As this week is Mental Health Awareness Week (11th – 17th May 2026), our spotlight will focus on a commonly misunderstood mental health condition: OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Everyone’s experience of mental health varies and therefore this isn’t a generalised overview of the disorder, since that does more harm than good with an already clichéd mental health condition. OCD manifests itself differently for everyone, and therefore these stereotypes can prevent an individual from recognising their own mental health condition. Whilst I may draw on some of my own experiences, I also want to break down the stigmas that continue to be a barrier to the understanding and diagnosis of the condition.
Firstly, we need to define OCD. As the name suggests, it has obsessions, which are often intrusive thoughts that cause anxiety. Intrusive thoughts are thoughts, words, or images that come into your head randomly, but can be unsettling and unaligned with your values. In order to relieve this anxiety, an individual may perform compulsions. Whilst this might provide a temporary sense of relief, it also forms a less transient effect, known as an ‘OCD cycle’. This becomes more detrimental in the long-term, since the individual feels compelled to repeat the compulsion to rid themselves of the feeling, dangerously prolonging the cycle.
But is this really how everyone views it? Most people have likely heard the phrase ‘a little OCD’ used about others who enjoy cleaning or have ‘Type A’ personalities. This is often used by the media as a comical quirk that a character may have. Often, people think of Monica Geller from Friends or other similar ‘clean freaks’. Across the media, the presentation of characters with OCD is often laughable and, I believe, a complete reduction of such a debilitating disorder.
But how is it incorrect? Firstly, in such shows, there’s often a presentation that those cleaning simply enjoy it. This is even more apparent when calling someone ‘a little OCD’, as often, we refer to people who are incredibly organised or clean, perhaps even taking pleasure from it. Again, the very essence of Monica’s personality. However, enjoying cleaning or organising does not mean that someone has OCD. In fact, those with OCD are driven to their compulsions by a fear of their intrusive thoughts coming true. In this case, it may be ‘contamination OCD’, often manifested in repetitive cleaning. Certainly, this is a common subset of the disorder, but it is merely one subset. Therefore, the media’s representation of this as the whole condition is reductive, and this limited presentation can be a barrier to individuals getting a diagnosis, as it reduces the disorder to one clichéd stereotype. This is because it can be more difficult for an individual to recognise their own experience within the stereotype, as OCD manifests itself differently for everyone.
When I first learnt about OCD, just over a year ago, I understood that the representation in the media was false, but I didn’t understand what it meant. I think this is one of the most important issues to tackle. For years, everyone believed that I had some form of anxiety (which, to be fair, has been linked to OCD). However, the idea that I had anxiety was believed so uniformly amongst my friends that we missed the thought that it could have been something else. Whilst OCD may make one more vulnerable to anxiety, it isn’t the same thing, and using the same therapy to resolve it can just worsen the problem.
The lack of my understanding, exacerbated by the media, is likely one of the reasons why it took so long to get the correct diagnosis. In fact, between the onset of OCD symptoms and a clinical diagnosis, there is often a delay of over 7 years. This could be down to a number of reasons, including missed diagnosis due to other conditions or lack of awareness that it even could be OCD. The disorder often coexists with other mental health conditions, which is why it can be easy for professionals to miss. Additionally, it can often be mistaken for Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which can prove to be a barrier too. However, this delay can lead to serious problems for those who need help, including deepening the ‘OCD cycle’.
As someone with OCD, it feels like there’s two voices in my head: my own, and my OCD’s. A voice that whispers intrusive thoughts to me that I must complete the compulsion or else the worst-case scenario will happen. One that makes it seem as though every problem is my responsibility to fix, even when it’s entirely out of my control. From an outside perspective, this may be difficult to understand, especially when I’m completing strange, seemingly unrelated compulsions. But for me, and others with OCD, it can feel safer to do the compulsion anyway.
I’ve already briefly spoken about subsets of OCD. I once read that there are as many compulsions as there are things or objects in the world. There are more common ones, such as Contamination OCD, Relationship OCD (ROCD), Harm OCD and many more, although truly, it can manifest itself in any way. Many of these subsets can be disturbing to an individual, and it may feel as though you’re a bad person because of your thoughts. But that’s not the case; they are just thoughts, and therapists have truly seen it all. For some people with OCD, it can be useful to remember that your actions define you and not your thoughts, something a good therapist should recognise.
But this is the most important thing: no matter how strong that voice in your head is, that you do go and speak to someone. It can be easy to disguise your thoughts in a cloak of shame, but explaining to someone else how you truly feel could help loosen the grip that OCD has over you. This can be with friends, family, a therapist, or all three. The most important thing that I have done since being diagnosed is speaking openly with those around me. OCD is an isolating condition, as are many mental health disorders, making it especially important to speak about. Choosing the right people to educate can make the whole process even easier, even when the topic feels taboo.
For those who don’t have OCD, you have the power to change the narrative too. If someone approaches you and tells you their intrusive thoughts, remember that this isn’t a reflection of their personality. In fact, it is causing them distress as it is the thing they fear. Try to be understanding and non-judgemental, and encourage them to seek help where necessary. There’s so many resources available, whether through the University Counselling Service, NHS talking therapies or mental health websites, such as Mind.
To end on a positive note, it’s entirely possible to live a wonderful life with OCD. Sure, it won’t go away, but it’s certainly manageable. Moreover, stereotypes surrounding the disorder are starting to break down, and people are more open to talking about it than before. It’s been said that having OCD makes you highly empathetic and more creative than the average person. So yes, it can feel like a weakness and a challenge to carry it through your everyday life when others don’t understand. But, with the right tools to harness it, you can also turn it into your greatest strength.