rocd.co.uk

Looking through the stats on my blog I noticed that the biggest (by far) read blog with a few thousands reads is the one where I am being very specific about the crazy symptoms that I have had to deal with with ROCD. Being Specific Photo by  Annie Spratt  on  Unsplash Obviously when most people hear “OCD,” they picture handwashing, neat desks, or someone who really loves a checklist. (Annoying!) Obsessive–compulsive disorder is less about being tidy and more about being trapped in your own head — stuck with thoughts you didn’t choose, don’t agree with, and can’t seem to shut off. Some of the most painful OCD themes are also the least talked about, which makes them feel terrifyingly isolating. I should know I felt isolated for years when I first started getting ROCD symptoms as all the Doctors just told me was to snap out of it. I remember one Dr actually being angry with me and told me to go home and stop being a pain!  So it wasn't until the late 2000s that ROCD was...

This is something I spent years and years wondering about. In fact it took me about 10 years to stop looking for reasons for 'why me!' OCD can feel so specific and personal that it’s easy to assume there must be one clear reason it shows up. In my case it developed hard and fast when I had a particularly horrible breakup from a bad relationship. But the truth is a little messier — and actually, a little more comforting. There isn’t one single cause of OCD. Yes that's what the boffins are saying and I reckon they know they must know a thing or two!  Photo by Nick Fewings   Most researchers now believe OCD happens when a few different things overlap: how someone’s brain is wired, their natural temperament, and what they’ve been through in life. Some people are born with a higher risk. OCD tends to run in families, and certain genes seem to affect how the brain handles fear, uncertainty, and habits. That doesn’t mean OCD is inevitable — just that some brains are more sensitive...