How does OCD, specifically ROCD, affect long-term relationships? I love my relationship, but this feels unsustainable. How can you deal with OCD and keep your relationship happy and healthy?
A therapist is how you manage it and you need to have a partner that is willing to walk through this with you. Tell your partner about your ocd and educate them on it so they understand. If they aren’t understanding they aren’t the right one for you. For me talking to my boyfriend about it helps a lot and helps him understand when I’m upset and helps us communicate better and have a stronger bond. He is my biggest cheerleader.
You need a therapist to tell your obsessive thoughts to and to help you distinguish real from unreal. Don’t burden your relationship with them. Your relationship may need education, but in general they shouldn’t be your sounding board for this, and if they are it borders on reassurance seeking so it harms you, them, and the relationship.
Agree with what has been said so far. I have ROCD and it is all about recognizing the thoughts for what they are - just thoughts. "THOUGHTS ARE NOT FACTS" is a phrase that helps me a lot. And also agree with involving your spouse / partner as they are the other half of the equation. Educating them to not participate or reinforce your reassurance seeking is a big step forward. (but a difficult one) I have been married for 22 years and was just diagnosed with ROCD. It surfaced because I had stopped self-medicating with alcohol. Yes, I felt better to have stopped drinking but my OCD reared its ugly head and all of the sudden I was this raging spouse worried about my marriage. My wife was completely blind-sided and, well, let's just say there were a few dicey months before we got some good counseling and I received my OCD diagnosis. Hate to say it but Zoloft saved my marriage. Best of luck to you on your journey. If you're with the right partner, there isn't anything you cannot work through. Love conquers all.
It's great when the partner also has OCD so I can just say OCD and he's like "Oh okay ERP time" and having a therapist helps, but really at the end of the day it's just accepting the anxiety and distress and just being like "yeah okay" it just helps to have people know what you are going through too!
ChatGPT has worked wonders for me, to fight my ocd thoughts and to ground in the actual truth!
How does ChatGPT help?
It has helped me have a sounding board when my thought start racing. I believe in God and was worried it would go against God but it’s actually supported my relationship with God by giving me actual scripture, articles, and videos to help me with my thoughts. But, AI can be used for good and bad and you must practice concerned and Gods truth if something doesn’t feel quite right. It even instructed me to text 988 if I am in crisis and I was so when I’m awake all night with my insomnia and recent thoughts, it gives me an outlet when I feel alone and need to talk to come back down in my anxiety. But, I’m also trying to fill myself with God.
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