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Amidst the ongoing mental health awareness campaigns of the current decade, one disorder above all remains stigmatized and misunderstood while simultaneously being mentioned in everyday life for many people who do not have it: OCD.
OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder, and I can almost certainly guarantee it doesn’t mean whatever you just pictured in your head. It can be broken into two main parts: intrusive negative thoughts (obsessions) and the repetitive behaviors (compulsions) which pacify them. Most people can think of at least one example of the media showing compulsions: commonly used examples include hand washing or organizing. While these are possible compulsions, they are far overrepresented compared to other, less “palatable” compulsions such as self-harm, physical and verbal tics, and re-checking locks.
If these lesser-known compulsions are addressed in the media, they are most often misrepresented. Media, especially TikTok, have popularized the term “intrusive thoughts” to describe doing something reckless or spontaneous. These are impulsive thoughts, not intrusive. It may seem like a small distinction, but it is a very important one that has large societal ramifications. Impulsive thoughts may be doing something you’re not supposed to, like spending extra money or speeding, but you have control over them. Intrusive thoughts are disturbing thoughts or mental images that come to mind unbiddenly. They can be violent, sexual or otherwise inappropriate in nature, and the harder you try to get them out of your head, the more they persist. No matter what they are, they cause embarrassment and anxiety in a person with OCD’s mind. Performing a compulsion often feels like the only way to get rid of these thoughts. I believe this is why intrusive thoughts are stigmatized; they can be very shameful and scary to talk about.
I’m still sometimes uncomfortable sharing about my own intrusive thoughts and compulsions for fear that people will see me differently. For example, I opened up to a person I run with about an intrusive mental image I have every time we run over a bridge: it’s a very vivid image of me pushing her over the railing. I was absolutely terrified when it first happened, worried that it would somehow become a reality. Luckily, she also has OCD and didn’t judge me. She knew that despite not having control of those thoughts, I wasn’t going to hurt her. Others have not been so understanding.
I often get comments like “everyone’s a little OCD” or “I have to color-code my stuff, too.” In passing, I hear people use OCD as an adjective: “I’m so OCD today.” Both the misuse and stigmatization can be traced back to pop culture. I already mentioned TikTok, but film and television also play a role in this.
The recent M. Night Shyamalan movie “Trap” has a throwaway, factually incorrect line about OCD. In the movie, detectives trying to catch a serial killer mention him having OCD as a possible explanation, suggesting to the audience that individuals with OCD are violent or criminals. While some intrusive thoughts are violent, such as my own, people with OCD are no more violent towards others than the average person. I’ve never hurt anyone because of an intrusive thought. In fact, intrusive thoughts are often the very opposite of what a person would ever want to do.
Khloe Kardashian is possibly the most famous person with OCD. Despite her actually having the disorder, it’s still mischaracterized on “The Kardashians.” It’s presented as a good thing — she has all her cookies stacked in jars, her fridge is neat and her house is clean; who wouldn’t want that? Well, the show doesn’t get into why she has to perform these compulsions and barely mentions how aggravated and anxious she would become if she weren’t able to. This is a common example of OCD being represented as a “superpower.” Even if you do have compulsions involving cleaning, nobody who has it would refer to it as such.
OCD can be hard to understand for those who don’t have it. The most important thing to remember is to have empathy and compassion. It may seem inconsequential or even funny at times — my siblings thought it was hilarious that I would get so upset that I would cry as a child when they left the kitchen cabinets open and wouldn’t let me close them — but it’s a very serious medical condition that impacts people during their every single waking moment (even in dreams, too). We know that our thoughts and actions are irrational; we don’t need to be reminded. Not everything you see in the media is accurate, and everyone’s intrusive thoughts and compulsions are different. If someone talks to you about their OCD, the only thing you need to do is listen.