What is it like to live with someone with OCD?

It can be difficult, demanding and exhausting to live with a person who has OCD. Family members and friends may become deeply involved in the person's rituals and may have to assume responsibility and care for many daily activities that the person with OCD is unable to undertake.


What is it like to be with someone who has OCD?

These loved ones may also struggle with having to assume responsibility and care for many daily tasks that the OCD sufferer is unable to manage, leading to distress and disruption for everyone. People with OCD can also be very depressed because of their extreme fears, thoughts, and anxiety.

How do you deal with living with someone with OCD?

Here are some things you could try:
  1. Agree on an approach that feels right for you both. ...
  2. Encourage them to challenge compulsions where appropriate. ...
  3. Offer a hug or other emotional support instead of helping with a compulsion.
  4. Seek advice.


Why is it so hard to live with OCD?

People with OCD tend to have distressing thoughts that won't go away. They might act on their compulsions for temporary relief, even when they don't really want to. OCD can feel like a roadblock, and asking for help can be difficult.

What do people with OCD struggle with?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterised by recurring unwanted and intrusive thoughts, impulses and images (obsessions), as well as repetitive behavioural and mental rituals (compulsions). It can be difficult, demanding and exhausting to live with a person who has OCD.


What It's Actually Like Living With OCD



What triggers OCD episodes?

An OCD episode can be triggered by anything that causes, stress, anxiety, and especially a feeling of lack of control. For example, if a person with OCD develops cancer, which can certainly trigger obsessions and compulsions, especially with cleanliness.

What should you not say to a loved one with OCD?

5 Things You Should Never Say to Someone with OCD
  • “It's okay, we're all a little OCD.” You might think statements like this will normalize what your friend is feeling, but Fedrick tells us they're actually hurtful and damaging. ...
  • “Relax. ...
  • “You're so controlling. ...
  • “You're lucky. ...
  • “You don't act like you have OCD.”


Should you stop someone with OCD?

You can be supportive of the person you love who is suffering, but stop supporting the disorder. When the family stops accommodating OCD behavior, the person who suffers from OCD can become more motivated to seek treatment. None of this will actually make OCD stop.


What should you not do with OCD?

What Not to Say to Someone With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • "Don't worry, I'm kind of OCD sometimes, too."
  • "You don't look like you have OCD."
  • "Want to come over and clean my house?"
  • "You're being irrational."
  • "Why can't you just stop?"
  • "It's all in your head."
  • "It's just a quirk/tic. It isn't serious."
  • "Just relax."


Is it hard to be in a relationship with someone with OCD?

Relationship OCD can be challenging because obsessions and compulsions are focused on the relationship itself. In this case, patience is key. It can be challenging to understand why your partner feels the need to perform certain rituals or behaviors, but communicating openly can help.

How does OCD affect intimacy?

Research suggests there may be a link between sexual dysfunction and OCD, as OCD is associated with lower sex drive, lower satisfaction with sex, worse sexual functioning, disgust with sexual activities, dissatisfaction with a sexual partner and fear of having sex.


What are five things that a person with OCD might do?

Common types of compulsive behaviour in people with OCD include:
  • cleaning and hand washing.
  • checking – such as checking doors are locked or that the gas is off.
  • counting.
  • ordering and arranging.
  • hoarding.
  • asking for reassurance.
  • repeating words in their head.
  • thinking "neutralising" thoughts to counter the obsessive thoughts.


What are the most common obsessions in OCD?

Common obsessive thoughts in OCD include:
  • Fear of being contaminated by germs or dirt or contaminating others.
  • Fear of losing control and harming yourself or others.
  • Intrusive sexually explicit or violent thoughts and images.
  • Excessive focus on religious or moral ideas.


Does OCD count as mental illness?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental illness that causes repeated unwanted thoughts or sensations (obsessions) or the urge to do something over and over again (compulsions). Some people can have both obsessions and compulsions.


What foods should people with OCD avoid?

OCD is also characterized by repetitive, ritualized behaviors, also known as compulsions. Some experts believe that the foods we eat can help manage symptoms of OCD.
...
Foods to avoid if you have OCD
  • candies and desserts.
  • sugar-sweetened drinks.
  • baked goods.
  • foods containing high fructose corn syrup.
  • honey and syrups.


Should you give someone with OCD reassurance?

If your friend is distressed, your instinct might be to remind them that they'll be OK. After all, you want to make them feel better. But while reassurance might provide temporary relief, it isn't necessarily helpful in the long run. In fact, it may even worsen OCD symptoms.

What are 3 major symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder?

Symptoms
  • Fear of contamination or dirt.
  • Doubting and having difficulty tolerating uncertainty.
  • Needing things orderly and symmetrical.
  • Aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others.
  • Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects.


How do I live with my OCD spouse?

How to Cope with a Spouse with OCD
  1. Accept Your Partner's Diagnosis with Compassion. Your spouse's upsetting and sometimes erratic behaviors and thoughts can begin to weigh heavily on you, potentially causing resentment in your relationship. ...
  2. Avoid Accommodation. ...
  3. Challenge False Perceptions. ...
  4. Maintain Your Own Self-Care.


What are OCD flare ups?

“OCD symptoms can intensify during times of stress or when you feel like life is getting out of control.” Talkspace therapist Elizabeth Kelly, LICSW. People with OCD regularly experience extreme, yet unnecessary, worry. Obsessive and uncontrollable thoughts can interfere with life to the point of serious disruption.

What does a severe case of OCD look like?

At its most severe, however, OCD can impact someone's ability to work, go to school, run errands, or even care for themselves. People with severe OCD have obsessions with cleanliness and germs — washing their hands, taking showers, or cleaning their homes for hours a day.


What are the two major symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts ("obsessions") and/or behaviors ("compulsions") that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.

What are 3 examples of compulsive behaviors?

Types
  • Shopping.
  • Hoarding.
  • Eating.
  • Gambling.
  • Trichotillomania and skin picking.
  • Checking, counting, washing, and repeating.
  • Sexual behavior.
  • Talking.


How do you make someone happy with OCD?

Living With Someone Who Has OCD. Guidelines for Family Members
  1. (From Learning to Live with OCD) ...
  2. Recognize Signals. ...
  3. Modify Expectations. ...
  4. Remember That People Get Better at Different Rates. ...
  5. Avoid Day-To-Day Comparisons. ...
  6. Recognize “Small” Improvements. ...
  7. Create a Supportive Environment.


What is it like to be married to someone with OCD?

In some instances, the partner of the person with OCD simply denies that the disorder exists, but in most cases, spouses report that their loved one's OCD greatly affects them. Spouses and other family members often report feelings of frustration, isolation, shame and guilt.

How does OCD show in relationships?

The condition can create repetitive thoughts that center on doubts or fears about the relationship. The person may experience uncertainty about whether their partner really loves them or whether the relationship will last. These thoughts can then lead to behaviors that are designed to gain reassurance.