Do you know how much it hurts when you make fun of my mental illness?
You’ve downsized my treatment process because of your vocabulary and use of inappropriate speech.
It’s cool to say things like, “My OCD is out of control today!” Right?
Or after you’ve organized your closet you apologize by saying, “Sorry my OCD just kicked in.” That’s even cooler, right?
It’s cool because your intrusive thoughts aren’t the ones saying those things.
Your intrusive thoughts aren’t telling you to close your eyes before passing a stop light, just to avoid from breaking out.
You don’t have to worry about driving, because you don’t have to consistently blink until it feels right, until you can relax as it temporarily diminishes your inner voices.
Your obsessions aren’t distracting you from having a normal conversation with someone.
For as they speak, you don’t have to swallow before they can say certain words.
For as they speak, you aren’t constantly counting;
Counting the words that they just used in a sentence or counting the amount of letters that are in their first name.
You don’t fear going to the bathroom, you don’t look for an escape as you complete rituals that seem to leave you both lifeless and cold.
This is OCD, I have OCD. But, OCD does not define me.
So before you self-diagnose yourself, remember that people are hiding behind a shadow that taunts their deepest irrational fears and beliefs.
We must end the stigma behind mental health with education, advocation, and by monitoring our speech patterns.
It all starts with a conversation and corrective communication.