OCD Awareness Week - how much do you know?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, an anxiety disorder in which unwanted thoughts (obsessions)  provoke repetitive actions (compulsions) in order to try and stop the anxiety caused by the obsessive thoughts.

We all know of OCD, most of us use it casually as part of our lexicon "I'm so OCD", "I don't want a messy room because I'm really OCD". It's become such a common phrase that we pass the condition off as something, for example, tidy/organised people 'are' simply because it's just used in that context a lot. It is really stereotyped.

OCD is diagnosed in approximately 1-2% of people in the UK, meaning that the obsessions and compulsions are severe enough that they effect their everyday life. It can really feel like you are trapped inside all the unwanted thoughts and the absolute need to follow out the compulsions in order to stop the thoughts 'coming true'.

Obsessions and compulsions may be linked, like checking you have locked the door a certain number of times so that nobody can break in, that consequence of the door being left open makes sense to everyone however, they may not be linked like this. Someone suffering from OCD may need to check the door is locked a certain number of times because the unwanted thought that they think will happen if they don't complete the compulsion may be something like a close relative dieing. That's a horrible thing to have to live with everyday, to have to complete these compulsions because you believe if you don't a terrible like that may happen. OCD really is a horrible condition that leaves you feeling trapped  inside your own head while sometimes making you feel a bit 'crazy' at the same time - especially if you have to complete a bizarre looking compulsion around people - I know sometimes I have to touch the wall a certain number of times while in school and people have often looked at me like I'm a complete weirdo.

I've said this before but I think the more we all know about mental health the better we can understand and diminish the stigma surrounding it.

Thanks for reading guys, it really means a lot if you've stuck around to have a read of this.

See you soon,
Jen
x

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