Self-compassion & Self-care
You can’t take care of someone else if you don’t take care of yourself.
It is crucial that if you want/need to be a support to someone who has OCD that you are kind to yourself. Like I said before no one is asking you to be a professional in the brain department or understand what someone is going through with OCD.
You have to take care of your own mental health because if you’re not taking care of yourself you cant take care of others, trust me! If you feel that you don’t have the mental capacity to take on someone else’s mental struggles it’s ok to tell them that and they will understand. You could say something like ‘I appreciate you opening to me but i’m just not in a position to be the support you need right now but let’s find someone together you can reach out to.’ This way you are showing them that you want to help but you’re not able to be their full support at this moment. Remember, everyone has mental health!