Why not to say ‘that’s so OCD’

It is OCD Awareness Week: obsessive-compulsive disorder is about deep anxiety that can make daily life a trap and a constant struggle with fear.

Anxiety in OCD is not just ‘being a bit worried’. It is intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that won’t go away. It is not always about repetitive actions, it can be about overwhelming bad thoughts. However, for some people those thoughts can lead to repeated rituals or acts, all to reduce ones distress or prevent feared outcomes.

The cycle of bad thoughts and actions can tighten over time, all just in an effort to control over-thinking and worry. OCD can shape and restrict daily routines and decisions.

Today, please remember that it is harmful when people say ‘that’s so OCD’. OCD is not quirky perfectionism. OCD is real suffering. People are not ‘a bit OCD’ just because they like a tidy kitchen, and such talk is damaging, whereas awareness is a huge support.

The cycle of bad thoughts can feel suffocating and be debilitating, but it is important to know that recovery is possible and support is out there (see the signposting pages on RESTORE.ORG.UK).

Restore stands ready to walk alongside people who feel overwhelmed by crisis, by intrusive anxiety, by the daily burden of OCD. Through shared understanding, peer connection, and compassionate listening, pathways forward open up.

Those who are suffering are not alone, it’s ok to ask for help.

Restore (Rehabilitation Services Trust For Oxfordshire Re-Employment)

#OCDWeek #BreakTheStigma #MentalHealthRecovery #OCDIsNotASlang #ocdawarenessweek #itsoktoaskforhelp OCD Action OCD-UK International OCD Foundation