[drpepper]

I'm 16 and I kno I have ocd, but I haven't been officially diagnosed or anything...I think it started when I was 10 and has been getting worse and worse...The past year or so I haven't been able to sleep until 5 or 6am because ocd keeps me up brushing my teeth and making sure there's no bugs in my bed and room and a million other stupid things...I don't think my mom and dad think there's such a thing as ocd...my mom actually thinks I looked it up and am pretending to have it...I'm home schooled and so I don't have any friends or anyone else to talk to about this and i feel SO isolated...Does any1 elses ocd keep them up that late?...........

[Lexicon78]

I used to be up all hours of the night cleaning and everything. I have a handle on my OCD now, but understand what you are going through.

I remember I'd stay up till 6 in the morning scrubbing floors, walls, cupboards, etc. just so I knew everything would be clean. I was a real clean freak. Over the years I've learned a little self-control, but I did need help from a doctor to overcome this.

[JustBen]

Heya Doc Would your folks be willing to take you to see someone to talk about this? Would it be worth asking? There's a lot of good help out there, but I know it can be hard to get to it when you count on someone else for transportation and money.

Do your folks know how late you're up?

[Maven]

The sooner you get help, the better off you'll be. The worse your OCD gets, the harder it will be to get control of it (but never impossible). Have your parents seen what you've gone through all these years? Or have you hidden it from them? It amazes me that people can watch a person go through OCD for years and still think they're pretending.

If you have to, try calling a psychologist from the phone book, or even call a local high school and ask to talk to a school counselor and tell them you need help, but your parents don't believe you. Maybe they can help.