OCD therapy

[Traps67]

Hello Everyone. What do you do if your spouse really doesn’t believe you have OCD and doesn’t like to spend money on therapy? I’m retired and on a fixed income. Thanks.

[SCC1]

Hi. Can I ask why your spouse doesn't believe you have OCD? Do they not believe in mental illness at all?

If your spouse doesn't want to spend money on therapy, maybe you can do online therapy. I don't know how much it would be, but you could check it out.

Do you display any outward symptoms of OCD where your spouse might be able to see that you really do have it? If you haven't already talked to them, you can have an in-depth talk about how you are really feeling w/ your OCD and see if your spouse might realize that you are serious.

Best of luck to you!

[Sallyskins]

It's a bit difficult to get across to some people that OCD is a real illness - and if your partner doesn't credit it, that must make life hard for you.

I appreciate that you don't have money to splash about, but you have a right to a fair share of the household money. Obviously if money is tight, basics and your share of them have to come first, but surely you have a say in how your income is spent.

Still, self help books are not as expensive as paying a therapist, and it might be worth investing in one or two. Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the OCD Workbook have helped me, and are reliable, but there are plenty of others. Just make sure they use CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) techniques. The ones I cited do, and have exercises you can adapt to your own situation so you can practise CBT on your own.

Many of these books have chapters aimed at helping family members understand what OCD is and how to treat someone with OCD. There are also books for those with a family member with OCD. Perhaps if you can get your partner to read a bit about OCD, it could help them to understand just how you are feeling. Try not to be confrontational - just ask for a little patience.

[aparente001]

If you are in the US, you can apply for Medicare, Medicaid, and financial assistance at your local hospital(s).

Once you've been evaluated, it's quite common for the spouse to have one appointment with the therapist, who can educate the spouse and enlist their help.