I have always associated OCD with wanting to keep everything clean and in order until I really found out that it is way broader than that. OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, is the persistence of unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and urge to engage in senseless rituals (compulsions) that cause distress. OCD ranges from person to person and the symptoms can be extremely different depending on the person.
My cousin has OCD, as well as one of my very close friend from home. They don’t constantly shower or wash their hands, but they both repeat constant actions throughout their day that others do not. My cousin, Sam, is constantly checking things. She will look if her straightener is on, even though in her mind she KNOWS she turned it off, she checks the lock on her door, she checks her families locations, etc. These all associate with harm or danger that she fears can happen to herself or the people she loves. My friend from home, Gianna, refuses to throw anything she gets away. She thinks that she might need something for future purposes and won’t be able to ever find it or use it if its thrown away. This causes her to keep everything and hoard things in her room.
Being around people who have OCD, I have realized that OCD can create people to develop really bad anxiety. This is because their mind is always somewhere else thinking about the future and what will happen. Anxiety is feelings of excessive or unrealistic fearfulness for future events.
While OCD can be treated with medication, or something called ERP, or Exposure and Response Prevention therapy. This is when you voluntarily expose yourself to the source of your fears over and over again, without acting out any compulsions to stop your fear.
Another useful link to look into OCD is below: https://www.everydayhealth.com/anxiety-disorders/experts-common-obessions-and-compulsions.aspx
Thanks so much for sharing! I love that you broke down boundaries/restrictions to OCD and the symptoms. Your explanation of how OCD isn’t the same for everyone and cannot fit into a box of what it is, is very important to reducing the stigma behind it. I also think that OCD can get thrown around as a joke or insult. I also never knew what ERP was and how that therapy can be used for people with OCD.
I really appreciated how you had a lot of examples of people in your life with the disease and were able to share them! You emphasized the importance of understanding that there are other types of OCD compared to the stereotyped idea of needing everything to be clean and organized. This, and your examples of your friends and family, just was more proof that the disorder can be different for everyone. It was very informative that you went on to talk about ERP and took the idea of treatment and therapy to the next level. This helped emphasize that this disorder can be treated beyond just medications and drugs.
Your post was very inciteful and I loved how you shared the personal experiences of your friends and family. I know people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder too, and I know how much they can struggle in day to day life. My dad is obsessed with cleanliness and constantly has hand sanitizer in his pocket for easy access. I think it is cool how you emphasized that OCD isn’t just cleanliness, though. Your post shed a light on the fact that OCD can be related to repeated acts and hoarding as well. I also liked the connection of OCD and anxiety that you showcased. Many people don’t associate this disorder with the topics you explained, and that approach was very informative. Great job!
This post helped me further develop a sense of knowledge on the real effects of OCD. I, just like you, thought OCD was basically just people wanting to make sure everything is neat, organized and clean. Although, from what we learned in class and this very educated post, OCD is way broader and much more serious than what I had previously thought. As you said in your post, it can cause terrible anxiety which could end up leading to depression, and this could very well hinder a persons life for good if it is not treated. My father had a friend that went through OCD and used the tactic of ERP to get over his issues. Overall, OCD is no joke, and your post helped show that it is something that needs to be taken very seriously. Great post!
I feel as though a lot of people have a misunderstanding of OCD, and tend to brush it off as not a big deal. One of my friends is OCD and has many little things that set him off in a day. Lining up his pencils and material on his desk, or putting everything in tupper ware containers were some of the things he did. He would also feel the need to text his mom at a specific time everyday.
As stated previously, thank you for sharing your experiences with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. My father is very similar to your friend in that he never wants to throw anything away. He also believes it’s because he may need it later on, but it could be the most ridiculous things. My Uncle is the very opposite for he is constantly cleaning and organizing his home, nonstop. When you go to his house, nothing is ever where you leave it because he moves it to clean and never puts it back (coats, shoes, etc). One time, he got so carried away with cleaning that I spotted him on the boardwalk picking up garbage (which was 5 minutes from his house). Both these cases can definitely be difficult to deal live with, both for the individual and those around the individual. I’ve also discovered my Grandmother (my father’s mother) has difficulty with throwing useless garbage away and tends to enjoy hording items that will almost definitely not be used again.