Living with Relationship OCD

Natalie is diagnosed with OCD. At times in her life this condition has been debilitating, but with the help of exposure response prevention therapy her mental health has greatly improved. Natalie wants others to know that it is still possible to live a beautiful life with OCD.

[artcoughlin]

So grateful to see OCD represented frankly and not sensationalized. It's an extremely painful way to live, solidarity to all my fellow OCD folks.

[vanessas]

Well said...OCD grabs onto what you care about. It's a horrendous disorder.

[Dipsxi]

As a person who suffers from OCD, Chris asked some great genuine and thoughtful questions.

[giovannarandolph]

My husband was diagnosed with OCD a year ago and it’s been so eye opening for me. He’s always had some anxiety but after our dog had a seizure, his OCD totally came out and it scared us both. He’s been doing really well with therapy but it’s still tough sometimes. Everyone who deals with this disorder is a warrior and they deserve the utmost respect and understanding. Thank you for sharing your story!

[JazzyASMR]

This is such a scary to talk about because most people who don't understand will tell us we're just being dramatic. Thank you for making a whole video dedicated to this!

[kennethmontoya]

I have a mild intellectual disability myself and very healthy and independent I'm 29 years old and i don't let my disability stop me from doing anything!! I participate for the Special Olympics bowling and track and field!!! I also help out my community a lot with a kind heart! People know that i have a kind a caring heart!!

[allroundgreatbloke]

I'm a 29 year old male from Australia diagnosed with OCD. I have experienced a lot of the symptoms Natalie describes and they are horrible. With time, therapy, medication and openness with friends and family I have gotten so much better but it still lives in the background and gains strength at times, usually due to environmental factors that wear me down.

My heart goes out to anyone experiencing symptoms of OCD, my advice is to walk into the mouth of the beast; face the fears head on and you might be surprised at how weak they are in the light, be open with people you care about; you're doing the best you can and supportive friends/family will understand this, get professional help; it's not going to make it all go away but it's a useful tool on your journey, and consider giving up on a med-free life; it's not perfect but its immeasurably better than living in the hell that is the depths of OCD. You can do this if I did, I'm essentially fine now and I was BAD haha.

Thanks for this video Natalie and SBSK.

[opiateutopia]

For a person suspecting they might have OCD, it was such a helpful video. I also didn't know there were 300 subtypes of OCD so I looked up the list and found an explanation for many fears and behaviours I had for years. It might take time to get a professional opinion, but noticing obsessions and naming them as such already feels like a step in the right direction.

[daniellekeen]

Have OCD & started crying hearing you say “Confidence is not knowing exactly what’s going to happen, but knowing that you can handle whatever may happen.” So helpful hearing this, wrote it in my notes!

[kristen]

Wow girl, thank you. I relate to A LOT of why you talked about. “Confidence is not knowing exactly what is going to happen, but knowing that you can handle whatever may happen.” This really spoke to me.

[gracie]

Thank you for bringing awareness to this extremely misunderstood disorder

[vivianshome]

Wow, just saw this pop up right when it was published. I’ve had this kind of OCD (alongside others) for years and never heard it discussed. It’s so exhausting, especially when you don’t know what’s going on. So glad to see this video and awareness being brought to this very real form of OCD.

[kieran]

I’m sitting here crying watching this video because it’s nice to know someone else is going through the same thing I’m dealing with. I’ve been struggling with my OCD for years now and am really lost.

[bridge]

I experienced this OCD in the beginning of all of my relationships- and I thought I was just broken. I settled on the idea that I would never get married because the anxiety was so intense and life altering. Thankfully I found help and have been with my partner for 5 years. It wasn’t an overnight change, but recovery (or at least functioning without such distress!) is possible!!!

[alexanderwilliams]

You’re obviously helping so many people just by being open. Thank you.

[nji]

I just wanted to say that watching this video was extremely comforting to me. I was recently diagnosed with OCD (relationship type) and hearing her talk about what she has dealt with in a relationship like what I am going through right now made me feel SO much less alone. Thank you for bringing light to this topic

[Mobiustransformation]

I started to cry when I heard you. This is exactly what happens to me, I have relationship OCD too -though is not the only one-, and knowing there are other people who just sit there, thinking for HOURS, and all those guilt and apparent laziness -which is in reality the struggle and the fear-, is... kind of comforting. I always feel like I am alone, that I am the only person in the world who has this and that there is something fundamentally wrong with me. But know I know I'm not alone. And I'm not diagnosed with OCD because I haven't went to therapy as often as I should, due to economic reasons, but I do have these exhausting thoughts and I can't stop them. I've tried with many, many unhealthy mechanisms such as psychoactive drugs, they do help me but in the end they're very brain damaging, specially if you take ridiculous doses like I do.

As long as I hear you is like someone put a mic inside my brain haha:( I do the google searching too, I even have kind of advanced chemistry and neurology knowledge for a non-med student due to the constant research haha...

[chillcatz]

OCD is annoying af, I was diagnosed as a child, and it's been a hell of a journey for me! We all eventually find our ways of coping and soon after, conquering this condition! I advocate for those who are currently battling it in their daily lives!
You got this, Natalie ❤

[Natalie-gpdu]

OCD has to be so exhausting. Best wishes, Natalie! I can see you have put the work in to conquer your challenges! Thank you for sharing your story!

[jouleteon]

It was through one of SBSK's previous interviews that I finally realized I had OCD. I never thought it was OCD because I only knew it as the mental illness focused on cleanliness or things being "just right". But, these videos shine a light onto OCD, and the complexities of it. It was through these videos that I finally sought out help, and I will be forever grateful for that. Sending much love to Natalie; I related to just about everything - and I mean everything - she said. OCD is a beast and I wouldn't wish it on my own enemy. It literally will have you convinced your worst fears are true, I can't think of any other way to describe it. Before therapy and medication, I remember being unable to leave the house for longer than a couple minutes without bursting into tears. Keep being brave! Know you're not alone : )