How To Support Someone With OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be difficult to understand for someone who isn’t directly dealing with it. OCD is often frustrating, frightening, and overwhelming. It can also make you feel very alone and misunderstood.
But, if you have a loved one with the disorder, you might also be frustrated and overwhelmed. You might even feel helpless when supporting them or understanding what they’re going through.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of things you can do to support someone with OCD. While you might never fully understand what they’re going through, the more you offer your support, the more you’ll see how OCD can impact someone. You’ll also see that your effort can make a big difference in your loved one’s life.
Educate Yourself
One of the best things you can do to show your support is to learn as much as possible about OCD and how it affects people. It’s a relatively well-known disorder, but people tend to have a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about it.
Do your part to research medical sites, blogs, videos, and posts from people with OCD. Most importantly, talk to the person in your life dealing with it. Learning about their personal experience and how they handle their symptoms will give you a more direct and clearer understanding of the disorder.
The more you understand what OCD looks like, the easier it will be for you to fight back against some of the stigmas and stereotypes of the disorder. Chances are, your loved one will also appreciate your interest and desire to support them.
Recognize the Signs and Symptoms
Even if someone tells you about their OCD, paying attention is worth it. Picking up on signs and symptoms of a compulsion can help to ensure you’re there for your loved one when they need you most.
Everyone is different, and some people display different signs than others. But some of the most noticeable signs of a compulsion include:
Getting distressed or agitated
Struggling to manage their responsibilities
Avoiding certain tasks
Asking for your help to double (or triple) check something
Difficulty moving on from something
When you better understand your loved one’s compulsions, you can take steps to help them through those things quickly.
Showing Validation
If your loved one with OCD could, they would probably get rid of their OCD in a minute. Understand that they aren’t doing these things as some sort of character trait. Their thoughts take over in ways they can’t control.
So, make sure you never dismiss their feelings or tell them to somehow “get over” whatever they’re struggling with. Instead, stop and listen. Let them know you’re there, and they can open up to you. Sometimes, being able to talk about obsessions and compulsions can be therapeutic for a person with OCD. It can help them calm down and possibly reduce the need to give in to a compulsion.
Encourage Help
If there’s a silver lining to dealing with OCD, it’s that it can often be managed with the right help and support. People with OCD need a strong support system in their personal lives to help them get through their struggles.
But that’s not where it should end. Encourage your loved one with the disorder to reach out to a professional.
Therapy can be a great way for someone with OCD to better understand where it stems from. A therapist specializing in OCD treatment can also help with symptom management. If your loved one has been hesitant to reach out to a professional, talk to them about the benefits and let them know you’ll be there for them every step of the way.