What You Can Do About OCD And How It Affects Your Relationships?

If you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you're well aware that your symptoms can make it difficult to form and sustain intimate relationships. Many people with OCD are single, and those in a relationship or married frequently experience severe interpersonal stress.

Naturally, not everyone with OCD is the same. However, if the symptoms of your OCD are making your love life difficult, there are methods to cope.

Romantic relationships and OCD

OCD can wreak havoc on love relationships in a variety of ways. For example, you may struggle to maintain your self-esteem and may have emotions of guilt about your symptoms, which may cause you to avoid social interaction.

Furthermore, you may feel compelled to keep the nature of your obsessions and compulsions hid to prevent rejection by a possible or present love partner.

An open, honest, and personal connection will be hampered by secrecy. Additionally, depressive symptoms, which are frequent in OCD, might make it difficult to form and sustain close relationships.

Of course, sexual closeness is an essential component of many people's love relationships. However, as you may know, OCD symptoms may make sexual relations difficult.

Obsessions with contamination (such as the cleanliness of your spouse's genital area) or distressing sexual themes (such as sexual assault), for example, might make it challenging to engage in sexual intercourse with your partner. People with OCD are frequently sexually avoidant and unsatisfied in their relationships, which is unsurprising.

Also Read: Some tips to prevent OCD from controlling your life

How do you deal with it?

Although OCD can make it challenging to develop, maintain, and enjoy a romantic relationship, there are strategies to deal with it.

Become a member of a support group. OCD support groups in the community may be a fantastic way to obtain social support and learn how others cope with feelings of isolation or humiliation. Although dating someone you meet through a support group may seem appealing, approach with care. Many support groups have regulations to safeguard participants' privacy, and they may aggressively prohibit connections (even casual friendships) outside of the group. It may be difficult for one or both of you to return to the support group if you find it helpful and your relationship ends.

Keep the lines of communication open and honest. Open and honest communication is the cornerstone of any love relationship, whether you have OCD or not. This is especially crucial if your symptoms are becoming more severe or have changed. Your spouse has to be aware of what you're going through. Not being aware of the difficulties you're encountering might lead to misconceptions (e.g., "he/she doesn't find me attractive any longer"), which can obstruct the development of closeness and trust.

If nothing else works, seek counseling to begin living a more fulfilled life.