Hi Chantilly and welcome to the forum.
I’m very sorry to learn of your son’s diagnosis. Sounds like he is currently doing well and that you’ve done an amazing job to care for him and get his supports in place. Well done to you.
My adult daughter has OCD, which is also a lifelong chronic illness, and anxiety. I know how tired you are and understand the grief of coming to terms with the fact that your child is suffering—through no fault of their own—and will continue to struggle. When my daughter’s psychiatrist told us her diagnosis about 15 years ago, I just remember wishing that he would stop talking because I knew that life was never going to be the same.
It’s really important that you look after yourself. It took me a long time to understand that this was vital—you can’t help someone else if you’re not well. Please take time everyday to do something you enjoy. I often go for walks, or grab coffee with a friend or read and it really helps to keep me balanced.
At the time of my daughter’s diagnosis, I sought the support of a counsellor. This wonderful person taught me about OCD, coached me on how to support my daughter in real time and then supported our whole family over what was a major change to all of our lives. If you think you could benefit from professional support, please talk to your GP.
My best friend has a son with schizophrenia and we support each other, so I understand a bit about the illness and associated challenges. The weird thing is that we’d been friends for about 10 years and she never opened up about her son’s health. When I told her what was going on with my daughter, it all poured out of her.
You are not alone with your new responsibilities and the more people you talk to, I think you’ll find that there are a lot of us.
I’m happy to chat, please post anytime.
Kind thoughts to you
