here’s a thread to educate you on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)! this mental illness is extremely debilitating and often misunderstood. most people don’t realize that OCD is a serious illness. keep reading to learn more! this thread is written by me and @t1tti3s

also our experiences are not the same as everyone else’s who has OCD! people experience it differently and there are many different subcategories of OCD which we will also get into. this thread is merely to educate and help debunk some of the harmful stigma surrounding OCD.

it has become very normalized for neurotypicals to say things like “i’m so OCD” or “that bothers my ocd so bad” but it’s extremely harmful to claim you have OCD when it’s actually a mental illness that is typically diagnosed by a mental health professional.

it’s important to note however that not everyone has the resources to be diagnosed professionally with OCD. if you choose to self-diagnose, please make sure you have done extensive research and are absolutely positive that you have OCD.

here are some OCD stereotypes:
- wanting things neat/organized
- obsessed with cleaning
- not being able to handle messiness
- germaphobia
- it’s just being a perfectionist
- being color coded
- being so bothered if something is out of place
- “we’re all a little ocd sometimes”

it’s important to note that while these are common stereotypes, some of these things CAN be incorporated into someone’s OCD but it doesn’t ever consist solely of this. OCD extends so much farther and is way more complicated than that. many people with OCD don’t care about things-

being messy or disorganized! some people with OCD are literally the messiest people ever. people confuse perfectionism with OCD all the time and it’s honestly so extremely harmful. the thing about OCD is that it’s so individualized and complex to the point where it usually only-

makes sense to the person experiencing it. OCD is so difficult to explain because it literally doesn’t make sense. that being said, let’s talk about some things that OCD often includes that many people don’t know about!
- intrusive thoughts
- constant reassurance seeking
- tics

- repeatedly checking things (locks, lights, stove, etc)
- performing rituals to avoid certain events happening (ex: getting in and out of bed a million times to prevent someone you love from dying)
- having “good” and “bad” numbers that often play into rituals

- getting hung up on seemingly little things. ex: obsessing over losing a non-important item or forgetting something non-important
- being excessively worried about your health. hypochondria IS included in OCD.
- constantly repeating certain phrases/ words aloud or in one’s head

- inability to break routine
- sensory issues w/ certain sounds, textures, tastes, smells, etc.
- hoarding
- not being able to tolerate any degree of uncertainty
- avoiding situations that may trigger urges, compulsions, or rituals
- repetition
- obsession over irrational fears

- thoughts that don’t make sense

these are just a FEW of many things that OCD can include. it goes so much deeper and we can’t possibly discuss everything that OCD is in a single thread. (p.s. the fact that i cant possibly explain every single detail about OCD to you in one-

thread is making my OCD skyrocket right now and i can’t explain why)

OCD isn’t cute or quirky or fun. OCD is debilitating, time-consuming, and can prevent people from being able to live an enjoyable life.

i (maddy) am almost always doing something related to my OCD, whether-

it’s internally or externally. i also spend hours & hours every day performing rituals. i can plan on going to bed at a certain time and not actually be able to go to bed until hours later because of my OCD.

and for me (lizzie) it’s stuff like hearing a certain part of someones

voice and needing to repeat it or i’ll have a panic attack, or stuff like flipping my pillow three times before i’m able to fall asleep. it’s not as simple as “just don’t flip your pillow” or whatever like if i don’t i will genuinely lay there until it’s time for me to wake up.

OCD is serious. OCD often requires high doses of medications or levels of treatment just for someone’s life to be under control. by claiming you have OCD just because you’re a perfectionist, you’re invalidating the experiences of people who suffer from this illness every day.

as of right now, OCD can’t be cured. it can be treated and alleviated, but there is no cure. we have to go about our lives dealing with this horrible disorder and dealing with people who stigmatize it. you wouldn’t say you have a personality disorder or any other “undesirable”

mental illness to seem cute and quirky, so don’t with OCD. because we can promise you, it is the FARTHEST thing from desirable. saying you have OCD just because you’re a perfectionist is the same thing as saying you have depression because you get sad sometimes or saying you’re-

bipolar because you have mood swings sometimes. STOP STIGMATIZING MENTAL ILLNESS!!!!

if anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to ask us either in this thread or by dming us. we’d love to further educate people on this. lastly, please do not use this thread to diagnose-

yourself with OCD. this thread just brushes the surface of the disorder in its entirety. this thread was designed to educate, not to diagnose