We’re very fortunate to have two great treatments for BDD. It’s hard to believe that as recently as just a few decades ago, we didn’t know what treatments work for this common and often-severe disorder that can lead to suicide. Since then, good research studies have been done, so we now know that SRIs and CBT substantially improve BDD symptoms for most people, if they are implemented well. Read the full blog.  The post Which Works Better for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD): Medication or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy? appeared first on International OCD Foundation ..read more

By Teagan Miller Hi My name is Teagan Miller and I am a 20 (almost 21) year OCD advocate. I have lived with OCD my entire life. I often wonder what it would be like to live in a society that understood and had compassion for those living with OCD. What a dream… to feel understood, cared for, and fit in with the majority of your peers. Imagine a life like that, pure bliss. A lot of us OCD-sufferers are familiar with a life with a mask on, desperately trying to combat OCD symptoms while also combating random strangers' false assumptions about you. Let's be honest, not very many people are awar ..read more

By Mike Vatter, President of OCD Jacksonville I was 45 years old before I met my biological father. I was adopted as an infant, and I guess I never really thought much about where I came from unless I was filling out medical forms. Anything involving family medical history would have to be left blank or marked “Don’t know” because I just didn't know. When I was 40, I did a DNA Health test to get some information on the myriad items I had to leave blank over the years. The results gave me information on my heritage, ethnicity, health predispositions. Coincidentally, my biological father also d ..read more

By Corey Harrilal OCD is brutal, cynical, and unforgiving. While we might find consensus on some well-chosen adjectives, OCD is more akin to snowflakes — no two are identical. I discovered this reality firsthand at McLean Hospital: one resident might be engaged in an anxiety-driven two-step dance right at the entrance of the meeting room, while another could be in the middle of their fourth round of apologies. Both were examples of the ritualistic toll that OCD forces us to pay to progress in life. How was it that our OCD could look so different, yet be the defining struggle that connects us ..read more

By Lindsay Lindsay is a proud mother of two and an active advocate within the Perinatal OCD Community.  Among her many activities, Lindsay helps co-facilitate a Postpartum Support International peer-to-peer group for Mom's with Perinatal OCD, and was a member of the Perinatal OCD Task Force - Public Awareness Subcommittee which helped with the IOCDF Perinatal OCD Resource Center, a joint project of the IOCDF and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health (formerly 2020 Mom). Perinatal OCD is a form of OCD that impacts new parents. It consists of a cycle of obsessions and compulsions ..read more

By The Moms with OCD Special Interest Group A woman’s likelihood of having an increased risk of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptoms increases after a child is born, known as the perinatal period [1] This research article also recommends that moms have a conversation with their doctors about any symptoms that occur after the birth, adoption, or placement of their child.  The challenge that multiple moms face is that OCD continues to have a stigma in the medical world.  Far too many moms face this when their OCD and/or anxiety symptoms are shared; leaving these moms’ struggles to b ..read more

Spectrum Designs is a nonprofit custom merchandise company whose mission is to create meaningful and inclusive employment opportunities for people on the Autism Spectrum. The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) is proud to call Spectrum its partner, using their services as its primary provider of promotional materials. “Our collaboration with the IOCDF has spanned numerous projects, from apparel to promotional items and beyond,” Spectrum Co-Founder & CEO, Patrick Bardsley, said. “The knowledge that our merchandise aids a worthy cause brings immense satisfaction to our team.” The IOCDF be ..read more

By Elise of (the ocdopus) The Annual OCD Conference is an amazing event for those affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders. Held this year in Orlando, FL, the conference offers a wealth of educational sessions, support groups, activities, and networking opportunities. However, attending can be an expensive endeavor, especially when factoring in travel costs. Since I love to travel on a budget, I wanted to share some tips for how to lighten the financial load. If you're looking to attend The Annual OCD Conference on a budget, here are some tips that have worked for ..read more

By Kerry Elson  My family’s story began on February 8, 2012.  On that night, I tucked my then 9 yr. old son Hayden into bed and went to sleep myself.  Little did I know that was the “last” time I would experience that version of Hayden.  When he woke up the next morning, he was completely different.  He couldn’t get ready for school as he usually did, he cried for seemingly no reason and he refused to eat. While he did eventually get to school that day, call it mother’s instinct, but I knew something was off. Fast forward several weeks…Hayden was having trouble in sch ..read more

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