Having support is one of the pillars of recovery that I post about. I am sorry to hear that those around you aren't supportive. From your response to my post it sounds like you read the bible so I would definitely include God in my support list.

Good therapists and psychologist with OCD experience is another pillar I mention. You can definitely run into some bad ones but at some point hopefully you'll find someone you trust. I think if your OCD is moderate to severe you will need professional help.

thank you for responding. I am just at my witts in b/c the friend that was helping me has decided not to. This has given me GREAT distress b/c he was a major part in my life but no longer wants to be. I was depending on him b/c getting family to cooperate is like searching for the needle in the haystack..It is difficult beyond words. Yes I do read the Bible and I supplicate( intense prayer) b/c I need help. I have begged him to help me b/c it is too much to handle...especially alone

I know how ocd is a daily struggle. Def feel free to write on here for support. We all know more or less what you are going through.

to rocketgirl, thanks, I guess this is like CLUB OCD...3 bottle clorox minimum, lol. I was reading what you posted sometime ago concerning thoughts. I have to admit that i dont even watch tv anymore b/c just about everything bothers me. One thought triggers another so I just clean and talk on the phone when, if it is not to much of burden for someone to talk to me

You'll get loads of support here. However, I think we sometimes forget how difficult this disease is for the caregivers in our lives. Of all the mental illnesses out there, I think OCD is one of the most irritating to our significant others. We want everything right. We want constant reassurance. We want someone else to touch that icky thing, but then to clean it OUR way. It gets incredibly old. We didn't ask for this. But we are the only ones who can do anything about it. Sometimes help turns into enabling and that may be what family and friends see for you right now. Even if that isn't all together true! I know that I am guilty of letting enablers into my life and I know that I've enabled others. It feels like betrayal when the enabling stops. But it may be for the best. Good luck. Many many prayers for you!

true, many will say they are enabling you but I was being helped by someone who just stopped all together. And yes I need constant reassurance. I thought that was a good thing b/c without it I would start washing my hands repeadily and so the reassurance would calm me. My family tends to want to do things their way and that doesnt help either. I had a therapist tell me to my face that " you do irritate people" and that hurt beyond words b/c as was stated..we didnt ask for this

oh man, the therapist said that? well that proves that therapists become therapists to solve some of their own problems;)maybe its easier to blame instead of help.I have had ppl who express rude things about ocd and this often adds to my ocd!But they do not understand...i hope u can have a better therapy situation .When ppl close to me become judgmental i sometimes look at their lives and i find answers to their attitudes.I am able to recognize that in their past they have felt a burden,alone, rejected and more.They never learned to truly accept their faults or weaknesses.
They were judged and so they larn to judge me. u cannot have compassion with someone if u dont have it with yrself.if ppl have been told they were making excuses,lazy etc they learn to see it that way all the time.Even if it is a true disorder like ocd ppl dont know how to see it b/c they were taught to judge and be hard on themselves and those close to them.
You are ok .You have a true disorder that can be helped.most people dont understand ocd...we dont even truly understand ocd!Ilnesses are hard for everyone involved.im sure they love u ,just dont truly understand. So u can know that u always have god .u have god who has unlimited love and compassion for u .Maybe ocd will bring u closer to god in the end.it has for me.
But one thing i have seen ids that this group is very supportive and u can find insight,caring people and helpful ways to overcome ocd.we are here.blessings

Thank God I have support from my family and friends. But at the end of the day only you have the power to make things better. The fact that you have your own home and pay your own bills signifies that you are a self sufficient person. It seems that you are getting frustrated at the lack of headway you are making with treating the OCD. You might feel that your progression has reached a plateau or you have lapsed into a state of regression. But that is part of growth in general. OCD isa very misunderstood complicated disorder. And although doctors know as much as they do about it, there is still so much they don't know. That is why treatment is basically hit or miss. You say you have been six different medications and seen four doctors and that it has not worked out. You have the responsibility to yourself to go to as many doctors and try as many medications as possible until you see positive results. It's horribly frustrating and lonely but these are the cards you, me and countless others were dealt. Even though it is dark now, there is light at the end of the tunnel and if you continue to do whatever it may take you will, hopefully soon, reach that life and be happy.

I meant "reach that light"

wow I can't believe a therapist said that either. nneed, have you read any books on the disorder? A good general overview is the OCD workbook. Some other books I recommend are Brain Lock, The Imp of the Mind, Getting Control.

Having a background on the disorder can help you both in self therapy and telling if your therapist knows there stuff.

Little by little, if you can avoid reassurance that will help you. For theory on why check out some of the books above.

God bless

to joecon, I appreciate the comments. I really do try to be independent and yes I feel like have hit a wall but its so encouraging to talk to others out there who truly know what this life is like. Thank you for comments. I guess we just need to support and pray for each other

WOW thanks for the info on the books. I have only read "stop obsessing" but could not bring myself to read the experiences b/c the so extreme. I mean to put a person thru that was just too far and I couldnt finish it. I dont know if anyone else has read it but I just couldnt. It brought about too much anxiety.

HI Im like u and slowly getting out of it I know how u feel support is so important please email me

Hi, I am one of those mom's who says,"you gotta do something different". Tears filled my eyes as i read your story. My 19 year old son suffers horribly from OCD but WILL NOT go to the doctor or therapist. He has gone to a therapist in the past but didn't like him at all. Now that he is older and holds down a full time job i really can't make him go get help. He still lives at home and it is a daily struggle for the whole family because of his OCD. I sure wish I knew more about OCD when he was younger. I can't get him to read a book, look at information on line or anything. It is very hard for the family. I can only imagine what you guys go through. I stay on a roller coaster ride with my son. I get aggrivated with him then the guilt comes. Sometimes i feel like i need to go get on medication myself just to deal with him. I cry often because i feel so helpless but don't let him know. His rituals are strange and extremely time consuming. Thank God he does hold down a job but i'm afraid if he doesn't get some help he will just get worse. I pray, trust and believe God will help him. Just know it is extremely hard on the family too. We don't understand OCD any better than you that suffer do. I try and be as supportive as i can for my son but he has to make the effort to get the help and it upsets me that he won't. I will keep you in my prayers for sure. Thanks for listening.

Hi, I am one of those mom's who says,"you gotta do something different". Tears filled my eyes as i read your story. My 19 year old son suffers horribly from OCD but WILL NOT go to the doctor or therapist. He has gone to a therapist in the past but didn't like him at all. Now that he is older and holds down a full time job i really can't make him go get help. He still lives at home and it is a daily struggle for the whole family because of his OCD. I sure wish I knew more about OCD when he was younger. I can't get him to read a book, look at information on line or anything. It is very hard for the family. I can only imagine what you guys go through. I stay on a roller coaster ride with my son. I get aggrivated with him then the guilt comes. Sometimes i feel like i need to go get on medication myself just to deal with him. I cry often because i feel so helpless but don't let him know. His rituals are strange and extremely time consuming. Thank God he does hold down a job but i'm afraid if he doesn't get some help he will just get worse. I pray, trust and believe God will help him. Just know it is extremely hard on the family too. We don't understand OCD any better than you that suffer do. I try and be as supportive as i can for my son but he has to make the effort to get the help and it upsets me that he won't. I will keep you in my prayers for sure. Thanks for listening.