obsessive complusive disorder (mh awareness week 3/7)

Meme contributing to the damaging stereotype of OCD from popular page “LADbible”. 

This week is The Mental Health Foundation’s “Mental Health Awareness Week” 2019 (13-19th May). In honour of this, I will be posting a blog post each day this week with the theme of mental health. This one is on obsessive compulsive disorder and the stereotypes surrounding it. 

I feel that OCD is one of the most stereotyped mental illnesses out there. It is a disease which receives so many idioms like “I’m so OCD” and so many memes and even articles titled “Infuriating images that will trigger your OCD” (https://www.ranker.com/list/62-images-that-will-trigger-your-ocd/brian-gilmore?ref=search) 

Like all mental illnesses, OCD is different for each person. 

The stereotype of OCD is someone that cleans everything and themselves excessively – but this isn’t always the case. 

It is uncontrollable and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and rituals or repetitive behaviours (compulsions) which you feel an obligation to perform. Most people recognise that their obsessions are irrational but struggle to stop thinking of them.

Examples would be checking that you turned off the oven twenty times repeatedly, just to make sure. But there’s also fear of someone you love having an accident or seeing images of horrific scenes that your head has made up.

They are things do not bring any benefit to you, but your brain won’t allow you to stop them.

The compulsions are usually used as a way of combatting your obsessions. For example, you may have an obsession / repetitive thought of the house going on fire, so your compulsion/ behaviour to combat this is to check that the oven is turned off twenty times. 

Just having obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviours doesn’t necessarily mean you have obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, if you are having these daily and they interfere with your daily life then it could be a possible diagnosis.

My biggest tip would be to take a mental image of the oven being turned off, or whatever it may be, and then remind yourself of that when you get another urge to check. It’s always better to have something to distract yourself with so divert your attention after you’ve done this so it doesn’t keep recurring.

Also, write down or even just think about your obsessive thoughts. Then recognise if they are irrational or not, and try to tell yourself how unlikely it is to happen repeatedly. 

OCD is not someone who keeps themselves and their house clean, it is much more than that and I definitely think it is the one used most in everyday mis-assumptions such as “my mum cleaned the house twice this week she’s so OCD.” 

I think assumptions are also a massive cause for people not speaking out and contribute to stigmatisation, so if you can clear these up; please do.