Hi. My mum has a diagnosed form of OCD. She has extreme worries. She thinks she has lumps on her skin, she sees lumps on other people, thinks she's always dying, things will set on fire, the tv will fall off the wall and we all have something wrong with us.
She had it since I was little, I'm now 36. She's retired and lives with my step dad in a lovely home with a dog. She's drinks a lot of wine, she's very negative, hates dark nights and being alone.
She's had all forms of help and advice from talking to people to hypnosis but she never seems to want to get better. She says she wants to but then resorts back to the same routine or worrying and checking. She doesn't use any of the tools and advice she's given.
I live 3 hours away and I get txts of her telling me she's down and worried about something. Last night she told me she was been picking a spot on her arm so much that it's bleeding and she now thinks it's cancer. I told her to get it checked but she then changed the subject. Whenever I offer advice on positive thinking and mindfulness she just changes the subject. It frustrates me that she will txt me asking for help but then changes the subject when I do. I don't think my step dad helps either. He's too easy on her :( he's a lovely person, very relaxed and doesn't want to upset her. He checks her lumps for her and I feel he feeds the problem.
She has a lovely life. We all love her and want her to get better but she has to want to help herself. I am running out of ideas and feel like I'm repeating myself to her. It's very difficult for me and my step dad to see her like this but I don't know how to help her. I know it's a horrible illness but why doesn't she try to get better? Do I just accept it? Any advice would be much appreciated.
Kindest.