at your boxing career ~ at beating up OCD 😂
@Waleed You’re right. I notice if people don’t go thru a mental illness or they’re in denial about their own they don’t have much empathy.
Deleted reply.
Education does wonders!
I tell no one because no one gets it 🥺
I didn’t tell my family until a little over 2 years after my diagnosis. I wanted to do therapy on my terms, without having to justify it or talk about it. I finally felt “ready” in June (or as ready as I ever am, making a decision with OCD). I had gone back and forth over who to tell first, and how. I decided to bring it up in my family group text. My text said “I’m going to a charity walk for people with OCD. Like me. Surprise!” They didn’t get what I meant at first. I told my dad the same night by just saying “I was diagnosed with OCD two years ago.” My family doesn’t talk about heavy topics, and we never discussed mental health. But I’m very fortunate that I have close friends, who understand and empathize with mental illness, so I told them shortly after my diagnosis. It feels more freeing to be open about it, and not hide it anymore.
My best friend and roommate was the one who noticed that my behaviors and thoughts were excessive and encouraged me to get help. I never wanted to tell anyone else about it because I wasn’t sure they’d understand and I didn’t want to make them worry. My parents found out accidentally about a year after starting treatment when I switched my pharmacy and they saw the medications I was taking. They have been nothing but supportive but they definitely don’t fully understand OCD. We aren’t good at talking about serious things so it has made for some awkward conversations. Often it makes me feel vulnerable and I wish I could go back to a time where no one knew but I appreciate their support.
I was crying trying to explain to them what I was going through they didn't believe me until they saw how I was suffering and now I'm here
"Do not be ashamed of tears, for tears bear witness to the greatest courage of a man... The courage to suffer" (paraphrasing). - Victor Frankl Stay strong bro! 💚🤜
I wish my family understand my struggle
I pick and choose but in general I’ll tell people because it helps educate and bring awareness to OCD. I know I wish someone had talked to me about their OCD earlier so I could have had treatment earlier. Win! My friend is a registered nurse and she said my talking to her about my OCD helped her notice/see OCD in one of her patients! So that’s a win! But yeah harm OCD, pedophile OCD I don’t feel like people get so it’s harder to talk to them about it without them freaking out internally.
I started with telling my partner and my close friends, who were already open about their mental health. It turned out that by describing my ocd, one of my friends realized she also has ocd! She started ERP and we will still talk about our mental health when we catch up. I tried to tell my mom and she was pretty dismissive each time. She never asked me about it again, so I never felt comfortable sharing more. I was a little surprised because she’s been very supportive whenever I called her because I’m in crisis because of ocd and she knows I’ve been in therapy for various things since high school (she helped me get my first therapist). I haven’t told my dad or my sister, and I feel some guilt about this because I highly suspect that they both have OCD. I just don’t feel comfortable opening up, except I know that I could open the door to them getting help… hence the guilt.
I went to loved ones for reassurance way to much and then my themes became more scary and it scared them. I talk about how I now have specialized help and have told them what ERP is and how it’s the exact opposite of talk therapy. they seem very supportive and even ask a few questions but the conversations are very light. I don’t dare go far into it.
Love how you explained what ERP and talk therapy is!
Mine usually starts with....I had an ocd thought that's got me right now and this is what it is( never full detail bc that is scary for me ). My wife usually doesn't know what to say but it helps to let her know this is why I'm anxious right now.
I want to find an ocd community actually.
@Anarch_Stirner The IOCDF website may help you find local support groups!
No one understands me
Hey I have the symptoms of ocd since 2019 but I still feel like it's not OCD it leaves me with a excruciating pain and discomfort
I told just my mom and brothers because I was convinced they knew something was wrong with me. They were good about it and supportive but said it must not be too bad. The worst of my compulsions are mental and it is actually pretty severe but I've been hiding it from them so I understand why they don't see it. I was surprised when I was diagnosed too. I didn't think "thinking" could be a compulsion lol.Depends on the family I'm sure but it was helpful for me to see the distortion between what I believe v the perceptions of the people closest to me. My brother asked me some questions about it I didn't even think to ask my therapist about as well which was helpful too. Made me realize that I'm so afraid of falling into reassurance compulsions that I've believed it was wrong to ask questions or talk about my ocd. I even thought my therapist would be mad I told them about it. 😅 She said it was a good step for me
I remember telling my mother I was diagnosed with OCD for the first time, and telling her “don’t be scared but THIS is what I’ve been thinking” she was definitely terrified at first because she didn’t understand how I could be having these thoughts- but once she started researching and receiving more information about OCD she is definitely was a lot more supportive
I had been noticing patterns in my behavior for years that seemed… disproportionate for the circumstances looking back until I reached a breaking point. A small issue sent me into a full blown panic and I just couldn’t take that response anymore and the hours I spent recovering from it. I talked to my partner first, who said that the only way I would have answers about what was wrong, if something was wrong, was if I asked someone to help. He made it feel much smaller, like it was a manageable and treatable thing and not a scary ephemeral monster that took over large swaths of my life. That gave me the courage to get help.
My family basically refused to help me. So there you go.
@Anarch_Stirner I’m sorry. I hope you have a support system in others.
@Anarch_Stirner I’m so sorry you went through this :( you can talk to me if you ever need to ❤️
@Preena How do I DM you?
