VOICES FROM THE FRONT LINE
‘Helena’, 24, recalls her days at Upper Secondary School
“If I brushed against someone in the corridor, straightaway I’d feel dirty and scared. The minute I got home I’d throw away those clothes, jump in the shower and scrub. Sometimes until I was raw. It’s better now, but it’s still there. I know how to manage it, but I have to be vigilant.”
‘Mike’, 31, on his childhood and adolescence
“It was like my own mind was torturing me. From the moment I woke up, violent, graphic thoughts and images just kept popping up in my head. I was only 9 when it started. I didn’t dare tell a soul. I was terrified. Of myself. Of what I might do. I hid it all the time. People around me just thought ‘oh, he’s a bit of a perfectionist’. Eventually I was diagnosed at 26, after 17 years. When my therapist first said, “they’re just thoughts, they’re not really you” I wept. I can laugh at the compulsions now and just push them away. But I’m still figuring the best ways to manage it, OCD’s different for everyone.”
‘Åsa’, 26, on her ongoing therapeutic journey
“I was diagnosed with OCD at 21 when I was in hospital receiving treatment for an eating disorder. I was screened and diagnosed with OCD and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). I’d always just thought everyone was as terrified of germs as I was. I’ve tried a few clinical programs for OCD, none have been a total success, and different clinicians tend to focus on one disorder. I’m not a big fan of pharmaceutical treatments, but if there was one that worked for OCD I’d definitely try it.”