What Is OCD?
OCD is an anxiety disorder in which the sufferer struggles with intrusive and repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and the need to perform certain actions (compulsions). They do this as a way of managing anxiety. For an adult to be diagnosed with OCD, their obsessions and compulsions must be time-consuming, cause real distress, impair their functioning, or interfere with daily routines. In addition, the sufferer must realize that the obsessions or compulsions are abnormal. The media typically portrays people with OCD as excessive hand-washers or germaphobes. However, obsessions or compulsions can take many forms. OCD symptoms can involve counting steps or breaths, tapping surfaces, or any number of rituals or behaviors. However, what is consistent across OCD cases is that the purpose of the behaviors is to reduce anxiety. If the behavior is resisted, terrible anxiety results.How Do Parents with OCD Affect Children?
Children who grow up in families affected by mental illness, physical illness, or the death of a parent experience a set of similar emotional and psychological consequences regardless. Kids who have parents with OCD are no exception. They may experience challenges such as:- The child may feel guilty or responsible for the parent’s OCD.
- They may view the parent’s OCD as abandonment because the parent who is ill is less available to the child. In addition, the other parent is often focused on the ill partner and therefore also less available to the child. Experts often refer to this scenario as a double abandonment.
- The child may feel ashamed of being abandoned or ashamed of the ill parent.
- The child may feel angry or even rageful at being abandoned and thus need to deal with the feelings without awareness of their source.
- If the symptoms of the parent’s illness are severe enough, trauma may result.
How Dealing with Parents with OCD Is Different than Other Mental Health Concerns
For many children, the differences and the specific circumstances regarding growing up in a household impacted by OCD may require specific support. While general feelings of abandonment and anger are normal, children who have grown up around parents with OCD may find:- As OCD is an anxiety disorder, they may feel the need to soothe the parent and allay a parent’s fears. That action may be part of the child’s role in the family.
- The child may find themselves avoiding activities that seem to trigger the parent’s obsessions, compulsions, or rituals. This may simply be easier, causing the child to enable the parent.
- For parents with elaborate rituals, some children may help out with the ritual. For example, they may check that the stove is turned off or assist in high-stress times of the day. This may mean that they are getting everyone out the door in the morning for work and school. This is a classic logjam time of day for parents with OCD, as rituals can interfere with many different functions.
How Does Having a Parent with OCD Affect a Child in the Long-Term?
Children of parents with OCD may develop a range of mental and physical health issues as a result of their childhood experiences. These may include:- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Substance abuse
- Attachment disorders
