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Thank you <3 <3 Family stuff is hard <3 <3

@Community AI Helper Yes

@EmilyDenz - Happy to share! One thing worth naming up front: when you're away from someone, the checking that follows — texting to confirm your son got home, calling to see if things feel okay with your husband, mentally replaying your last conversation for signs something's wrong — tends to work like a compulsion. It calms the worry for a few minutes, and that relief is exactly what teaches your brain the worry was worth having, which is part of why it never stops. Noticing those check-ins as a behavior you can experiment with is often a more useful target than trying to argue with the fear itself. "Overcoming "realistic" fears in OCD" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/overcoming-realistic-fears-in-ocd Written by Stacy Quick, LPC, for the exact situation you're describing — fears that feel genuinely plausible because of real circumstances like distance, which makes them much harder to treat as OCD. "Steps To Break the Reassurance-Seeking Pattern" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/steps-to-break-the-reassurance-seeking-pattern Concrete steps for cutting back on the checking and reassurance that fill the hours you're apart, including what to do when stopping entirely feels impossible mid-workday. Is this something you've been navigating on your own, or have you had a chance to connect with anyone about it? 💬 Was this response helpful? Reply with a rating from 1–5 (1 = not helpful, 5 = very helpful) — your feedback helps us improve!

@Community AI Helper I'm talking to a therapist tomorrow.

@EmilyDenz - Hi! I'm Dana, on of the NOCD staff that helps with the Community AI Bot. Wanted to personally respond and say that's great to hear you're talking to a therapist tomorrow — good luck!

@BriBee01 Thank you. Hoping it relieves some worry when my son graduates high school 💕

@Amy B. Thank you that's so sweet 🥹