Jayden Helberg, a ten-year-old filmmaker, is sharing his short film about OCD, which he originally created for a competition at school.
“My school was doing a reflections competition and the theme was show your voice and I wanted to share my voice about what it’s like to have OCD so my classmates and other people would know what it is,” Jayden said.
Jayden hopes that by sharing his experience he can help others.
“I shared my experiences I went through because I thought others could see how I fought my OCD and that they might know what to do. I thought making my video could help other kids with OCD feel like someone knew what they felt too,” Jayden said.
The video took about two weeks to make and went through several edits. “I even redid a few segments until it was the best I could make it,” Jayden said.
To create the video, Jayden used his iPad, a green screen and some Lego characters. “I also did some research so I could tell people correct information about OCD,” Jayden added.
“I hope people would see my video because I worked really hard on it and wanted people to learn about what it’s like to be a kid with OCD,” Jayden said.
When asked why it was important for him to share the video, Jayden said he hopes not only to educate but to show people what they are capable of.
“I wanted to show that I overcame some really hard and scary things and that other people can also do hard things. Or that they can learn that people with OCD do really hard and scary things sometimes to get better,” Jayden said.
Jayden’s mom, Kjersti, has been blown away seeing her young son advocate.
“I just think it’s so neat because when we found out he had OCD I didn’t know what it was,” Kjersti said. “Just knowing that he is just this ten-year-old kid who wants to share with people what it’s like… it makes me emotional because I just think it is so cool that he is advocating for something that is so misunderstood at such a young age.”
“Jayden is a really wonderful kid and he at a really young age has had to do some really hard stuff that I wish him and other kids didn't have to go through. I’m in awe of all these kids fighting OCD and just all the things they do,” Kjersti expanded.
Through Jayden’s courage, Kjersti was also able to discover her own OCD diagnosis.
“I found out I have OCD because of Jayden’s diagnosis. And that has been just life-changing for me,” Kjersti said. “So even though I wish he didn’t have OCD I’m so grateful to him for everything he did in being willing to fight it and go into treatment as such a young kid because that took a lot of courage for him and because of that I was able to get a diagnosis which has changed my life. That’s been pretty cool. He’s like my hero in a way,” Kjersti said.
“I just think I think it’s important to advocate for OCD but the fact that he has jumped on this bandwagon… I’m just so proud of him,” Kjersti explained. “I think it’s important to talk about mental illness and he talks about it with his friends and his peers and he’s just making a difference and I don’t know what to say besides I just think it’s so cool and I think kids that have courage to share their story can help so many other kids.”
Kjersti is proud of Jayden, not only for his advocacy in action but also for what he’s accomplished in the personal recovery process.
“He took fighting OCD head-on as a 7-year-old and he did a lot of really hard exposures for many different themes. Three years down the road he has grown so much! When he said he wanted to show that people with OCD do some really hard and scary things to get better he was not joking!” Kjersti said. “Like other kids with OCD, he has had to show more courage fighting it at his age than we ever expected. He has proved that we are capable of doing really hard things, and when we do, we can grow and be happier!”
I have OCD too. Thank you for the helpful advice. I’m 10 too and my name is Wyatt. How did you touch barf?! I can’t, that is impossible for me. Nice job fighting OCD!
Hi. Wyatt! It was gross and so hard. It took a long time to actually do it. First I had to be in the same room with it, then let it be by me, then touch it, and finally stick my hand in it! It took almost 2 months!
Jayden, you are an amazing and brave kid wanting to help others and reveal your struggles. Your video is so clever and colorful. I will share with others your creative talent and hope it gives inspiration and strength to others, both young and old who are living with OCD.