This author has asked to remain anonymous My heart ached when I heard the report of the school shooting in Florida last month. As the horrific images appeared on my television screen, my mind flashed back to my twelve-year-old self when I was glued to the news coverage of the 1999 Columbine school shooting. My… Read more »
This author has asked to remain anonymous The signs of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) began showing in our son at an early age. When he was 7, he started to exhibit many unusual and unprovoked movements but given he was the eldest child, our general knowledge of middle childhood behaviors was lacking. We began to… Read more »
By Alex R. I have recently been diagnosed with severe pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). When I suffered from my OCD symptoms, I hated my life. I was not able to do simple tasks – such as walking from my bedroom to the kitchen, brushing my teeth, or eating and… Read more »
This author has asked to remain anonymous My OCD symptoms started in 2014 when I was eight years old. First I was having trouble parting my hair and getting it perfect. Then it was about my negative mindset. I saw many doctors at that time but I could not find one who I thought understood… Read more »
Written by Darla Knopp This story is part of our blog series called “Stories from the OCD Community.” Stories from the community are submitted and edited by Toni Palombi. If you are interested in sharing your story you can view submission details at www.iocdf.org/ocd-stories. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a term that can sometimes be easily… Read more »
Tips for Helping Loved Ones Struggling With OCD 1. Your Child is Not Trying to be Difficult: It can be almost as stressful for parents and siblings of kids suffering from OCD as it is for the kids themselves! Children who are still resisting treatment or whose symptoms are upsetting the family’s routines are not… Read more »
Today’s blog is by Ryan, age 12, a 7th grader in New Jersey who wanted to share her experiences of living with OCD. Thank you to Ryan for sharing her story! When I was first diagnosed with OCD at the very end of 2015, I was, to be honest, shocked. My struggles were nothing like… Read more »
Did you know that this year is the IOCDF’s 30th anniversary? In November 1986, a small group of advocates gathered together to start a non-profit to help all of those affected by OCD and related disorders. This year, we celebrate 30 years and we have all of you to thank for your continued support! In… Read more »
Today’s entry comes from Josh Steinberg, a high school sophomore who was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and severe OCD in 2012. Josh found help with a therapist using ERP and is doing great. Now, Josh has decided to share his story with other teens affected by OCD. Josh will be presenting a talk in… Read more »
All week on the blog, we’ve been sharing different voices of advocacy for OCD Awareness Week. Today’s voice is that of Cathy, a mother of a young woman with OCD. Cathy wanted to tell her story in case it helps other families going through these same challenges, and I wanted to share this story because… Read more »