OCD Action

Meeeex
Member

Hey everyone... I'm 14 and i've had OCD since I was 11 ( or at least that's when I think it started). My mum says I used to have strange habits when I was really small too. I've never been officially diagnosed with OCD cos i'm really scared to talk about it because I feel that people don't take me seriously.

Some of my rituals are touching and opening things a certain number of times before I feel OK, counting up to a certain number in my head while I do things, washing my hands obsessivley, not eating certain foods and satying away from certain words or numbers. I also get strange thoughts that I can't control and I feel paranoid about people reading my mind and seeing my thoughts.

I don't really have anyone to talk to about it to because my parents don't take it seriously and call them ' tip taps' and just laugh or ignore them. Even if they punish me for it to try and make it stop, I still carry on.

I feel really stuck here and even my friends don't know about my OCD. So please can ANYONE give me some advice on how to handle this thing? x

Sun Sep 5 2010 0:11:02 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Meeeex,

Welcome to the forum

I’m not a professional, but it does sound as if it might be OCD. You really need to see your GP in order to get a diagnosis and to be able to access treatment. The treatment of choice for OCD is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
If you click on the orange box on the right of the page entitled ‘It’s time to know’, you can access the OCD Action Resource Centre where you will find information and details of books on OCD.

It would be helpful for you to read a book called ’Breaking Free from OCD’ by Jo Derisley.
It’s called a CBT Guide for Young People and Their Families and is aimed at younger people and their parents or carers. It’s well presented and is by no means boring and explains things simply but in depth and contains plenty of work sheets for you to work through. It explains CBT and how to do it – a lot better than some of the books for adults (I use some of the worksheets )

At the end of each chapter there is information for the parent or carer giving them advice on how to help the young person with OCD. This book might help your parents to understand what you’re going through and more importantly how they can work with you to help you overcome this.

Well worth a read what ever your age, especially if you’re stuck with your CBT.

By finding out as much as you can about OCD you’ll be in a better position to not only tackle your OCD but to cope with the reactions of others. It’s not nice having OCD especially if those closest to us don’t take us seriously Laughing at us or punishing us for something that we can’t help just makes the OCD worse. Most of us on the forum can identify with the way your parents have reacted, it’s quite common for people that don’t have OCD to react that way to us OCDers

You’re amongst friends on the forum and so don’t need to feel scared or alone.
There are also several others on the forum that are you’re age. We’re a friendly forum and do our best to help and support each other. We also enjoy a laugh on the coffee break forum as it’s good to laugh
ral others on the forum that are you’re age. We’re a friendly forum and do our best to help and support each other. We also enjoy a laugh on the coffee break forum as it’s good to laugh

Best wishes
Trudy

Sun Sep 5 2010 8:01:50 #
Meeeex
Member

Hey truddles

Thanks so much for replying, I am going to see my GP about it next week and then I can hopefully get some help x

Sun Sep 5 2010 10:57:06 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Meeeex,

Well done for making an appointment to see the GP

Can I suggest that you write all your OCD problems down (the obsessions and the compulsions) and exactly how much each impacts on your life. Also write down any questions that you have for the GP. It's so easy when you go to see your GP to get flustered and forget to tell or ask what you wanted to It can make you come away feeling extremely frustrated. So by writing it down you wont forget and will come away feeling satisfied that you covered everything that you wanted to cover

There's also a GP card in the OCD Action Resource Centre that you can download to take to the GP.

Sometimes on the first visit it's easier to show someone your OCD problems written down rather than to voice them.

I also like to go prepared complete with a packet of tissues On my first visit the doctor needed water wings

Let us know how you get on with the GP wont you?

Trudy

Sun Sep 5 2010 11:14:15 #