debmarstay
- Date posted
- 3y
Lms526Lms526
- Date posted
- 3y
You are right. If he's not ready to start treatment. I am not a therapist just someone who struggles with OCD. Here are some tips. 1. Educate yourself about OCD. If you don't have it yourself, it can be hard to understand why people with OCD think and act the way they do. A good book is OCD Travel Guide by Michael Parker. He does a good job explaining obsessions and compulsions. It is common for people with OCD to rope others into doing compulsions with them. Especially if they are dealing with contamination OCD. Don't let him do that. It is also common for people with OCD to seek reassurance. Do NOT give reassurance. It will relieve his anxiety for a short time, but ultimately, it will only make his OCD worse. Treatment for OCD is not fun or easy. There is no quick fix. Recovery is possible, but it takes time and hard work. Seeking treatment is scary. But you can't just wish OCD away. The longer it goes untreated, the worse it will get. I would ask your son if he wants to spend the rest of his life feeling and living the way he is right now? Unfortunately, some people have to hit rock bottom before they are willing to change. Hope this helps.
SizmixSizmix
- Date posted
- 3y
Hey I made long reply but it got deleted so just ask me any question and I will answer.
GoneHikingGoneHiking
- Date posted
- 3y
I agree with most of what Lms526 said, but I differ in opinion when it comes to prompting someone to imagine a lifetime of despair in the hopes that they'll see a therapist. I can see how that might be a useful exercise for certain individuals, but it might be unhelpful for others. Speaking from personal experience, it's not uncommon for some of us with ocd, myself included, to regard themselves through a perfectionistic lens. My tolerance for personal inconsistency used to be a lot lower, and I'd beat myself up any time I failed in the smallest way. I was also deathly afraid that I'd never really get better, because how could I when I was still able to fail so easily? Accepting my flaws and the possibility of failure was incredibly liberating because it gave me the freedom to work toward a better life without feeling as afraid of setbacks or as devastated at minor mistakes. For the first time, I was motivated by a desire for a better life rather than my fears of a terrifying one. So I think it can be helpful advice, but part of that depends on the person it is being given to, what motivates them best, and where they're at in life.
Lms526Lms526
- Date posted
- 3y
That is a very good point. 100% agree
Related posts
Cayla Davis
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 21w
AMA for Parents: Supporting a child with OCD while managing my own—Ask me anything!
Hi everyone, I’m Cayla. I’m a mom that’s lived with OCD since childhood, but my breaking point came more recently after having my son. I was consumed by terrifying thoughts—What if I hurt him? What if I did something awful without realizing it? I was so afraid of my own mind that I couldn’t be alone with him. The shame and exhaustion were unbearable, and I convinced myself I was broken. In 2024, I finally sought help. ERP therapy at NOCD was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it saved my life. Even now, I have tough days, but I know I don’t have to be ruled by OCD. When my 12 year old daughter began showing signs of OCD, I felt overwhelmed with guilt. I never wanted her to go through what I had, but I knew what to do. I told her that I have OCD too and made sure she knew it wasn’t her fault—and that she wasn’t alone. One of the hardest parts of this journey was trusting someone else with my daughter’s OCD. I knew how vulnerable it feels to share intrusive thoughts, and I wanted her to feel safe. Her NOCD therapist was able to establish trust and genuine empathy from the start, and that relationship gave her the confidence to face ERP head-on. Seeing her build that trust made me certain she was in the right hands. ERP has helped both of us reclaim our lives, and it is beautiful to see my daughter managing her condition and making visible progress. Parenting with OCD while raising a child with OCD isn’t talked about enough, but I know so many parents are struggling with these same challenges. If you have questions about managing OCD while parenting, helping your child through ERP, or breaking cycles of guilt, drop them below—I’d love to share what I’ve learned. I’ll be answering all of the questions I receive in real-time today 4-5pm ET.
Anonymous
- Date posted
- 20w
I am the mother of an adult child with ocd.
Overwhelmed
PBubblegum
- Date posted
- 13w
My partner has severe OCD
Hello i got this app hoping to maybe find some support for my partner i thought about reddit but reddit has become a hateful place and i figured this is a safe place. i love my partner more than anything and he’s been struggling with OCD his whole life he has a hard time talking about it with anyone because it’s too painful he’s stated that it’s gotten worse as he’s gotten older His biggest issue right now is overwhelming thoughts of his actions having tragic outcomes and being unable to stop these obsessive thoughts (such as needing to check out door handle 5 times to make sure it’s locked but still panicking that it’s unlocked) he’s not open to one on one therapy or meds although he loves learning and watching informative videos i fear he’s afraid to confront his OCD or just afraid nothing will help i really wanna help him live a stress free and happy life he deserves it would anyone possibly have any ways to naturally help with OCD or recommend any great individuals that could share techniques on managing OCD or helping your partner with OCD? i would very much appreciate it!
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