is it normal to have OCD? I’ve never told anyone i have it before. will my friends judge me for it? am I going to lose them? ):

It isn’t normal to have OCD, but at the same time it is because lots of people, even celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio have it. If your friends stop being your friends because of it then they were never really your friends to begin with. No one should judge you.

It’s just as normal as having something like depression or asthma, an illness you didn’t choose that millions of people have. Sometimes it feels less normal because how OCD often leads us to judge ourselves, but I would be willing to bet your friends will understand enough to still love and support you. Jon Hershfield’s book Mindfulness for OCD Workbook has a great section on how to go about disclosing you condition to those you are close with if you aren’t sure of how to tell someone.

It can feel normal because you are experiencing it. I didn’t know what was going on with me for most of my youth. I knew I was an anxious person but I didn’t know what was causing my worry and intrusive thoughts till I was 18. I didn’t tell anyone either.

Something like 2% of the population of the UK have it, which I think makes it pretty ‘normal’. I have told a few people and they have always been understanding. I hate the fact that the nature of what we worry about makes us think twice about telling people.

thank you all❤️❤️ this is my first time I even admitted I have ocd and gotten an app to help me recover. I will hopefully be able to take control of my life again, it’s gotten too out of control. I guess I’ll have to find the courage to tell my friends hopefully they’ll accept me and you’re right, if they don’t they were never really friends to begin with. and thanks I’ll try that book when I’m out of here x