In the recent documentary film, “Living With Me and My OCD,” Clair Watkinson, attempts to spread awareness about the many stigmas and misconceptions that surround obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Drawing on her own long-standing struggle with OCD, Clair began working on the documentary in 2012, with the goal of improving the general public’s understanding of what OCD really is (and what it isn’t) and the hopes of portraying what it is really like to suffer from OCD thoughts. Throughout the documentary, Clair accomplishes this both by sharing her own personal struggles with OCD, as well through a series of interviews with other OCD sufferers from around the world.
In each of the interviews that she conducts, Clair asks suffers to discuss some of the OCD misconceptions and stigmas that they have encountered. Their answers demonstrate the gross lack of awareness about OCD, with many sharing common stigmas such as being labelled a “neat freak” or “hand-washer.” As Clair continues with each interview, we are able to understand how frustrating and hurtful these labels can be to those with OCD. We are also able to see how diverse and non-discriminating the disorder is. Clair interviews people of varying ages, races, and nationalities — each deeply impacted in their own way by OCD. And while they all share the difficulties of living with OCD, several of those interviewed also share messages of hope. Many of the sufferers, including Clair herself, are taking steps forward in treatment and learning to live better lives with OCD.
In addition to interviewing OCD sufferers, Clair speaks with some of the leading organizations that are working to increase awareness and education around OCD. The documentary includes an interview with the Executive Director of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), Jeff Szymanski, PhD, who explains IOCDF’s “Dare to Believe” campaign. This campaign encouraged the OCD community to submit their own creative work and messages of hope during the 2012 OCD Awareness Week. Clair attended the Dare to Believe event in 2012, at which time she submitted her trailer for what would become “Living With Me and My OCD,” and was the recipient of our “Dare to Believe” video award.
We are very thankful to have had the opportunity to meet Clair back in 2012, and to now — five years later — be able to help her share this important film. Through “Living With Me and My OCD,” Clair is continuing to spread her message of hope and helping to end the stigma around OCD.
You can view “Living With Me and My OCD,” on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N13Bq3JXVuA&feature=youtu.be.
This is an excellent documentary on what is (and what is not) OCD. It shows the many forms and contents that OCD can take making it a very heterogenous disorder which can easily evade professionals too. Accurate diagnosis and specialist treatment makes all the difference. Watch!