Is this okay to be left untreated?

Question

Ever since I was a little girl I've had these things were I have to touch ten green leaves before I go inside or something like that. I had never told anyone but I recently told my mom and she said its ocd. I really don't want to tell my social worker or my therapist about this. Is ocd okay to be left untreated? And it actually isn't though because I was just put on a new medicine and it is also used for ocd.

Answer 1

I work with a lot of people with OCD, and if you don't get it treated it can run your life by all the rituals it makes you feel compelled to do. its nothing to be ashamed of but i would get help for it

Answer 2

OCD gets worse over time I was so bad that I kept checking things over even though I knew I had just checked.  Like if I unplugged the curling Iron or the stove being off.  Then later I found myself organizing stuff like the book shelf and cleaning it but I did it before anything else and got my laundry backed up because I was spending such time on the shelf which was ok to begin with.  A few days later I was on the bookshelf again!  I was always counting things even counting up and down on my fingers.  I have been on different meds and one finally worked.  Neurontin. I say tell DR. because it will only get worse.

Answer 3

It sounds like ocd alright but not to the amount that it interferes with your health or safety or the healthy and safety of others.  Telling others is your decision, but I really would recommend telling your therapist - that's part of what they're there for.  If you are really driving yourself nuts, there is medication you can take specifically for ocd and maybe your new medicine will help.  It could be much worse, believe me.  I once heard of a guy who had a pea roll under his stove which he couldn't get out so he sold his house and moved!!! (Absolutely true story)

Answer 4

The only way it is ok to leave it untreated is if it isn't keeping you from living. Is it to the point where it is taking over your life and it is all your can think about? If so yes you need to be treated otherwise I say let it go. There are a lot of people out there that are ocd about certain things.  

Answer 5

Since you already have a social worker and a therapist, I am assuming that you have other issues that you are already dealing with.  These people are there to be your support and help you. If you dont tell them that you have OCD you are only hurting yourself.  There are medications that can help, if left untreated it will only get worse. I can only think of positives that would come from telling these people no negatives.  It is nothing to be ashamed of.  :) good luck.