I can't keep living like this any longer. It's been 4 years. I wasn't like this prior to getting OCD. I was happier and I wasn't overly worried about my thoughts and the things I did in the past. I worry about everything every single day. It really infuriates me and it also makes me really sad. How do I just not only explain this to my parents and that I'm also considering medication?
Maybe by sending some articles or YouTube videos after a while they will know OCD like us. We at first didn't know what OCD is, although if they don't have OCD or they don't accept their own OCD, it's a little hard for them to understand, especially if they are mostly from older generations. Either way, give them time. I hope everything goes as you want.
I've sent them a video about it once, and while they didn't fully understand it, they welcomed therapy. I just want them to do the same for medication. Medication can be used for physical conditions and they wouldn't bat an eye about it but with mental conditions, which aren't that different, it's suddenly a different story.
@BigGyro09 I can understand, but I think they finally understand you. They were okay with therapy if your therapist talked to them. It would be more effective.
@BigGyro09 Not just once try do it more often videos and articles or those for love ones.
@Anonymous - No they haven't talked to my therapist but I would like for my therapists to explain to them what it is I'm going through. I just want to have their support too on this, that's all.
They have been understanding of me wanting therapy but I don't think they fully get what it is I'm going through, but I just don't know how to tell them. They really don't want anything to do with medication, but again, they just don't know. I want to have their support on this and not go behind their backs with medication. How do I just tell them about what OCD really is?
I think reading articles and some videos explain them better. Also, some articles or videos for loved ones are more helpful for them than you explaining. Tell them I think during these years, I realized I need both therapy and meditation, and I want you support me.
Think positive there was a time you couldn't tell them about therapy at all and now they accept that I am sure everything gonna be okay soon.
I understand! I also wasn’t like this now I’m constantly worrying about every little thing and even past ones. I also get sad and mad too
I'm sorry you're also going through this. It really is completely draining and I just want it to be over. I'm worrying about every little thing and I just feel like I can't live my life the way I want to.
@BigGyro09 It is draining! I also want it to be over. Exactly! I can’t enjoy anything. I feel like I’m truly happy when I’m “happy.”
@Jenny330 It also sucks when the thoughts feel extremely real and true. Especially if it's based on events that being uncertainty.
The question is, why they opposing the idea of medication? Is it because the stigma, the side effects, perception of being addicted to the medication, ...? Once you understand their prospective, you can address it. For me, it was both the sigma and side effects. I then explained the fact that almost 40% of the population suffering from some form of OCD. Also, explaining that it is an illness resulting from "sometimes" chemical imbalance in the brain, and the medication is to treat that like any other illnesses as diabetes or blood pressure. Start by what are their concerns with medication, and assure them that it is not your decision, or their decision, but a qualified doctor decision. If the doctor see the medication as part of the solution, then it is. Also, highlight the fact the it can be reversible illness. You not alone, and I very much wish you recovery soon. ,,😃
I think it's a combination of but fully understanding OCD, stigma, and worries about side effects. I just want them to try their best to understand what it is I'm going through and why meds would help me out. I would like to have their support on this, but if they still don't agree, I would want to go with medication anyway. The alternatives aren't working. Telling myself I'm not my thoughts or having hope that they will go away is not making it better, even if it does help me in the moment. I really do like the idea of comparing it to physical conditions like diabetes and blood pressure because those aren't things that you can hope will go away as much as we want them to be. There is medication and ways to cope with diabetes, whether it means people are born with it, or develop it later in life. We have the readily accessible treatments for us to use and I have this with OCD. I'm just sort of tired of being told that they will go away if I hope hard enough because they don't. At the end of the day, I just want to educate them on OCD in the best way possible.
Yes, start with education, but make sure it won't be your decision or theirs. It is a doctor decision as the case with diabetes or blood pressure, with one difference, it CAN GO AWAY... There are many stories of OCD subsiding or at least minimized to the normal level since we ALL experience bad thoughts. I am sure you will be able to crush this illness, as you are trying hard, you will eventually succeed. My brotherly love to you
Yeah, that's the thing. We all do experience intrusive thoughts that don't help us but OCD just takes it to a whole other level. That's the hard part to explain but I will figure out a way
Thank you for responding
I'm just not doing alright at the moment. The thoughts keep on showing up. They keep on haunting me. I keep getting thoughts that say I'm really not a good person. Or that I have ulterior motives that are against who I am. Like if I'm a pedo or if I'm a sex offender, or an abuser. Or just not a good friend. I can't sit with them any longer. I just want medication to help me with this, even if it feels like I don't deserve to have it. I keep thinking about how even though I was uncomfortable talking to a 17 year old when I was 19 about their OCD, I still went anyway and helped them. Why did I do that? Was it some kind of exposure? Or when I was in the awkward position of someone passing by a tight space and their behind touched my elbow. I had thoughts saying to move it and not to move it and I didn't think I needed to because it wouldn't happen or it was just because I was zipping my bag up in the moment. But since it did happen, now I think I'm a deviant or a dangerous person. Or the thoughts talking about my exposure to porn as a teenager and doing very impulsive, cringe worthy things in relation to the whole exposure. The things I've watched, seen, or heard of. It all disturbs me very much and I can't take any of them back. Last time in therapy I just ended up crying because I just can't deal with this anymore. I'm even scared to try and get my family on board with medication. I'm just afraid they'll be bad at me if I do take it. At the same time though, I don't know if I care that much because it's either that or I just keep going through the days like.. this. I don't want to keep this up anymore. I just want a way out. I just want my life back. Right now it feels like I'll never get it back and it feels like all of what my intrusive thoughts say to me is true.
What do you do when nothing feel right. Like for example I feel like everything triggers me, everything feels weird, sounds, actions, my room. I feel like i will go insane any second and I cant enjoy anything, I cant be happy about my upcoming new job or events. I have OCD about me having shizhophrenia and omg it has ruined my life, it has only been about 3 weeks, but it has got me complitely. I want my old self back and I am scared that my loved one will leave me bc i am not getting better. I really want a new theme as funny it sounds, because even 2 years ago harm OCD was't this hard. I feel like something in me is changing, but i dont want it 😭 I will start therapy in the end of August and I just started taking medication. But for now I cant imagine this stopping and I fear that it will go downhill from this, i cant see me doing better, because if i have a good day I rember how i felt yesterday or when I had a panic attack and I cant get enough of it, i always remember those feelings and I start to worry about it over and over again.
Hey, this is my first time posting… so I am a little nervous. I have OCD, along with Bipolar 1, and Autism (autism was assessed by a therapist and psychiatrist but not an official diagnosis cause of the cost). I used to have my OCD treated with Effexor until it revealed my Bipolar disorder and instead I can only be on low dose Prozac (alongside other meds for bipolar) One of my biggest and oldest OCD symptoms has been a constant need to confess everything hidden about my life to my parents. It started when I was 15. I suddenly would become so stressed about something I did in the past (usually regarding more private topics, stuff no one wants to talk to their parents about). It would be so bad I would struggle to keep food down if I was fighting those thoughts. Although it’s gotten better, it hasn’t left without leaving me completely exposed, and it still pushes me to want to confess my private life to them. I always think “but X or Y was wrong of me to do, or was private” and then I’d feel like NOT confessing was me “lying by omission.” It’s hard to explain it… but I just wondered if anyone had and advice or just messages of solidarity. Thanks to anyone who read this long message, I appreciate it.
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