PART 7: You’re Not Alone- A Closing Letter

A Series: Understanding the ADHD & OCD Comorbidity

by Sarah Jurrens, LPC, LMHC, ADHD-CCSP, CCTP

A message for anyone who has lived in the space between chaos and control.

If you are reading this and recognizing yourself for the first time, I want you to know this:

You are not broken. You are not dramatic. You are not “too much.” You are not imagining the intensity of what you feel.

You are living with two disorders that amplify each other in ways most people — including clinicians — have never been taught to recognize. And you have survived this without the language, support, or understanding you deserved.

Your reactions are not character flaws. Your freeze is not a failure. Your overwhelm is not a weakness. Your need for safety is not unreasonable.

You are a human being with a nervous system doing its best to protect you.

And now that you have the words for what is happening inside you, you can begin to build a life with more compassion, more clarity, and more support.

You are not alone. You never were.

References for Part 7

Olivardia, R. (2025). OCD and ADHD: Comorbid Symptoms and Treatment. ADDitude.

Bertin, M. (2022). Living With Both ADHD and OCD. Psychology Today.

Tadross, M. (2024). OCD…and ADHD: An Advocate’s Treatment Experience. IOCDF.

(Note: The above references are in addition to the same foundational sources as Parts 1–6)