OCD is not a joke or a personality quirk

The words we use matter.

It's common to hear people say "my OCD made me" or "I'm so OCD" about something - like tidying their space or color coding their belongings or perfecting an art project or rounding off numbers.

But OCD is short for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. And it's a mental illness, not a personality quirk.

"People with OCD might have cleanliness rituals, but they don't enjoy them. They keep things clean and organized because otherwise they will experience crushing anxiety." (Source)

According to Psychology Today, "People with OCD have brain regions that are literally malfunctioning, making it difficult - if not outright impossible - to fight their disorder without treatment."

I am absolutely not an expert in mental illness. But I watched my dad battle OCD my whole life. We felt it every day. I had no idea the extent to which it was destroying him inside, but I did see the way it came out and affected our family. This is serious stuff. OCD literally took my dad's life (Dad's story).

I recently read something that really struck me: What if you said "I'm such a cancer patient" because you feel like staying in bed all day? Or "I'm so anorexic" because you skip dessert after dinner?

That would be incredibly inappropriate - and inaccurate. And for people who suffer from these things, it could be very hurtful to minimize their illness like that.

PLEASE rethink the use of this colloquialism or joke. I know changing the way we talk is hard. But educating ourselves and thinking about the impact of our words and actions is important.

Please realize that saying this hurts people who have this disease and the people who love them. 

Resources:
Help Separate OCD Myths from the Facts - International OCD Foundation
4 Myths About OCD - Psychology Today

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