By Judith Stern After our first fifty minutes, my new therapist concluded, “Self-acceptance might be helpful.” I almost laughed out loud. I totally accept myself, I thought. Compared to where I was just five years ago, how could I possibly be any more accepting? Pamela didn’t know me as the suicidal self-harming millennial who practically wore the name label on my sweatshirt announcing, “Hi! I’m Wrong. Nice to meet you!” She didn’t see me attacking myself, physically and mentally, on a daily basis, largely a result of long-ingrained self-hate. She just saw Judith. So when she suggested I ..read more

By Shaela Lundy People always say to “just go with your gut feeling” and quote, “what you think, you become,” or “watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions…” But for me, I have always felt gut feelings I would never want to believe or act on and thought things that could never be said out loud. What would the speakers of these expressions think of me if they knew what went through my head? “So,” I reasoned, “I must be a bad person.” People struggling with OCD may question whether or not they are moral through countless lenses, worry at the thought of potent ..read more

By Anonymous I have been suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and social anxiety disorder since childhood. Today, I understand my diagnoses and how they affect my ability to work, especially in a country where mental illness isn’t usually understood. However, I wasn’t correctly and properly diagnosed with these illnesses until I was in college. This was partly because I spent my childhood and adolescent years mistaking the symptoms for being a normal part of life that other people also went through. I erroneously thought that my classmates in school were also dealing with these ..read more

Over the weekend of January 26, youth with OCD and their families gathered for the Online OCD Camp, an annual event which brings education and support to this special community. The weekend would not have been possible without the amazing group of volunteers that dedicates their time to making this event a success.  Today, we hear from the volunteers about their Camp experience! What was your Online OCD Camp experience like? It was beyond wonderful. Just seeing the kids grow and gain more and more confidence to manage OCD before my eyes was wonderful, especially ..read more

By Bobbie Saunders OCD is unpredictable.  It will change, evolve, sometimes become more complex.  Something from thirty-five years ago can resurface.  For example, fear of broken glass, not just pieces of glass but minuscule particles that can't be seen. My OCD began at age thirteen after reading a particular sentence in a book.  Something about it bothered me, and I began to obsess.  About this time, my mother and I went with our neighbor to a nursing home to visit her elderly mother.  Shortly after this the lady died.  I remembered that I had filled a glas ..read more

IOCDF Lead Advocate Tom Smalley just returned from the USA Weightlifting American Open Finals, where he won three gold medals. The IOCDF caught up with Tom to talk about his victories and the special category in which he competed.   “It felt pretty amazing,” IOCDF Advocate Tom Smalley said of the moment he felt the weight of a gold medal placed around his neck. “I’m thinking about 10 years ago when I was 16 years old and had to stop playing sports because of my OCD. This is not an experience I ever thought I'd have,” Smalley said. “I think the biggest win was showing up and doing i ..read more

By Stephanie Sousa Those were the words I told myself time and time again. I washed my hands knowing there was no rationality behind the idea that I may have been near something that was “contaminated”. I still took that 3-hour shower after being reassured by family members that I was indeed safe. Even after being flagged at the Apple store for repeatedly destroying my phones, I still ran them under soap and water to ensure it was safe. It wasn’t something I looked forward to or even a task I enjoyed but I had to do it, just in case. Like so many others I didn’t see a way to recover. I felt a ..read more

We at the IOCDF know that the holidays can be a difficult time for individuals affected by OCD and related disorders.  What’s more, the trivialization of OCD can make an already challenging time of year even more difficult for those grappling with mental illness.  This holiday season, the IOCDF is taking a step to break the stigma associated with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) by addressing the misrepresentation often perpetuated through terms such as “Obsessive Christmas Disorder.” As always, we’re also committed to supporting our community during the times they need us mos ..read more

We at the IOCDF know that the holidays can be a difficult time for individuals affected by OCD and related disorders.  What’s more, the trivialization of OCD can make an already challenging time of year even more difficult for those grappling with mental illness.  This holiday season, the IOCDF is taking a step to break the stigma associated with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) by addressing the misrepresentation often perpetuated through terms such as “Obsessive Christmas Disorder.” As always, we’re also committed to supporting our community during the times they need us mo ..read more

Join Liz and make your year-end, tax-deductible gift today! “The IOCDF has quite literally changed my life…” In the video, Dr. Liz shares how the IOCDF has been instrumental as a patient navigating OCD treatment and now as a clinician treating individuals with OCD. The IOCDF provided her with the resources and a community as a patient, and now serves as a guiding light in her clinical work and continues to offer a compassionate community that she, like so many others, holds dear. This giving season, we hope you consider joining Dr. Liz by making a donation to IOCDF. Your generosity will m ..read more