OCD is so much more than wanting things clean and tidy. here's a thread that might explain it better to try and break the stigma & help people understand it #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

intrusive thoughts are a huge part of OCD. these can bring horrifying imagery into the mind and can sometimes be so strong that they make you believe you're capable of doing the things you're seeing. this can make people with OCD be feareful or their own mind & intentions.

compulsive actions are something that would spring to mind when thinking about OCD but not many people know the extent this can go to and the distress it causes if you don't carry out the actions. people can spend hours checking things because they don't trust their own mind.

this can interfere with daily life and lots of people choose to wake up hours before they need to just so they can carry out these compulsions. not doing them can often result in high anxiety, intrusive thoughts & more stress than doing the actions would bring.

it's important to note that not everyone with OCD has a fear of contamination/is obsessed with cleanliness. for people that do have this however, it can make life a lot more challenging. cleaning rituals such as washing hands aren't only time-consuming but physically harmful too.

avoidance is a coping mechanism that a lot of people with OCD choose to use. sometimes the thought of going out, facing the world and carrying out so many mental/physical rituals can be so exhausting and anxiety-provoking. and the less someone goes out, the harder it will become.

living with OCD is exhausting, at times scary & downright frustrating. that's why when people use phrases such as "im a bit OCD" it bothers people with OCD so much because it's a debilitating mental illness that causes so much pain everyday. be mindful #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek