Any advice

[Dempsey1919]

Is ocd hereditary as I have it, my sister has it, my late father had it and now my 17 year old son has been diagnosed with it. I'm glad he was diagnosed early though as when I was his age, all these intrusive thoughts I was really worried that I was some kind of sick person, I was very ill, guilty and ashamed and I critisized myself and emotionally beat myself up really bad. I didn't know it was mental health, my mother didn't either. So I'm glad my son knows that it is an illness, because I didn't at his age.

[Sallyskins]

How much OCD is hereditary hasn't, as far as I know, been confirmed by studies, but it is likely that there is an hereditary component with it in some cases.

It's good that your son knows he's got it. Like many other people, I had it for years and didn't know what it was. I thought I must be uniquely weird, but then I read about it in a book my mother bought for me, and it all started to fall into place. The condition had a name and there was treatment! It started me on the path to dealing with it properly.

I do hope that your son is getting appropriate treatment. I'm sure that your own experience will be helpful to him, but there are also quite a few books aimed at young people and teenagers with OCD.

[Dempsey1919 in reply to Sallyskins]

Thank you

[Dempsey1919 in reply to Sallyskins]

Thank you

[G0ldenwr0ught]

Hi there!! In my personal experience, this seems to be the case. I’ve read that genetics are involved, and specifically in my family, they seem to be. My mother, grandmother, little sister and I all experience ocd symptoms to varying degrees.

[Dempsey1919 in reply to G0ldenwr0ught]

Thank you much appreciated.

[CaptainCrunch]

I am with you. My daughter is seen a therapist tomorrow. She is 16 and exhibiting behaviors. I definitely want to get ahead of this thing so she doesn’t have to face the life I led.

[CalmnessinMind]

Hi - I have been an OCD therapist for 20 years and I overcame my own OCD - so I am speaking from a place of experiencial knowledge rather than scientific knowledge.

It seems to me that it is more behavioural than genetic - meaning, by behaving/thinking like those who brought you up (your conditioning) you invoke the same gene expressions (epigentics) and develop the same tendencies to worry/control/fear etc.

Plus you seek reassurance form those who have a similar mindset which narrows the ability to see current behaviours as too different from the norm.

Very rarely is OCD seen in pre-five year olds, which once again point to conditioning.

In my experience many people with OCD cling to the concept that it is genetic (and it may be, but I don't think so) this traps them with no hope. So I always urge people to assume that it is not genetic, but to learn how to think and behave in new ways to see what happens.

I made a video about epigenetics here youtube.com/watch?v=DL6axgD...(Not working as expected?) (though I am talking about depression in this video)

This video explains how I see OCD youtube.com/watch?v=2VDA7zA...(Not working as expected?)

Best wishes John

[waniniko in reply to CalmnessinMind]

I tend to agree more with this perspective. For me it's my teen but looking back I see environment that is nurture contributes a lot as a predisposing factor

[Phoenyx]

Yes. According to researches most of the mental health issues are hereditary.

[joleb]

Hello there,

Research says that only 20 percent is contributed to genetics. There is a much stronger case that our environment (stressors) has a lot more to do with it. Life transitions like starting school, having children or other major events can trigger ocd symptoms in people who are susceptible to ocd because of their genetic makeup. In my case, non of my family members have OCD, but I recently have been diagnosed. I wish you the best with helping your son. On a positive note, with you knowing more about ocd through personal experience, you can better assist your son.