Hello, I am aware I have been away from my blog – typical me to go away right on the time I was supposed to be a doing a series of “Let’s Talk….” which will continue by the way!! I just have had a lot going on, more than usual and things have been a mix between good busy and okayish busy. So apologies for that – however I do always tell other bloggers that it is okay to take time out of blogging. Your posts are not as meaningful if it feels like a chore to write them.

Anyway, I am back and unfortunately I did not want to come back with a bit of a ranty post but if I am totally honest I could have written about this over and over, time and time again. So might as well get it out there now.

Many OCD sufferers will know that one of the most frustrating things that can be said to them by another person is “Oh yeah, I am a bit OCD too.” NO YOU ARE NOT. Fact.
The ‘D’ in OCD stands for DISORDER. You cannot have just “a bit” of a disorder – you either have it or you don’t. Whilst I fully appreciate that perhaps many people could have traits of wanting to have things in a nice perfect order, or having the house looking like Marie Kondo lives with you or having to check a lock several times etc. unless it is done because of obsessive thoughts FORCING you to carry out a compulsion “or else” and by doing so absolutely drains the life out of you as well as causing the most severe kind of distress and emotions which is mentally exhausting on a DAILY basis may I add. Then no you are not JUST A BIT OCD.

So to hear someone who works in a doctors (but not a doctor) tell ME that they are “a bit OCD” because she likes to have the tins in her cupboard organised is really not okay. These words can be extremely damaging to those who suffer with OCD. Immediately I lost all respect and trust I had in her and zoned out of the conversation instantly. Not only that but if you LIKE to have it done in a set way that is also NOT OCD. I do not LIKE anything I have to do because of OCD. That would be like me saying I like to tap the spoon on the cups 32 times when making a drink, when in actual fact I HAVE to tap the spoon 32 taps so that I won’t get my head severed or something equally as brutal.

So please just think before you say something as it might appear to be just a comment to you but to others it can be damaging. We are working really hard to reduce the stigma surrounding OCD and it will be an absolute blessing when it is recognised correctly and not misused.