My family is getting very frustrated with me for not getting a job during this pandemic, and it’s causing me extreme anxiety. The pandemic has brought up some contamination ocd that I didn’t know I had, and it is being compounded by the irresponsible actions of those in my household. Someone in my household tested positive a few days ago, and then negative a couple days after (the false negative rate is higher than the false positive rate), and so I’ve been extra cautious about staying at home and in my room. It’s not that I’m scared about getting the virus, I’m scared of passing it and causing harm to others. My family, however, has returned back to normal activities. They’re going to work or visiting others outside the home, ignoring the guidance of the cdc. They had even done this before the second test came back negative. They’re now getting angry with me for not wanting to leave the house (let alone my room) and not getting a job, mostly because none of them believe in the seriousness of the situation and think it’s all politically charged. I will probably be getting myself tested in a couple of weeks and move in with my roommate at my own apartment at my university (assuming a negative test), since he is more understanding of everything and is cautious. It’s not that I don’t want to work. If there wasn’t a pandemic going on, I would gladly be working somewhere for 40 hours a week and wouldn’t have a complaint. I’m just anxious about everything right now and no one I live with seems to understand.

Really need some support/advice right now. I’ve had multiple panic attacksbecause of everything that’s going on right now with this pandemic. I just really need some help but I know I’m not supposed to ask for reassurance. Everyone is panicking, even people w/out OCD which makes me panic even more. I honestly feel like I need to go to a psychiatric hospital or something, I’m just afraid of having a complete meltdown. I haven’t really been able to go anywhere such as grocery store, gas station, etc. bc I don’t want to touch anything.

I live in NYC - I’m 29 and was diagnosed with ocd over ten years ago. I came home during quarantine to make sure my parents are okay and spend quality time since we don’t normally get this time. (Please know, I quarantined for over three weeks before seeing them to make sure I wasn’t infecting them) I told them that I am going to go back to my apt in nyc at some point in May and they FREAKED out. There are multiple reasons I would like to be back in my own apartment, but the main one is my ocd is getting worse out here. The routine is crucial and being in my own home is what I think will be mentally the healthiest choice for me. They don’t understand and I’ve tried to explain numerous times. I’m the youngest and will always be the “baby” - even though I’m almost 30. They worry it’s too dangerous, but it’s just as dangerous where we are now as well. I am so lucky I have my parents and that we were able to spend this time together and I love them so much, but I’m an adult and feel I need to set boundaries for what’s best for me. Does this make sense or am I crazy?? Help??!! My brain is out of control right now.

Hi I am new to this app and didnt know what else to turn to. My parents dont understand me at all.. my ocd or anything I go thru. I have almost 2 years clean from drugs, have extreme anxiety, and pretty severe OCD and trich. I am just having a really hard and traumatizing week. Two nights ago my freezer caught on fire( which I didnt even realize was a thing) and there was no one there to help me. I was frozen in shock and I just switched the breakers off until my apartment maintenece could help in the morning. Of course I didnt sleep bc I just kept thinking it was still going to catch fire. The power has gone off 3 times this week.. once while I had a cleaning service here to help me clean my apartment( which is a hard enough exposure for me anyway, to let other people in touching all my things especially during covid). The last thing is I have been worried for a while that there is something physically wrong with me (my dad is a physician and I have physical symptoms to back up this theory). I wont share my symptoms cuz that could take a while but as someone with Ocd you think are all of these symptoms real/fake and related/ unrelated issues that I should or shouldnt worry about. Well my concierge doctor called me with intensive lab results they did as a result of my worrying and it turns out my ANA is pretty high and she wants to refer me to a rheumatologist. ANA being high is the first sign of an autoimmune disease. She was trying to write my fatigue off as sleep apnea but they did find something pretty significant in my bloodwork. Im just really scared. This is too much for me to deal with and worry about. I just feel like shutting down, I cant deal with this all by myself. Any advice or just support? I do have an Ocd therapist, have been thru exposure therapy, and currently take meds for it.