Could my sister have OCD? Really worried for her please help

[Hedgehog]

Hello, 

My sister said she has been having "intrusive thoughts" and that she had to start taking a photo of the outlet switch to prove she had turned it off, (but when she took the photo she did not have to keep looking at it, she knew she had done it), and had to take her hair straighteners in her bag to work with her as she was worried she had left them on, and that she gets intrusive thoughts at night like - what if she loses a leg? that kind of thing, and stays awake worrying about them. She recently found that if she wakes up but doesn't get up to go to the loo the thoughts don't have time to appear so she is managing it this way.

She does not know that I have OCD. I am worried that she could have it though. I don't think she would have identified it as this yet - though she is using the phrases "intrusive thoughts" and "ruminating" and has tried a few herbal anxiety tablets so she must be reading something. I don't think she realizes it could be OCD as she described someone as OCD a few months ago because they liked something to look perfect, so she perhaps doesn't have the knowledge there.

She thinks it has come back recently because things are going really well so she doesn't have anything legit to worry about! 

Do you think it sounds like OCD? I really hope not...

Thank you, 

Rachel

Edited January 19, 2022 by Hedgehog

[BelAnna]

2 hours ago, Hedgehog said:

Hello, 

My sister said she has been having "intrusive thoughts" and that she had to start taking a photo of the outlet switch to prove she had turned it off, (but when she took the photo she did not have to keep looking at it, she knew she had done it), and had to take her hair straighteners in her bag to work with her as she was worried she had left them on, and that she gets intrusive thoughts at night like - what if she loses a leg? that kind of thing, and stays awake worrying about them. She recently found that if she wakes up but doesn't get up to go to the loo the thoughts don't have time to appear so she is managing it this way.

She does not know that I have OCD. I am worried that she could have it though. I don't think she would have identified it as this yet - though she is using the phrases "intrusive thoughts" and "ruminating" and has tried a few herbal anxiety tablets so she must be reading something. I don't think she realizes it could be OCD as she described someone as OCD a few months ago because they liked something to look perfect, so she perhaps doesn't have the knowledge there.

She thinks it has come back recently because things are going really well so she doesn't have anything legit to worry about! 

Do you think it sounds like OCD? I really hope not...

Thank you, 

Rachel

Hi Hedgehog,

It does sound from the symptoms that you describe (particularly the checking behaviours) as though your sister might have OCD. For a diagnosis the symptoms need to take up at least an hour a day or significantly impact on someone's daily routine, social life and/or work life so I'm not sure whether she seems to be affected by her symptoms to that extent yet?

The intrusive thoughts that she has described sound a little bit more like Generalised Anxiety but then she might not be telling you about all of them and she's clearly also preoccupied with excessive and unreasonable OCD-type doubts/worries that fuel her checking.

You could always talk to her about OCD and ask whether she thinks it's time to see her GP about her symptoms. 

[Hedgehog]

@BelAnna thank you so much for replying. If I mention OCD to her though do you think there’s a chance she might look into it and it might become that even if it isn’t currently? 

[Caramoole]

Just remember that OCD is an anxiety disorder and anybody may develop a propensity for it, unlike an illness like Parkinsons or Cancer say.  OCD is a disorder that responds well to psychological intervention.

[Handy]

35 minutes ago, Caramoole said:

Just remember that OCD is an anxiety disorder and anybody may develop a propensity for it, unlike an illness like Parkinsons or Cancer say.  OCD is a disorder that responds well to psychological intervention.

“OCD was historically conceptualized as an anxiety disorder because of the intense anxiety or fear associated with persistent and unwanted thoughts, images and urges. However, in 2013, the American Psychiatric Association reclassified OCD as a separate diagnosis. This is because there are significant differences in brain chemistry and function for each of these disorders. There are similarities in treatment for OCD and anxiety, but they may in some cases differ or be contradictory. ”

Is UK the same?

[Hedgehog]

Hi @Handy yes, I believe OCD is considered different here in the UK too.

Hi @CaramooleAfter speaking with my mum, we are not sure if this is OCD or just more standard worries. 

I now have a dilemma:

1. If I tell her about my OCD and talk to her about OCD it could help her nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand, as she may be at a stage where it's easier to treat with ERP.

BUT

2. If I tell her, I alternatively might give her the incorrect idea that she has OCD and make it worse, by increasing her anxiety. 

So I'm not sure what to do for the best. My mum doesn't want me to put the idea of OCD in her head as she thinks it is more likely to be worries brought on because my sis says she doesn't have anything real to worry about at the min, and because things are going well she's just watchful that something might come and ruin it. It sound like at the moment she has been able to find ways to keep things at a certain level.

[PolarBear]

20 hours ago, Hedgehog said:

@BelAnna thank you so much for replying. If I mention OCD to her though do you think there’s a chance she might look into it and it might become that even if it isn’t currently? 

Absolutely not. You either have OCD or not. Educating yourself about OCD cannot make you have the disorder.