My son showed symptoms of OCD after starting masturbating ( age 15 ). Even though he says he enjoys it he is afraid he will contaminate everything and everyone with his hands. It progressed rapidly during these hard times. We started ERP over the phone 10 days ago after we wasted 3 weeks with another counselor who didn’t want us involved until after he got to get bonded with my son. Now we do every week day sessions with someone else with me included. I continue the exposure at home daily and even though he needs to be pushed and sometimes yelled he is doing it and I see great results. He actually made chicken soup from scratch on his own thinking he has poop on his hands... he said he wouldn’t eat but got a full bowl in the end without being asked !!! The big problem is his dad ... He can’t accept that he got this from masturbation and can’t handle the rituals. He doesn’t to be near him now and avoids him. He uses foul language that can be heard in the house when I try to talk to him. Has anyone experienced that with a parent and how did it affect your therapy success?

Contamination OCD

jett

Date posted: 5y

Don’t yell at him though...yelling should only be reserved for emegencies not for convincing people to do things...that just adds stress and anxiety to the situation.

jett

Date posted: 5y

And your husband sounds like a bigger problem...he needs to be way more supportive. He can’t handle the rituals and avoids him? Too bad he raised him obviously there were stressors in the household because ocd doesn’t just develop for no reason.. it’s not purely genetic...and of course the counselor doesn’t want the parents involved until he can gather information from the kid on whether or not the parents are part of the problem or not. Sorry I’m being rash here sounds like you do support your son a lot though

gioula

Date posted: 5y

I know now that yelling doesn’t help but it took me a lot of time to understand and believing that my son is not lost and it can be treated... I didn’t know what is OCD 3 months ago !!! My husband has had his issues after a work accident 3 years ago that gave him permanent disability bd kept him at home since then. He developed depression due to this and was over it for some time until this happened. He should be the one to understand my son better than anyone else and I can’t excuse him. All I care is my son and how this damaged relationship will affect his treatment

jett

Date posted: 5y

@gioula He doesn’t need his dad to get better...but when he is better and grown up he’s gonna be asking his dad where he was when he needed him most. I worry what his answer might be

ocdillustrated

Date posted: 5y

Maybe its time for a session with just you and your husband and the therapist to work out the issue

[Deleted]

Date posted: 5y

Comment deleted by user

jett

Date posted: 5y

Having the dad on board would be nice but isn’t absolutely necessary...when the kid is all better and grown up he’s gonna ask where his dad was when he needed him most and I’m afraid he won’t have a good answer

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond