I've had ocd ever since I was 8. It was extremely bad for a decade. Switching from one obsession to the next. Now it sort of got stuck on one impulsive habit that seems to be impossible to break.
No one suspected anything when I was kid. I myself didn't even understand what I was feeling and why.
But now people do notice that I seem to be a bit more aloof and neurotic at times. The people close to me notice that I tend to isolate when I'm having a hard time.
Why don't you feel comfortable being open about your condition? It's helpful to be able to open up to somebody you can trust.

She wants me to open up to her... And I have at times... she knows the basics, but not really the details. I guess it's embarrassing for me. I was diagnosed at 12 and I'm 23 now, and I've never been able to open up to anyone about what I go through other than this group. I hate my condition. I hate going through this more than anything in the world

my heart goes out to you. it is desperate. not being able to stop your mind from spinning. everybody understands the flu because they have had it. they see the shivers, measure the fever and they can empathize. with mental health they can sympathize but it is a gift to be able to emphasize with someone about a reality you have not lived through. you can imagine how much pain a parent who just lost a child is going through but you cannot realize say I've been through what you are going through unless the same thing has happened to you. something can help, to have the testimonies of people like us put out there in the open, so they can see, so they can say, now I get it. sorry, I am ranting. I have to stop the spinning because I start loosing sleep and it can escalate, so I up the dose of Ativan and melatonin, talk to whomever I can find, not easy for introverts. increase therapies, go for long drives. anything. writing things is good but will always have its limitations and once in paper people believe you cannot take it back even though you know what your wrote was not exactly what you meant. ask for comfort from those your love. Hugs.

Hi, I'm new here too. What you say about your mind always spinning and never slowing down, I absolutely relate too. Most people never know what's in my head. We become masters of hiding it, and it's such a shame isn't it? To bear that burden. But people love us and that is a part of us. So don't lose hope. Hugs!