someone please help! I've been showing pure o symptoms for about a month now. terrible intrusive thoughts, rumination, shame, guilt, doubt.. i feel like shit. i decided to open up about this to my mom (I'm 15) so that i could seek help and she doesn't understand. She thinks that I'm just being dramatic, that this is just a phase, that i just need some fresh air and a distraction like doing chores blah blah.. i told her that i could have ocd but she started saying that ocd is obsessing over organizing, cleanliness and other stereotypical shit... i even showed her articles explaining my situation and she seemed to get uncomfy and tried to change the subject. whenever i bring it up she either makes jokes about it to make me "laugh it off" or mutter something like "yeah yeah" and it's so annoying. today she even told me that she's "depressed" and that if she can pull through then so can I (she's isn't clinically depressed she's never seen a therapist in her life). she doesn't understand the severity of my situation. im afraid my intrusive thoughts will start getting worse if im left untreated. she really made me think that maybe im just making this up and that im just a dramatic little b*tch. ive always loved my mom and she's always been supportive but i feel so betrayed rn. i feel helpless

I’m so sorry she’s responding this way. I think it’s worth bringing up one more time. I’d say “mom I need your help. I want to have a consultation with an ocd specialist to see if my symptoms are ocd and if so to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. I know you want me to handle this on my own, but I’m really struggling right now and I need professional help. I could really use your support finding someone. I’ve done some research and here are some options.” And share some options with her (like connecting you with a therapist on this app.) If she refuses, you can go to your school counselor. Tell them the same thing: that you suspect you have ocd and want to get a proper diagnosis from an ocd specialist. In both cases, be very clear that it needs to be an ocd specialist. Not a general therapist— even if they claim they have clients with ocd. You need a specialist who is able to do CBT and more specifically ERP for mental compulsions. The earlier you get treatment the better. If all else fails, buy an ocd workbook and do your best to go through the program on your own. If you have some of your own money, you could buy a subscription to an ocd online program, like CBT School. Sometimes parents can be very uncomfortable dealing with mental health issues, especially if they were taught to never talk about those things growing up. They also may not want to face the possibility for fear of seeing you suffer. It may take some training for her to come around. And an ocd specialist should be able to talk to her directly about what you’re going through and how to help you. Hang in there! It will get better. The treatments we have for ocd are highly effective in most cases. It just takes a little extra effort to get the right help.

I mean to realistic with you, you’re supposed to treat it like she is on the contrary. Thats what makes these thoughts powerful. You pretty much have to act like these thoughts aint nothin. Once you stop caring about them they fade away