By Patrick McGrath, PhD, & Charles Brady, PhD, ABPP This article was initially published in the Spring 2015 edition of the OCD Newsletter. Dr. McGrath is President of OCD Midwest and is the Director of the Center for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. He is a… Read more »
1 Million Steps 4 OCD: Welcome By Denis Asselin
On behalf of International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), I invite you to participate in the 5th Annual 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk. I am amazed and honored to see how much the Walk has grown each year since the flagship Walk in Boston in 2013. As we continue to unite to raise awareness about obsessive… Read more »
#OCDchat Transcript — BDD Q&A, 10/16/14
Live Blog #OCDchat — Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Q&A with Dr. Jamie Feusner & Dr. Fugen Neziroglu
OCD Research Participants Sought
The IOCDF is not affiliated with any of the following studies, although we ensure that all research studies listed on this page have been reviewed and approved by an Internal Review Board (IRB). We do our best to keep this list up-to-date, but please contact the research institutions directly to confirm the status of any… Read more »
Disorders Related to (and sometimes confused with) OCD
Disorders Related to OCD It is important to get the right diagnosis as early as possible. These other disorders are similar to OCD but are not OCD. Some people can have both OCD and one or more of these. Related Disorder How This Disorder “Looks Like” OCD
1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk
2nd Annual 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk
The 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk is an annual grassroots awareness-building and fundraising event to support the work of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) to help individuals with OCD and related disorders live full and productive lives. Our aim is to increase access to effective treatment, end the stigma associated with mental health issues and foster a community for those affected by OCD. The Walk serves to raise vital funds for IOCDF programs, while also increasing visibility for the Foundation and awareness about OCD and related disorders.
This year, we want to see how many million steps we can walk for OCD awareness -together your support will help raise money for the foundation, and more importantly, raise awareness about OCD and related disorders along the way.
We are pleased to offer several ways for folks to be a part of this important walk!
WALK in Boston
The flagship 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk in Boston occurs on Saturday, June 7, 2014. Members of the OCD community, including friends, family members, professionals, kids (and even dogs), will gather at Jamaica Pond in Boston to meet others in the OCD community, raise awareness about OCD and related disorders, and raise funds to help support the programming and resources of the IOCDF. Last year, more than 300 participants raised $75,000 and walked 8.3 million steps in Boston and in their own communities all over the country. If you live in New England and would like to attend the Boston walk, click here.
WALK in Sacramento, CA
Together with OCD Sacramento, an affiliate of the IOCDF, we are hosting the 1st Annual 1 Million 4 OCD Walk on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at Southside Park in Downtown Sacramento. The proceeds of the Sacramento walk will benefit the work of OCD Sacramento and the IOCDF. If you live in the Sacramento area and would like to join with other members of your community and walk in Sacramento, click here.
WALK in Your Community
If you are not able to attend the Boston or Sacramento Walks, we invite you to join our “virtual walk” and pledge to walk 1000, 5000, or even 1 million steps in your community. You can walk a few miles each day leading up June 7th, or you can plan to do all of your walking on one day, and invite your friends and family to come along — it’s up to you. The virtual walk will culminate with our walk in Boston on June 7th, 2014. If you want to be a virtual walker, click here.
Our Inspiration
In 2012, Denis Asselin walked over 500 miles — or roughly one million steps — from his home in Cheyney, PA, to Boston, MA, in memory of his son Nathaniel. Nathaniel took his own life at just 24, after a long struggle with severe body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and OCD. After Nathaniel’s death, Denis decided to embark on a pilgrimage to honor Nathaniel and to raise awareness about the disorder that stole his young son’s life. On June 5, 2012, Denis completed his walk in Boston, and was greeted by staff of the International OCD Foundation, as well as friends, family, and members of the OCD community at a rally honoring Denis and supporting OCD and BDD awareness. To carry on this tradition, the 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk was created the following year in the same spirit of raising awareness, funds, and hope. It is in this spirit of hope that we invite you to join us.
Let’s see how many million steps we can collectively take for OCD if we all work together!
1 in 100 people in the US are living with OCD. And many of those people don’t have access to effective treatment. Help us change that. Take a step and be part of #1million4OCD.
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