Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)It still hasn't been broadcast on ITV+1 nor the ITV Player:
Hi,
I saw it, the worse bit was when one of the presenters stated that she thought ocd was aboiut washing hands ect and the therapist explained about the spectrum of disorders but it came across that ocd was about washing hands ect. I was also disgusted the Eamon Holmes made the comment about another presenter benifiting fronm having hair pulling disoder.
Thank you all for your comment.
There is a huge amount of media lined up for next week with lots of local radio, papers and TV. Once everything has calmed down, we will load clips and cuttings up onto the website so you can see how it has been reported.
Our media volunteer has done a great job helping to get the word out and I am especially impressed by all our brave "media talkers" who agree to put themselves in the public eye to help get our messages across.
In all our media work during OCD Week we aim to make sure that we get over key facts;
1) That OCD is a serious condition - not just a quirk
2) That it is treatable
3) That people often wait a long time to try and get on top of their OCD
4) The OCD Action helpline and website details
We often have to negotiate with various media to make sure that we can get this across and sometimes we don't get what we want. We also sometimes have to turn down opportunities because we think that the issue will not be treated properly.
If anyone out there has any experience in handling media do please get in touch as we are always in need of expert help.
It is sometimes an up-hill struggle but, based on the number of people calling our helpline and going to our website today, we are making progress.
Thank you
Joel
It's good that there's going to be so much coverage by the media but it would be helpful if you could put on the website a list of media coverage that you have arranged so that we're aware of what's on and when and then we won't miss it. It will not only help members but it will mean that we can tell other people to look out for the items or articles.
I thought This Morning made ocd seem rather trivial. Whilst I appreciate it wasn't a very nice thing for this young girl to go through,trich must be devastating. It didn't depict ocd as the life consuming condition that it is. I spend hours a day helping my daughter dress, wash, choose food, change her contact lens even rationing toilet paper! I wish it had been stressed that this was not the extent to which ocd can effect someone. I hope noone I know was watching, they would think I was grossly over dramatising my daughters condition!
I didn't get to see the programme but I can understand that the presenters have a difficult task. OCD is immensely complex and it can vary in the severity of it's symptoms from an unwanted nuisance to a life destroying condition. My family have sadly suffered from the latter and I would be willing to tell my story to the media but I am not sure how helpful it would be. There is a danger on the one hand of trivialising OCD and adding to problems of ridicule but if we expose the raw truth at the severe end of the scale we could destroy confidence and hope for future sufferers.
I found the little bit I watched rather unpalatabe with the presenters making jokes about their eyebrows. We all want increased awareness but does this really have to mean voyeuristic type magazines and being the butt end of stupid jokes. Of course we should all be able to laugh at ourselves and others can laugh with us but they should not laugh at us or about us. If they did it with a physical illness or disability the jokes would drop like a lead balloon so why allow OCD to be treated differently.
The one good thing that has come out of the programme is publicity for the support organisations so it has increased awareness of where to get help and there is a useful link to nhs information.
The media volunteer has a difficult task because there is always a price to pay for media coverage to raise awareness and I don't mean financial.
Hi
I didn't watch the TV show, but I have experienced the ridicule or the lack of understanding associated with OCD. Not so much personally, mind, as I still do a fairly good job of hiding it, but I've witnessed it occasionally regarding strangers (on the bus, at work etc). After seeing this, I find anybody willing to publicise themselves for the sake of awareness (I certainly couldn't bring myself to do it), incredibly courageous to say the least.
I agree with the danger of trivialising OCD, but as it is interpreted at the moment, I don't really see how it could possibly get worse. As other people have said, I think it's important that all aspects of OCD are portrayed, including the extremes that come with it, as well as the darker side.
As for it potentially causing despair for new and future sufferers, I agree that it could be a possibility. However, I personally find it disheartening that so many people (especially older people) still struggle to cope with the condition, and I would only know that through forums such as this.
Saying that, I only started going on this website a few days ago, and the amount of support I've seen and received is uncomparable to anything else I know. For example, I was reading the forums last night, and I saw a thread on dark intrusive thoughts with information on it I was unaware of. I honestly thought I knew everything there was to know about OCD (symptom-wise), and it is only recently (through the forum) that I've realised otherwise.
It has been a great help to me, despite the finding out of the severity of the condion, and I believe the more media coverage, including the negative impact it may bring, will be ultimately beneficial to future sufferers - providing of course, as has been said, that the support links etc., and the knowing that it's treatable, is prevalent throughout.
Mike
Unregistered
I have watched several OCD features on ‘This Morning’ (Not this latest one, though) and most have seemed to trivialize it. I do recall a lady speaking about a fear of harming her children (on that programme) and this was taken much more seriously. It was also a positive story, because this lady responded very well to medication.
Tess, I do think the worst side of OCD has to be discussed. I agree that it could make some people feel despondent and therefore such stories must be balanced with the more positive side also being discussed. However, as you and I have said, if the most painful and debilitating side is avoided, many with OCD, and their families, will continue to think this is trivial and easily treatable. Even those who are suffering very badly, may believe that they are somehow personally failing to cope with a condition that should not be difficult to live with. I know from experience, and from listening to others, that the worst thing on top of having OCD, is to be made to feel that we are not trying hard enough or are too weak to deal with ‘a few intrusive thoughts‘.
We have heard of doctors who trivialize OCD. We read about people’s unfortunate experiences on the forum. It seems incredible that in these so-called enlightened times, even some professionals think OCD is of little consequence.
We would not dream of shielding people from the possibility of certain physical illnesses being devastating, and even terminal. Again, there always needs to be a balance and hope offered.
There is no other condition, in my opinion, that is viewed so lightly by the majority of society.
Unregistered
P.S. I also feel that to make out it’s treatable in all cases is wrong and gives false hope. The percentage which does not respond to CBT or medication is again left feeling like a total failure if the wrong impression is given. No responsible doctor would claim that a person’s cancer will always respond to treatment.
Tricia, I agree with you entirely, for some people OCD can be an intolerable burden, it can destroy relationships, it can take every ounce of pleasure out of life and it can even lead to suicide and we should not pretend otherwise.
But it can also be treated with varying degrees of success and the majority of sufferers can have a realistic expectation that their OCD will improve and life will become easier.
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