- Himani Choudhary
Family Support for OCD
Updated: Jan 30, 2021

OCD is hard. Having it can make one feel bad. It also affects persons who are around the people with the disorder. How loved ones react to a person’s condition and understand it largely impacts how the disorder progresses, this is especially the case with respect to mental disorders.
Educate yourself
The first step towards helping someone overcome OCD is to educate yourself. As a result of the proximity of family and friends, they are usually the first ones to closely observe and recognize the recurring rituals and anxiety-inducing situations.
Encourage treatment
It is often extremely difficult for persons with OCD to come to terms with the fact that they have a mental disorder that requires professional help. In situations like this when loved ones provide words of support and encouragement, it helps give persons the courage to help overcome OCD. Accompany them to treatment and recognize ways in which you can help improve their
condition.
Do not enable
When we see our loved ones in distress the first thing we look for is a way to satiate their
anxiety this in the case of anxiety is to help them complete their compulsion. Encouraging
compulsive behavior in this way can only worsen the problem and not help anyone. It is
important to recognize these compulsions and to help your loved overcome their OCD.
Creating a growth environment
To be able to overcome OCD one needs to be in a positive environment. A positive and
empowering environment can help speed up the process of recovery. Loved ones need to
support patients and need to help them follow the steps of recovery. They also need to
encourage treatment and help them take medication regularly. By talking and being open about problems one can create a safe space for growth and recovery. In this process, it is important to take care of yourself because only with your well-being comes their well-being.