I dont think my mom understands OCD. She told me she might have a little bit because she keeps checking and checking stuff. How do i even explain its not just that. It’s the endless thoughts and fear and doubt and guilt

Maybe she has a small amount of it, it runs in families. I always find arguing people on it makes them doubt you back harder. I’d give her a real example: triggering thought, fear, compulsion, feelings before during and after compulsion, repetition, and aftermath destruction of life. See if she can find any situation- then be like; “sounds like anxiety, but not OCD because of XYZ not being present. If you feel like it’s ruining your life go get an assessment, but if not, you probably don’t have it”

I do think a lot of people sit with their symptoms and cave to their compulsions so they don’t realize they have a problem. And don’t realize how hard it is to try to get better. And it doesn’t cause problems for them. So maybe she does have some mild ocd? The thing is; if she says it to diminish your symptoms like “oh i have it and I’m fine so why can’t you be fine” then she needs to know it’s not true and needs to educate herself (i have a friend like that which is super hurtful). But if she’s genuinely concerned it would be good to help her discern what it really is and if she has it.

That’s what my mom said when I told her she was like I’m the same I have to sleep with the lights on and I was like yeah no that’s not really the same but she was like oh so now because I said it its not anxiety

Sounds like she has ocpd