How to Improve My Strategy and Skills Helping Sufferer OCD

[smithtalk]

I directly contact the people who suffering OCD. I learned the knowledge, observed and making my effort to make them moving and walking out of old life model to get a better daily life but frustrated quit often.

Because some of them don’t want to making any change or improvement on their recognition of sleep, diet, exercises and working style even such a little change of the action or behavior could leading to a great positive impact to their health.

Can we call them avoidance recovery OCD? They don’t even admit the fact they got stuck in their disorder and not aware of their behaviors greatly impact the daily life of the family members and break the relationship.

They refuse to accept the suggestions of accessing self-assistance materials and resources, like web, book, management skill and don’t mention about positively looking for therapy. They just sit there all day long .They seldom walk out of the room and never take part in family activities. Because of the fear .They just play ritual against and against but never getting better. I am looking for practical skills to help them .

My question:

1 What I can do to bring changes and how to improve my strategy and skill?

2 What can I do to activate their motivation to conquer the fear and step into the stage of recovery?

3 How can I identify their trigger and how I dealing with it when I help them?

Thanks

[SurvivingEveryday]

Good morning! PTSD sufferer here. I have learned to live "around" my PTSD, and have learned to recognize my triggers and tell those around me what they are, but that took YEARS to do.

To answer your questions, I will make it simple: unfortunately, until the sufferer is at a point where they can "take a step back" and see their PTSD for what it truly is, you will never be able to truly reach them. Same with triggers, though it is easier to see what triggers the person and make a note (mental or otherwise) what it is. You can then begin the dialogue about what they are going through in the moment, feeling, etc. That may even be your way "in". PTSD is so complex and differs for everyone, but I think beginning the dialogue by identifying triggers, establishing trust, and getting the person to look at PTSD from a new lens will be a good start. Just do not expect too much, too fast.

[CalmnessinMind]

That is a huge question. But I did make a video about helping them to recognise their self- sabotaging behaviours.

youtu.be/-XGb7koSKx8(Not working as expected?)

[OOOCCCDDD]

I admire your desire to help people with ocd. It is very commendable!

I’d just like to say that from where I am (a sufferer of severe ocd) I can understand what seems like some people’s refusal to help themselves. It is not that they don’t want to get better… it is just the fear that paralyzes them.

Also, making several changes at the same time is really impossible for many ocd sufferers. I think you need to slow down and ask them to do one healthy change at first, and then celebrate that with them before moving on to another change.

Also, think of it this way… who would choose to sit and do nothing all day when there is a whole big wide world out there to engage? The answer is… nobody! So these people are not choosing to stay trapped in their ocd; they would like to be free of it as much as you would like to see them be free of it. But it feels impossible.

This is not a life anyone would choose, believe me. Also, people treat mental illness as a character flaw, when really it is a real problem with the brain. Can you imagine criticizing someone with cancer for not getting out of bed and taking a walk? People rally around those with most illnesses and provide kind and patient support. But because of the nature of our mental illness, they criticize instead of encourage.

I’m not saying that it can’t get better. It can! But it will take a lot of patience on your part to see slow changes, one at a time, and continue to provide positive affirmation, even when they are not progressing as fast as you would like them to.

Again, I appreciate your question because it shows an eagerness to understand and help. That is great! Just remember that no one wants to be “stuck” but making a lot of changes at once is overwhelming and feels impossible for some sufferers.

[CaptainCrunch]

Love, compassion, patience, empathy and understanding… Mental illness is a pretty lonely disease and when comorbidities of depression and anhedonia start it feels like a hopeless mess. Supporting someone doesn’t mean you have to fix them it just means you value their life and respect their struggles.