By Grant Dionne
OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder. Many people believe that OCD is something that it’s not. Many people believe that OCD is just wanting to keep things tidy and neat. Others use it as an adjective. For example, they might say “that was so OCD”.
People might think that’s what OCD is but it’s not. OCD is much much more. I have OCD so I would know. OCD is triggered by stress, and as a result people with OCD start to worry. There are many worries associated with OCD some can be being tidy and neat, while others can be worrying you upset someone, disappointing your parents, contamination (feeling you touched something and then worrying about getting sick or having germs on you) but in hindsight you always have germs on you, scrupulosity (worry based on upsetting your religion), etc. I could go on and on about what people with OCD worry about.
The way to feel better about something is live with the uncertainty reassuring about the worry will just make the matters worse next time. Even though you try to get the worries out of your head OCD keeps telling you the opposite of what something should be. I like to imagine as a little person on your shoulder like in the cartoons that says “how do you know?” “how do you know?”
OCD can affect the way people feel, talk, and think. It can also distract people on what they are doing. It does this by enveloping you in so much worry that you are consumed by it and can’t concentrate. It also impacts how you think about yourself. For example, if you worry about upsetting someone or your parents then you might think your a bad person because OCD tells you that, and it keeps telling you that.
OCD can confuse people, especially people with OCD because no matter what people tell you OCD is still there to antagonize you. But there are ways to treat it and can be brought down to a lower level you just have to work towards it. This why I believe OCD is a tricky thing to deal with.
Grant Dionne is 13 years old. When he’s not at school he enjoys swimming competitively, Boy Scouts, and comics.
Thank you so much IOCDF
Grant – thanks for sharing your story! It has helped me better understand what my son feels as a person with OCD.
Thank you for sharing your story Grant. I am hoping that my 13 year old daughter will get to a place where she is comfortable sharing her story as well.
Thank you for sharing your story. This will help a lot of children.
there must be something that all these children have in common. Our 12 year old granddaughter has had for a couple of tough years. All other aspects of her life are “normal”.
Any ideas? Vaccines. other meds, diet or ?. Among 6 grandkids she is the only one.
Kids with OCD all have obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are worries. Compulsions is what we do to temporarily stop the worries. Yes, we. I am a ten year old and I am almost certain I have OCD. I hope I answered your question, Robert. Thanks.
Hi, I’m ten years old and I think I have OCD. I’m looking for help, but mostly I want to know if I really do have OCD. I posted this comment in July 2021, and I’m trying to find other people with OCD so I can compare my symptoms to theirs. I am the only one who knows about my symptoms, and they started last year. I think support groups might work for me.
The only problem is that I don’t know how to tell my parents. I’m not allowed to send emails and I’m not allowed to read ones I’ve received. Help!
You didn’t talk about your symptoms. Try this link:
https://psychcentral.com/quizzes/ocd-quiz#4
Or this
https://anxieties.com/96/ocd-self/
Hiii I’m 13 years old and I also think I may have ocd. I tried telling my mum and she just said that I am very untidy so there is no way of me getting ocd. I also think support groups would work for me because my symptoms are pretty severe! I think you should read your emails when your mom is not looking because at some point you will do something behind her back and you might as well just read the emails. Or you can just sit your mum down and talk to her about it 🙂
Looks like your post was 3 years ago,hope you talked to your parents already, I know some people don’t understand ocd but it is always good to talk everything with your parents.I am a parent with a son who has ocd.He struggles a lot.Because he doesn’t talk much I can’t be helpful and that’s killing me😓
Wish you the best,life is beautiful try to enjoy
Glad to know there’s people my age with OCD (I have OCD and DPDR) and those are a bad bunch
Thank you, Grant! I have a daughter who is 11. My husband (her dad) and my mom (her maternal grandmother) both have OCD. My daughter is starting to really show some big signs of OCD. It’s especially tough when it’s extremely important for her to do something that it’s extremely important to her dad or grandma NOT to do! Like when she really wants to go around the block to exercise and her dad is really afraid for her to go outside! (Luckily, we work as a team to find compromises. She gets to go outside, but she takes a grownup or a friend with her. Exercise plus safety plus everyone being as patient as they can for the win!) Reading your article helped our family feel less alone and helped me understand a little more what my loved ones might be feeling.