A happy OCD day
I made my first radio broadcast this week, telling my OCD nightmare as I call. I am hoping that openly talking about mental health will reduce stigma as well as educate people about OCD. When I discovered that I was suffering from OCD, I looked for a support group and I could not find one. I had to join international support groups.
It was life changing, being able to discuss my nightmare with people suffering from the same disorder. Knowledge is power. Just knowing that what I was suffering from had a name, made my life more bearable.
In my country, the majority of the people do not know that there is a disorder called OCD and that they can get help. A young man listened to the radio show and immediately got in touch. He came to the office and had a cup of coffee whilst telling me his ordeal. He felt so much joy that he had found someone he could talk to. The young man not hold back on some intimate thoughts that disturbed him all those years.
This young man is still very afraid to talk to his parents that he has this disorders. He was concerned about how he would tell his parents. Stigma is what we have in our country. People don't want to hear about mental disorder. One has to know that having a mental disorder is not one's fault and that hiding the disorder will just make things worse.
All I can say is that the day I shared about OCD with this young man was a very happy OCD day for both of us.
Recent Comments
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From your story I can see that you are a strong and brave lady. Keep it up! You will make a difference day by day.
Wow.
You are going to help so many people.
How awesome.
In New Zealand we are much further ahead but stigma is still a huge issue.
Daisy
Some friends and family have told me that i should not talk about this. And all I tell them is that It is not my fault, so why should I be embarrassed. Thank you daisy
Keep talking.
Just be careful too I guess, what does your government think about mental health?
Daisy
That is the sad bit. There is generalisation of Mental Health Disorders. Mental health is not a priority at all. As long as there are no people visibly dying, its not that important. There is a Mental Health department which is poorly funded. So the best thing I could do for my fellow countrymen is to register and start an OCD Foundation, where we have support groups and at least talk about our condition.
Our country has about 15 million people and only 17 registered Psychiatrist. About 1.2 % of a population suffers from mental health according to WHO.
So we have to find ways of helping ourselves and maybe once in a while get a specialist to our support groups.
Oh my goodness only 17 psychiatrists!
You are going to be so valuable to so many.
I wish you all the success
If I can help in any way be in touch
Daisy
From what I have noticed. The mental health strategic plan is more of just paper work. Mental health is poorly funded and from the look of things, as long as people are not dying, there is no rush to implement anything. It's even worse with OCD where even some of the people working in the Mental health department have no idea what this is. I have also realised that some of the people working for the Ministry of Health do things to their benefit. They want to talk mental health in workshops and get paid for it. They don't include is, the ones with mental health problems . I want to change all that.
Sorry for the rant. Not doing so well today.
That is so wrong and sad.
It must bring so much frustration.
I can't believe OCD is not known by workers in mental health...how could that be!
Do u take any meds?
Do they offer anything over there?
Daisy
The lucky ones like me, manage to get medication and once every six months see a psychiatrist. The rest just suffer quietly without knowing what is going on. I am on a mission to raise awareness and be an advocate for mental health patience.
Just knowing it was a disorder is very empowering.
It is a huge relief when you can give it a name isn't it.
That would be a great post...the relief of knowing.
Great to hear you are one of the lucky ones.
PM me your site link.
Cheers
Daisy
I have often wondered if OCD can be beneficial at times. Rafael Nadal goes through a series of repetitive movements before every point.....touching his face and body in a systematic manner. He also arranges his courtside drinks, towels, etc. very precisely every time he plays, without fail. Suffice it to say that this has not hampered his tennis game. He may be the greatest in history, or second to Federer............Richard
OCD is a very interesting disorder. It affects people differently. Some people, because of the disorder have managed to live a normal life.In most cases, people who have accepted that they have a problem and get help and try and live the best life they can.
Others, depending on the extend of the OCD and how it affects a person,They can actually not be in a position to function properly, some even apply for disability allowances. That is in the Western World.
Angelica, I was wondering if OCD could even be an asset and more than just a road to possible normalcy. To be one of the very few (maybe 2) greatest tennis players in history is what I might call super - normal. Also, Nadal always seems poised and confident in interviews. Could some versions of OCD be similar to what happens with idiot savants? Or do you think great athletic achievement and OCD are totally unrelated?
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/doctor-warns-against-trivialising-rafael-nadals-oncourt-routines-20140121-316w8.html
Not really. Those who can function normally are the lucky ones. Some want to keep to themselves. Some like i, do sometimes feel safe at home and just going out becomes a mission. Those who respond well to treatment are lucky. There is still a lot of work which needs to be done. The Western world has really come a long way into realising that people with OCD need support and love and not to be ridiculed
Thank you Barb. Yes , just the fact that I managed to make one person happy, made me smile the whole weekend.
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What's the full meaning of OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A mental disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas,sensations (obsessions) and behaviours that drive them to do something over and over (compulsions) Often the person carries out the behaviours to get rid of the obsessive thoughts.