Childhood OCD: Why Didn't Anyone Notice?

I’m honestly shocked that my parents didn’t notice my OCD as a child. When they left me with someone I would cry until I couldn’t breath because I would see an image of them dying in a car crash flashing repeatedly in my head. I couldn’t get it out. I told them about it but nothing really came of that. There are so many things that I see now and am shocked my parents (or any adult, for that matter) didn’t notice. Like how I would rip out anything put in my hair, have literal anxiety attacks, cry over the way certain clothes felt, have to do things in even numbers, etc. all at a very early age. Although maybe it’s because I noticed it more being the person experiencing it, I don’t know. Anyone else feel like their symptoms should have been picked up on much earlier?

Your answer

healthissues

1y ago

ME TOO!!! I feel so cheated sometimes...

Nikki03

1y ago

Yes I think my OCD and anxiety should have been picked up on way before. My earliest childhood memories are of OCD. I tried talking to my mom but she just brushed it off

gabbievee

1y ago

i feel the same way about all of this. my earliest childhood memories involve my ocd. i would try to talk to my parents about things but they never took me seriously, and eventually i just started thinking the way i behaved was normal. in these past few years i’ve finally received my official diagnosis and started being more open about my ocd to my parents. i’ve been explaining certain behaviors of mine, things like that. my mom recently told me that she wished i had tried to talk to her about this when i was younger. i was really hurt because i had, but she (and especially my dad) didn’t take it seriously at all. i just told her that i hadn’t realized it was ocd and thought i was normal, which i guess is true in some ways. but… man. :(

eddie.luvs.u

1y ago

My OCD symptoms were definitely something that should've been picked up earlier lol. Ever since I learned to count, I was obsessed with the number 6, had to do everything in multiples of sixes, even chewing. And everything had to be "even" in my body. If I bumped my hand I had to bump the other one in the exact same way in the exact same place with the exact same force, and if I didn't get it right the first time it would start a long loop of trying to even out every feeling. Did it with everything, things I stepped on, the feeling of chewing my food, even things as little as wiping my face. Still do it sometimes now, although it's gotten better. So many other things too lol

saradactyl

1y ago

I swear you just described me exactly. The numbers (mine are 4 and 12) and the even bodily sensations are big things for me as well. When I first found out it wasn’t something everyone did I was shocked haha

wasplord

1y ago

I have the exact same issue with body symmetry! I tried telling my parents about the symmetry issues and they didn't understand so I never told anyone about it ever again and quietly fed the monster for 20 years before finally telling my new therapist and getting diagnosed. I was always disorganized as a kid and my mom would joke "you definitely don't have OCD" (because that's the only kind of OCD that exists, obviously /s) and so it just never crossed my mind. My body is subconsciously adjusting and tapping and rubbing literally every second of every day trying to feel even and it's so ingrained at this point that I can't even start to undo it

NatashaAshley

1y ago

I'm still struggling w ADD symptoms that were brushed off thru childhood

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