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Debunking the myths of OCD - Natascha M. Santos
Liking a tidy desk isn't OCD. "Knowing that your own brain is lying to you while not being able to resist its commands can be agonizing."
Who it's for
The lesson is built as three myths, so it directly dismantles the 'I'm so OCD' jokes that can make people with the condition feel their suffering is trivialised.
Feelings it meets
What it is
An animated TED-Ed lesson written by Dr. Natascha M. Santos and narrated by Addison Anderson. It separates obsessive-compulsive disorder from everyday tidiness or planning and works through three common myths: that repetitive behaviour alone means OCD, that OCD is mainly about hand-washing, and that people with OCD do not realise their thoughts are irrational.
Where to find it
YouTube, TED-Ed channel (free). Also on ed.ted.com and TED.com, with a transcript on TED.com.
Before you start
Heads up: Mentions intrusive thoughts of harm.
Age: Ages 12+
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2
Also for ocd
Is Fred in the Refrigerator? Taming OCD and Reclaiming My LifeBook · 2018
Not as Crazy as I SeemBook · 2003
The AviatorFilm · 2004
OCD: The War InsideDocumentary · 2001
Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong AnywhereBook · 2023
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13BBook · 2013