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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
How do I get that person to realize and admit that he has OCD?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
How do I get that person to realize and admit that he has OCD?
by WLin, May 08, 2004 12:00AM
Hi, I think my boyfriend has developed OCD the past 3 years. He has been not too happy for a while (but I think he was not DEPRESS in the beginning). Symptoms he has is washing hands, till his hands are chapped and bleeding. Then, I found out that he cares about his palm more than the back of his hands. And he cares about food debris, food sauce contaminating him than dust and smoke. He gets very mad and aggrevated when things are dirty or not in the right place. When he drives and park, he is always afraid of hitting something. (which they are at least 2 feet apart.) He also buys a lot of repetitive stuffs, like tissue paper, carpet cleaner. And since we moved to our new apartment, he has been getting up very early to clean up the house. He can clean the bathroom for 6+ hours.
I thick his OCD is rooted from his personality also. (can I call that OCPD?) He was a very clean and tidy to begin with. If one glass is broken (from a set of 6), he will throw the whole set and buy another new set. If his shoe is dirty (contaminated by food especially), he will have to throw it right away.
He is a person who wants to be the best and number one. He used to admit his faults, but since OCD, he does not admit anything and get irritated, frustrated all the time. Once a while, he showed violence on me or on "things" that are not his.
I really want to tell him that he has developed OCD, but I do not know how. I know he will get very mad at me and will hurt me. He has pulled himself out of social activities for 3-4 years. So, there won't be friends there to help.
Please tell me what approach should I use and if there are any medication (natural preferrably or top on the shelf)that he can take to reduce the symptoms?
I thick his OCD is rooted from his personality also. (can I call that OCPD?) He was a very clean and tidy to begin with. If one glass is broken (from a set of 6), he will throw the whole set and buy another new set. If his shoe is dirty (contaminated by food especially), he will have to throw it right away.
He is a person who wants to be the best and number one. He used to admit his faults, but since OCD, he does not admit anything and get irritated, frustrated all the time. Once a while, he showed violence on me or on "things" that are not his.
I really want to tell him that he has developed OCD, but I do not know how. I know he will get very mad at me and will hurt me. He has pulled himself out of social activities for 3-4 years. So, there won't be friends there to help.
Please tell me what approach should I use and if there are any medication (natural preferrably or top on the shelf)that he can take to reduce the symptoms?
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., May 11, 2004 12:00AM
, May 11, 2004 12:00AM
Your boyfriend not only has ocd, he has a very severe case, and will only get better if treated properly with a combination of therapy and medications. You have to get him to a psychiatrist, either by talking straight with him, or showing him my response to you today, or through family, or through some threat of leaving him if he does not get proper care, and soon.
