OCD Awareness Week
October 13 – 19, 2024
OCD Awareness Week (#OCDweek) is a worldwide event that serves to dispel myths about obsessive compulsive disorder, break the stigma around mental illness, and provide education about the disorder and how to support those affected. For the over 200 million people worldwide living with OCD, public misconception can prevent them from accessing the timely, effective treatment they need to move from suffering to thriving. This #OCDweek, whether you share facts, tell your own story, or otherwise support OCD Awareness Week, you are making a powerful difference.
Educate Yourself
OCD is a debilitating mental disorder that affects 1 in 40 adults in their lifetime and 1 in 100 children but is often overlooked and belittled as a personality quirk or choice. In reality, OCD is a very real disorder that affects people of all ages and walks of life.
Access Resources
Do you think you might have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)? Use our OCD screening tool to help determine if you (or a loved one) are experiencing OCD symptoms. Its confidential, quick, and free!
Spread the word with the media
You can make a difference by spreading the word about OCD Awareness Week and the realities of living with OCD to your local media. We've created a one-stop Media Center for our advocates, making sending media information and resources via email as simple as possible.
The Media Center has pre-written (and customizable!) emails for you to use and a full directory of media outlets in your area — all you have to do is enter your zip code.
Contact elected officials about the issues
This #OCDweek, educate yourself on the latest information about bills in the US Congress that support the needs of the OCD and related disorders community. Your representatives and senators are considering these changes to public policy, and they need to hear from you about why they are so critical.
Make a difference by contacting your local officials about the issues important to you!
Shareable OCD Facts
Share the graphics on your social media using the hashtag #OCDweek and tagging @iocdf to help dispel public misconceptions about OCD! Click to open the graphics below and then right-click and Save Image As to download.
Make sure to follow us on social media and tag @iocdf when sharing graphics and facts about OCD.
Join an #OCDweek livestream
The IOCDF hosts a variety of livestreams weekly that are free and open to the public. Some livestreams are centered around a specific topic, while others act as an open forum for questions with experts and leaders in the OCD community.
We are hosting a few special OCD Awareness Week livestreams and invite everyone to participate. Save the dates by adding them to your calendar!
Town Hall: Advocating Authentically in Unexpected Places
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 @ 7pm ET (4pm PT)
Join us for an exciting Town Hall exploring how to advocate for OCD awareness in spaces where these conversations are least expected.
This Town Hall will feature inspiring stories and practical strategies from individuals who have successfully brought the message of OCD advocacy to unconventional settings, be it in their workplace, social circles, or unique community environments.
Whether you're an individual with lived experience, a family member, or an advocate, you'll gain valuable tools and inspiration to champion the cause in unexpected spaces.
Ask the Experts: Expertise and Advocacy with Kim Quinlan
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 @ 12pm ET (9am PT)
Join us for a special Ask the Experts with Kim Quinlan, IOCDF Advocate and world-renowned OCD expert. Kim joins Liz McIngvale, PhD, and Chris Trondsen, LMFT, as they draw from personal and professional experience to answer your questions on this special episode for OCD Awareness Week.
Research Roundtable: Understanding OCD Awareness, Perception, and Stigma
Thursday, October 10, 2024 @ 12pm ET (9am PT)
Join us for a special Research Roundtable focused on OCD Awareness Research. Guests Amita Jassi, PhD, Lorena Fernandez de la Cruz, PhD, Elyse Stewart, PhD, and Uma Chatterjee, MS, MHPS, will join hosts Jon Abramowitz, PhD, and Kyle King for an in-depth discussion on research about how OCD is perceived and understood, levels of awareness within people with lived experience and others, stigma, and more.
Shining a Light for OCD Awareness
Each year during OCD Awareness Week, buildings, bridges, and structures across the nation light up teal for OCD Awareness Week. This lighting campaign helps to bring increased recognition to the realities of OCD and each shining monument serves as a beacon of hope to those impacted and their families and support systems.
See the full list of landmarks lit teal this OCD Awareness Week >>
Find an #OCDweek event near you