So I was at a family thing yesterday and my ice was bothering me and I kept washing my hands and my family noticed and started making fun of me for it and it was like non stop it made me feel really alone especially since they clearly know something’s up but they just make it worse instead of at least trying to help😕
I understand. In general my family has always been very supportive, but sometimes people don’t realize how much you’re struggling with something and how even the smallest comment can just break you down. Once, after I had just moved in to my college dorm and I was washing my hands in the communal bathroom, a girl I knew a little bit said “are you a nursing student? Every time I see you, you wash your hands for SUCH a long time!” (I was not a nursing student). And I don’t know why, but just the idea that this thing that I had hoped nobody noticed was so obvious made me burst into tears.
@davisgi24 Thank you for sharing 🫶🫶🫶
that's really mean of them :( sorry that they made you feel isolated or ashamed about it. have you told them it hurt your feelings? i hope that if it happens again, they're more supportive and helpful in those moments instead of trying to bring you down or make light of your struggles
@moon027097 Thank you 🫶I don’t know how to bring it up I’d rather just deal with it I guess
I’m sorry they made fun of you. It would have made me feel really alone too. You say you don’t know how to bring it up to them and you’d rather just deal with it. And I get that. But depending on how much you see these family members and/or how close you want to be to them, you might try to find a way. By making fun of you, they did some damage. And you could say something like, “Can I talk to you about the other day, when I was washing my hands?” And then you might talk about your OCD and how you felt that day. And give them a chance to respond. Maybe they’ll apologize. That would be nice. You’ve repaired things. 🙂 And if they say something like, “I was just kidding” (or worse) you could say, “Well, it made me feel bad so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t do that again.” It took me a long time to realize that I didn’t have to accept bad treatment. Sometimes people are unintentionally mean and by being vulnerable with them and sharing, we can create a better relationship. If a person is mean to you and continues to be mean to you, limit your contact as much as possible. You deserve people in your life who are supportive and kind. And sometimes you have to find those people outside of your family. Learning to set boundaries with people is important. It’s the way we care for and protect ourselves. It takes courage to have these difficult conversations, but it helps build good relationships. (Or helps you know where to stop putting your energy.) Hope today has been a better day.
@JediMJ Thank you so much🫶🫶🫶
I have this same problem repeatedly where I see things online about faking OCD and people talking about how OCD isn’t just cleaning and it makes me feel like I’m faking it and it’s pretty much its own theme now. I have a handwashing problem and since it’s so heavily stigmatized as faking I never do it when others are watching because then I feel like I’m seeking attention. Pretty much all of my visible compulsions I do are behind closed doors or on my own and I can’t do anything about it because if I try to show somebody then I’m attention seeking and faking. If I try to talk about the fear then I’m also attention seeking because now I’m guilt tripping and seeking sympathy and therefore I shouldn’t tell anyone and I shouldn’t show anyone. I’m essentially hiding an entire mental illness because of this, the only person I’ve ever really told about my issues is my therapist, nobody else feels safe.
I need advice. I’m constantly washing my hands after going to the bathroom/touching something I find gross, but it doesn’t stop at just washing. I have to keep washing til I feel right (usually 3-4 times). It also isn’t just my hands, I go all the way up my forearms. I know in my head that once is enough. But I can’t kick this repetitive behavior. I know I should just start only washing it once but I don’t know if I can handle the panic that will come after. I need advice/tips if anyone’s gone through something similar what worked for you. Im just sick of this
I’m feeling kind of sad cause today was not a really good day in terms of my ocd. I was feeling kind of foggy/numb and that send me to spiraling. I’m 21 years old currently studying but my family has been having trouble with money for the last couple years(we’re just me and my mom) and I kinda want to get a job but everything is far from my home and I wouldn’t be able to return back at night, also it’s either way more expensive to move or the schedule wouldn’t let me take my classes. The point is that because of that every time my mom is stress tends to treat me bad, she speaks to me like I’m stupid or she just screams to nothing cursing all life and everything and that actually makes me feel soo bad and guilty for not doing anything, I know it’s hard for me to get a job that actually helps us without quitting school but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like I’m a burden. I want to help, I want to maybe hug her or something but I know she will be angrier and probably will reject it. So that’s it, I just feel like she punishes me for the stress she’s carrying and I get it but one day is happy and it feels like all love and the next is treating me like that, Idk it’s hard (also I feel like I shouldn’t be saying this cause it’s all my fault) 🫤
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