Taking Care of Yourself When Your Partner Has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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Taking Care of Yourself When Your Partner Has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

When your partner is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, information technology can exist difficult to give full attending to thechallenges it presents for you. Information technology may exist easier tobrainwash yourself but harder toaccept the diagnosis with pity. There are real, attainable ways to take care of yourself, even equally you help your partner become the assistance he or she needs.Prioritize your own well-beingness and your need for support.

I'd e'er known that my partner was a little uptight. She'd always insist upon doing household tasks in a certain order, and on occasion, she'd actually break down into tears over dishes unwashed or socks I'd put away without existence folded. She obsessed over cleanliness to the point of enervating that I launder my own hands countless times—and nearly drove me to lark.

When my partner was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), I almost breathed a sigh of relief. Living with someone who has a mental health disorder can exist overwhelming and isolating, to be certain. Just at least I finally knew that information technology wasn't "all in my head"—that her beliefs was, indeed, non normal.

Unfortunately, equally is e'er the case, the diagnosis itself did not solve the disorder. Individuals who have struggled with OCD throughout their lives understand this.

The truth is, a diagnosis just makes you lot more acutely concerned for the person who is struggling with the disorder. We hardly always address the emotional, mental, and fifty-fifty physical tolls that a partner's disorder tin take on ourselves. As difficult as it might be for the sufferer to struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, accepting your ain difficult emotions is cardinal to being able to finer navigate the illness and its far-reaching furnishings.

A Partner'south Mental Illness Brings Challenges for You lot too

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, while mutual (nearly ii% of the population is diagnosed with OCD), is still consistently i of the nearly difficult mental illnesses to empathise and cope with. As the partner of someone with a serious mental affliction, y'all yourself volition face a variety of challenges:

  • Emotional stress from the initial diagnosis and/or from the unpredictability of symptoms
  • Concrete fatigue from lack of sleep caused by the sudden onset of your partner's symptoms at untimely hours, your own personal worry, or a desultory diet
  • Mental exhaustion from a constant fixation on your partner's needs and his or her health

Supporting and loving your partner throughout their struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder is absolutely possible. Nevertheless, you both will benefit most if you endeavor to maintain proper cocky-care for your ain sake. Learning how to finer cope with your partner'southward obsessions and compulsions is vastly unlike than "putting upwards with" or "suffering with;" rather, coping should be a serial of healthy mechanisms you lot tin use in order to both protect your well-existence and strengthen the human relationship betwixt you and your partner.

Educate Yourself on the Disorder as Much as Possible

While you may already know generalized facts about OCD, it is important that you continue learning about the disorder—especially because there is new research existence washed every twenty-four hours to ameliorate empathize and treat information technology. Consult your partner's treatment facility and clinicians when yous take questions almost his or her obsessions and compulsions, visit your local library to cheque out books on the illness, and read studies on the disorder in online medical journals when yous have the opportunity. Seeking out data can aid you be an asset to your partner and yourself. With the proper instruction, you can:

  • Meliorate understand and predict your partner'southward manifestations of the illness,
  • Provide more valuable help to him or her during times of duress,
  • Experience cocky-balls that volition aid you in dealing with hard situations,
  • Strengthen your human relationship with your partner, and
  • Feel more confident to share your story with others in an honest and open way, finding a community and support when you need information technology the well-nigh.

Gaining information on obsessive-compulsive disorder tin assist you embark on this journeying with your partner, and tin aid you more easily take the difficulties that arise.

Take Your Partner'south OCD Diagnosis with Compassion

At that place is a big departure between recognizing that the person you love has a mental health issue, and compassionately accepting the fact that he or she is ill. Especially if y'all are living together, obsessive-compulsive disorder can interrupt the flow of life for you lot and your partner. Information technology may be very difficult for you to distinguish which deportment, thoughts, and patterns are symptomatic and resultant of the illness—considering they can exist different for everyone.

Without a true credence of your partner's illness, their uncontrollable behaviors and thoughts tin begin to weigh heavily on your listen, body, and spirit—potentially causing your health to wane and resentment to rising. Talking openly and honestly well-nigh your experience with your partner tin can assist you find this acceptance and come to a mutual understanding. Pity is the best remedy for resentment.

Carefully Monitor Your Own Well-Existence

A disclaimer is necessary here. While frequent outbursts at misplaced items, repetitive behaviors that disrupt important plans, and anecdotes virtually harmful behaviors may very well be manifestations of his or her mental illness, they are non things you must tolerate if they put your own mind and body at risk. If you:

  • Have 18-carat fear nearly your safety and well-existence,
  • Experience ongoing physical, emotional, or mental abuse, or
  • Chance losing a job, a home, or some other of import relationship,

yous need to prioritize your safety, and besides your ability to office healthily. Employ business firm and unwavering linguistic communication such as:

I understand that you are in a very difficult place, simply I cannot accept this type of behavior.

While I can't imagine what you're going through, I am notwithstanding a person in this relationship—and am worthy of respect from you.

Remembering and beingness firm about your limits volition help you and your partner in the long run, even if it is difficult to do in the moment.

Seek out Support and Maintain a Healthy Self-Intendance Routine

As you learn to encompass and have your partner'south journey, y'all must also retrieve one very crucial thing: Taking care of yourself is not, by whatever ways, selfish. Though you may experience guilty for setting boundaries, making time for practice, or etching out rest and relaxation moments, these actions are absolutely necessary. It is imperative that you recognize your health is simply as important equally your partner's. Cocky-care is a necessity when coping and living with a difficult mental disease such as OCD.

Seek out OCD back up groups and partnerships—even online—where you can talk to others candidly about what you are going through. If yous yet find yourself struggling with coping mechanisms in regards to your partner'due south OCD, finding treatment and/or therapy for yourself can be a priority. Retrieve: the relationship you have with yourself is even more important than the one you have with your partner. Proper self-care can even pb to fuller, more compassionate support for him or her down the road.

Coping with a partner'south obsessive-compulsive disorder is ane of the hardest things you volition do—and taking care of yourself kickoff is the just manner y'all will exist able to contribute effectively to their treatment journey. Self-care, prioritizing healthy habits, and sharing your difficult emotions volition not just keep you lot strong and stable but also help you be a rock for your partner every bit they face the challenges ahead.

Contact us to learn more about our renowned Los Angeles residential treatment programs. Nosotros can assist you or your loved one get-go on the path to healing.