@Anarch_Stirner Hi! I just realised you also replied to my post- if you ever want to talk to someone whose also going through a crazy OCD episode I’m here- just reply to this and I can listen to what you’re going through ❤️
I spoke to my family Dr and she prescribed Paxil.
I don't anymore. I told two old friends. They only had me come & meet up w them & They thought I was going to act out my intrusive thoughts. The husband was on guard & they were like it was great to see you etc let's get together. I send each of them texts saying it was great to see you let me know when u wanna get together . All is quiet on the western front my friends. It's like hello...hello...is my microphone on? My partner whose super chill & calm even commented " if they were so worried you would hurt them why on earth did they have you come". Nope i don't tell anyone anymore. I even asked them if they had questions or understood. Yeah yeah...
I’ve started it with people I am closest too with “hey, I’ve been struggling a lot recently and I get really scared…” and then I tell them the types of fears I have- usually with them sometimes (as they are close to me) and how I get scared with the violent or sexual thoughts. Luckily the people I know and have talked to about this have been very understanding and it’s helped to realize I am not crazy for having these thoughts and not misunderstood
That it’s not just about keeping things clean and orderly.
Im 21 years old, I had ocd seen I was 14 when it started it stopped me from telling anyone I have it. It was really bad at the time and I had no clue how to deal with it I even was able to kill myself at one point but decided to have hope it would get better. In time it did got better but I had no clue what was wrong with me and I didn't want to tell anyone. Until this year I finally found out what it was and my ocd started getting bad again but I'm doing better now. Is been 7 years but I really want my mom to know what I been through but I feel like if I tell her it hurt her and I feel bad for not telling her when it started. I just need same help getting the courage to tell her.
It’s been 4 years. 4 years since I spiralled into a world controlled by rituals of 4, it started as 2, then 3, then 4 - my safe number. The amount of times I wash my hands after touching something dirty and how many repeats it takes until I feel ‘clean’, the amount of taps I make when closing doors to make sure I don’t ‘die’, the amount of times I rinse cutlery and plates before eating off them, the amount of times I disinfect things. My OCD subtype is contamination and I know 2020 lockdowns and the pandemic caused it to spiral but what started as a small ritual quickly became bigger until I no longer remembered what my life was like without the obsessive thoughts of germs and contamination. Could that person be ill? What if I go outside to the shops and someone makes me sick? You can’t answer the door to get that package from the delivery driver because he might make you sick, oh you can’t put the shopping away without disinfecting it first - what if someone has coughed on it? ‘I’ve got to wear gloves to do that’ I can’t, I can’t, I can’t. For 4 years I’ve lived like this, the ‘I don’t want to touch that’ or ‘I can’t go to this place because I don’t want to get ill and die’ ‘can you go do that for me as I don’t think I can right now’ - I know my OCD is irrational, I know the likelihood of those things actually happening are slim to none and I know my OCD stems from a need of control in my life because for so many years I felt like everything in my life was out of my control. But no matter how much I know of how many books I read, how many mindful practices I do the panic I feel after being ‘exposed’ or before exposing myself to a trigger is horrible. I’ve avoided and avoided and avoided to the point where something small now seems and feels like an impossible mountain to climb. It often feels like there isn’t light at the end of the tunnel on the dark days, when I know there is, it’s just going to take some time. Despite this on the outside to those not in my circle my life is a whole picture perfect painting. I run my own business, have a nice car, a nice house, a happy relationship and the of best friends and I’m so grateful for all those things but the reality is much different - behind closed doors and hidden in the closest is the OCD monster. I’ve decided now, after 4 years it’s time to change. I’m breaking the cycle and starting anew. The irony that 4 is my safe number too and it’s been 4 years since things started to get dark. I’m ready to lose control and find myself again. Why am I writing this? Honestly, I really don’t know. I found this app recently and hope it can be a help for my ERP practices I’ve been practicing on my own and it’s actually the first time I’ve ever openly posted or spoken about my OCD to date. For years I have lived with a huge amount of shame and embarrassment, hiding my issues from everyone - even my closest friends have no idea how much it impacts my day to day. I’ve felt shame as I can’t control my own mind despite knowing the thoughts are irrational and the rituals only provide temporary relief but each day again and again the safety blanket of the rituals wraps me up and takes over. The only person who truly knows how much it affects me is my partner, who has been by my side through it all, he’s burnt out and has seen first hand the impact it has had on me, my life and my happiness. I’ve sheltered him as much as I can, but I’m sure those who are in relationships with OCD can relate to the burnout their partner feels day in day out. So that’s my story, I hope those going through similar can take comfort in this and know they aren’t alone in it all as my OCD has made me feel so incredibly lonely, isolated and empty for 4 years too long. It feels freeing to finally share my monster and I hope I can connect with others who are on a similar journey to me. The biggest thing I want to be able to do again? I want to be able to hug my loved ones without feeling triggered, I want to go outside and enjoy life without worry, I want to live again. This app has made me feel seen for the first time in a long time and reading your stories, your experiences and how you’re coping is comforting, encouraging and makes me feel less alone ❤️ thank you for reading x
Last night I had a fucked up intrusive thought/urge about harming my partner and I'm spinning out today. I let them know I had an intrusive thought and was struggling with compulsions around it and future repercussions, but did not tell them exactly what the thought/urge was, which they accepted. Do y'all share details with your partners about harm ocd? How can we healthily ask for support from people we are having horrible thoughts about?
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