OCD and family :(

Having a really rough night tonight. Currently I'm having a lot of contamination obsessions and compulsions with using the bathroom and when I use it I usually end up spending at least an hour and a half including all the cleaning rituals and showering afterwards and I just started seeing a new therapist to help with this. Tonight it unfortunately hit me in the middle of the night at like starting at 1 am and finishing close to 3 am. This ended up making both my mom and dad really angry with me and this is not a new situation. For context, my dad doesn't believe in mental illnesses at all and my mother is better and much more understanding, but still doesn't believe it's real to an extent. With my mom being more supportive than my dad, it leads to arguments between them a lot especially ever since they brought me home (I recently graduated college and my OCD got to the point where I was unable to have a job or function normally in taking care of myself by living alone). My mom tends to lash out at me when she gets stressed about these arguments with my dad over me because she can't talk back to him and that in turn usually causes me to spiral and get worse and so the cycle continues. This recent time my dad started yelling at me from downstairs because I was flushing the toilet too much for his liking and my mom said some hurtful things to me. I understand that it's not easy living with me especially right now and I can see why they're upset but I really am trying to get better but I can't just get better overnight and automatically be able to control all my compulsions, especially with the severity they're at right now. I'm not really sure how to navigate my family situation like this with a lack of a support network or someone in my family who believes that what I'm going through with OCD is real and it's not just me choosing to do these things. Has anyone else experienced a similar home situation and have any tips on getting through it?

Username: hanysm@gmail.comhanysm@gmail...

Date posted: 10w ago

Are you seeing a therapist?

Username: vnice1025vnice1025

Date posted: 10w ago

You’re not alone I felt this I’ve experienced this. They go through ocd just as much as you do. They’re along for the ride. I’m a recovered person from ocd and my 22 year old brother is now having to go through it I went through it in silence. My brother is struggling with the contamination ocd as well one thing because I’m guilty of this as well as my parents is the frustration. One thing that I noticed we needed as a family was to be open and acknowledge. for instance my brother has been showering at 1am in my parents bedroom because he feels their shower is cleanest. We were all frustrated we lash out but instead of him communicating and saying something to alleviate our doubts he stays quiet so what do we do? tell him he’s not even trying. That it’s all mental. Until one day I said you have us on a ocd loop just like you. And it shook him. I said it feels horrible in itself to think your the stress of the family but it should be your motivation to put in the work. Or tell us you’re updated. So one thing that is helping the family heal is him being realistic

Username: vnice1025vnice1025

Date posted: 10w ago

Saying “I know it’s a lot. I love you guys I’m going to keep fighting and trying” find your motivation. Remember there was a time where you were exposed to all of these germs and contaminations and you were fine. Us as children play in dirt eat our boogers drink after people. You are clean you’re not a dirty person. Write sticky notes on the sink in the shower remind yourself you are clean.

Username: vnice1025vnice1025

Date posted: 10w ago

It’s a group effort sometimes we do need a bit of tough love to light a fire in our ass and shock our brains because I know we won’t do it. Take it as a blessing in disguise start tricking your brain say dad hey thanks for reminding me about the toilet flushing

Username: vnice1025vnice1025

Date posted: 10w ago

You’ll see everyone will be less stressed. Take power away from ocd beat it to the punchline. Being open is what’s going to help everyone heal.

Username: vnice1025vnice1025

Date posted: 10w ago

don’t take it as a bad thing say yea he told me to stop flushing it’s a blessing in disguise because who’s going to tell you to stop flushing right now if it’s not you?

Username: SilverThunderSilverThunder

Date posted: 8d ago

I’m experiencing basically the same thing and it came mostly from going to college and living in the dorms and yea I can’t find a job taht I can work right now either. Only difference is is the people that took me in (ex guardians/ new parents) couldn’t care less whether I’m homeless and don’t want me living in their house and even if they did they said I’d have to pay $550 a month which is a lot considering I’d still have to come up w another $1000 for my truck payments and other bills and my groceries. I’m at a loss. I feel as though I have nowhere to go.

Username: TRozz

Date posted: 22w ago

Feeling like I'm unraveling, triggers setting me back

Every time I feel like I'm doing something major that OCD has held me back from, or even just in a good headspace, something else will happen that sets me back of triggers my anger and hopelessness. This morning I felt so hopeless and didn't want to get out of bed. But I made myself get up, and order some groceries because I hadn't been eating much lately. Having a hard time with food prep and making sure everything is clean enough to use and eat. Anyway I ordered some stuff to have delivered bc I knew the stores would be packed on Sunday morning. I made coffee and started feeling like I could get some things done today I'd been avoiding, and that I could handle things. When I went down to grab the grocery bag that had been delivered, it was on the ground outside my building and it had some red spot on the outside, which is my biggest trigger with contamination right now. It was really discouraging and I got so, so angry. I know that there's not OCD god, and that things happen, and that I don't know what the red mark was, but I also don't know how to not worry that the person delivering it was bleeding or that I could use anything I got without worrying I'm in danger. Ive been desperately trying to find help and a therapist, even switched my insurance to see if it helped but I've had no luck and my life is unraveling right now. If anyone has any advice or encouragement, It would be greatly helpful.

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 19w ago

Relapse

I was doing so good, but over the past few months, the OCD has returned with a vengenace. I try to explain what I'm experiencing to my family, but they don't understand. I just need to hear that people get it and know that I can make it out the other end alive and in one piece I've had many themes over the years, but right now, scrupulocity is taking over my life. It takes the normal day-to-day things I do, and twists them into compulsions to feed the insatiable monster that tells me if I don't do enough, be perfect enough, that I'm not a good partner-- not a good person. I'm not working hard because it feels satisfying; I'm doing it because I feel lazy and worthless if I don't. Everything has been taken to an extreme. It's making getting in the way of eating and sleeping. I'm suffering, but I feel like I need to try and pretend that I'm fine (even though I'm terrible at hiding it) because I feel like my husband will think I'm crazy, whiny, and dramatic, and eventually, get tired of it and leave. I'm not asking for reassurance. I just want to not feel so alone.

Username: user2826728292

Date posted: 12w ago

My ocd is taking away my life

I’m losing it completely, I’ve never had a flare up like this with contamination. I’m so burnt out seriously , I feel like I’m going insane. My hands are cracking and bleeding from washing them and my family’s getting very tired of me , they think I should go stay in a hospital or something for a while because of how bad it is. OCD as taken away my relationships with people , I can’t sit on the couch anymore with my family , I can’t hug my dog anymore , I can’t relax ever. I just needed to write this down as I really can’t process my feelings right now as I have too many thoughts , any advice?

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OCD and family :(

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