[Kate1955]

Hi everyone. My husband had a breakdown due to workplace bullying four years ago and since then his OCD has made life easy for him but unbearable for those living with him.

He mashes his food, washes a cup before I sve finished drinking, will not be in the kitchen if anyone else is in it etc etc etc etc!

Current huge issue for us is he tried to take his own life three weeks ago and is getting a lot of help and treatment but since he got home from the hospital he is circular talking much more than usual. One day he did it for eight hours and I was retching by the end of the day.

I need new knees and cannot get out more than once a day as we are way up a block of flats with lots of stairs so I cannot get away from it when it starts. He follows me into whatever room I try to go to to get a break. He intrudes on our adult son without knocking on his door. He does not pick up any signals to stop and it's so bad I had to be given Zanax anti anxiety drug as I was retching and shaking.

Is there any way to deal with this apart from living in silence by not engaging him in conversation? He would hate that as he has AvPD and thinks everyone is critical of him anyway.

[optimize990h]

Hello Kate1955.

Have you looked through the forums regarding OCD and AvPD? Also the caregiver forum may have ideas to deal with what you describe.

I don't know whether the community mental health and social services in your area would be able provide some kind of respite for you and your husband.

If your husband is seeing a psychiatrist/psychologist, then you might ask the psychologist the best way to find some options to assist your current situation.

I would check either this website in the caregiver forums or a Mental Health Association in Australia that could connect you to an answer.

Hopefully, there will be other PC members offering suggestions to your current situation.