OCD on This Morning...

[Gemzi3]

Hi all,

Gotta be honest, am slightly annoyed.

I was watching This Morning today on ITV, and basically there was a brilliant guy on it who was explaining is OCD symptoms and hes been brave going on the programme and that was fine.

His OCD was very much around touching doors in a certain way, counting things in his head, quite symmetry like.

Then that Dr Chris came on and explained OCD symptoms about if you check things alot, etc

Then they were going on about how celebrities have OCD and David Beckham puts his magazines in a certain way...

I got kinna ******, I appreciate that guys OCD but they didnt explain anything about other types of OCD which is fuelling the assumption that OCD is washings hands, counting rituals etc

What about sexual thoughts involving people, thoughts of harming yourself or other people, thoughts of past memories and twisiting things?

I dunno, I guess I got annoyed because when I heard that was comming on, I was hoping they might have explained a bit about how OCD isnt always that way.

Am I making any sense or does anyone see where I'm comming from?

Sorry for the ramble.

Gem x

[Guest saltwaterb]

I definately think you're right about that. ALL kinds of OCD should be given some airtime. The true, wide-ranging types of symptoms should be at least mentioned, otherwise it will continue to be under-diagnosed.

I would have noticed my OCD much sooner had I known about the intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions, but most media mentions only look at the contamination and checking aspects.

[Gemzi3]

Yea exactly, dont get me wrong, I'm not for one minute saying that people who suffer alot from that type of OCD have it any easier, not at all, but it would be nice if the media would show that OCD can cause horrible horrible intrusive thoughts.

I didnt understand what was wrong with me, then I read online about OCD and I found this site, and I finally read that people were going through the same thing as me.

It just really annoyed me

[Guest legend]

I hear you gem, and this is why ocduk did an awareness week this year to help people get a better idea of what ocd really is, and that its not just

about checking/contam and that there are other "flavours" of ocd.

Sadly in the most sexual type of ocd is rarely discussed on the media, i suppose for the fears of mis-interpretation but unless people go forwards then

its not going to be made more aware.

I did a talk for ocduk about sexual thoughts, it was very hard to do, but afterwards i was very pleased with the outcome ( the talk is in audio to listen to on the

awareness page link)

[Gemzi3]

Oh really legend?

I'll definetly have a listen tonight

Yea i hear what your saying, the media would be scared to discuss issues like that, but thats exactly the problem because they are then making it a sort of taboo issue, when in reality, there are lawyers, doctors, teachers , people from all walks of life experiencing intrusive thoughts such as these( and more ) and they think that they are horrible people ( as I once did, and sometimes still do sadly )

[Guest legend]

I dont think it would be misinterpretated .... sorry wrong wording .. i think that its a difficult subject to talk about on camera , for me it was, because my

kids are still younger, and i felt that it was the wrong time to talk about it . .

We strive to educate and raise awareness, ocduk have and continue to make steps in the right direction but as you said in your original post, one wishes

that when ocd is aired on tv that its given a "wider angle" rather than the normal discussed issues/problems

legend

[jampot]

I was a bit supprised that the video on the four steps on here did not mention about the obbsesional thoughts like the ones pure o people suffer from???

The dr just talked about the people who wash there hands,and checking,counting....

[Guest Abs]

I totally agree with you. If they are not prepared to talk about ocd in it's worst forms, how are people supposed to know to go and see someone? He made a very good point though, if you tell anyone that you have ocd, the usual response is "do you clean alot?" Thats even what my GP said to me.

I'm glad you bought this up.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Abs

[Gemzi3]

I suffer from terrible OCD thats affecting my life and happiness...........my bedroom is an absolute tip

I agree with the above, able not go into detail, I understand that could distress the average tv watcher, but just to mabye specify that OCD is a much "wider angle" or a "wider sprectrum" that what the "general" public may assume.

It made me worry abit actually , do I have OCD? Why do I have these obsessive thoughts? Why didnt the Doctor mention that part?

[Guest Elle Belle]

I wholeheartedly concur with all of this thread. I didn't see This Morning today (I almost never do as I work)

Interestingly, they had a man on This Morning a few weeks ago (I was working from home), who was talking about how he'd been really terrified of being around his baby girl because he thought he would physically hurt her - I can't remember now in what way - but it was violent things such as throwing her out of the window. He was explaining it in a similar way to how OCD is explained, saying that counselling had taught him that they're 'just thoughts'. Their headline for it was 'male post natal depression' but I thought it sounded like OCD. I emailed them about it. I have no idea if my email got read out (probably not, but like I say I don't really watch it) and suggested they did a piece on OCD (I outlined some other types of intrusive thought) so when you read this I thought 'oooooh maybe they actually did do a feature about ALL the types of OCD', but obviously not!

Elle

xxx

Edited December 6, 2011 by Elle Belle

[Guest legend]

Well done matey ..., and yes men do also suffer from post natal as well !!!

So I'm glad they raised that as well as the intrusive thoughts he suffered from

Edited December 6, 2011 by legend

[Guest mummywithocd]

Hi there

I saw the This Morning Special on ocd as well and I firstly want to say hats off to the guy suffering from ocd who was on theshow. It takes such guts and bravery to share one´s story.

I was however really disappointed with the doctor´s explanation of ocd.He seemed to skip over the anxiety and distress part of he illness. And, yes I was really disappointed with the reference to David Beckham and him having to have his magazines in a neat line and all that....he could have at least added that not having the magazines in a straight and orderly line caused David Beckham enormous distress and anxiety so much sso that he had to continuously check their symmatry and exactness...but he didn´t. These programs really should have an expert in the field of ocd there on the couch rather than good old Dr. Steele.

[Guest orange socks]

Hi all,

Gotta be honest, am slightly annoyed.

I was watching This Morning today on ITV, and basically there was a brilliant guy on it who was explaining is OCD symptoms and hes been brave going on the programme and that was fine.

His OCD was very much around touching doors in a certain way, counting things in his head, quite symmetry like.

Then that Dr Chris came on and explained OCD symptoms about if you check things alot, etc

Then they were going on about how celebrities have OCD and David Beckham puts his magazines in a certain way...

I got kinna ******, I appreciate that guys OCD but they didnt explain anything about other types of OCD which is fuelling the assumption that OCD is washings hands, counting rituals etc

What about sexual thoughts involving people, thoughts of harming yourself or other people, thoughts of past memories and twisiting things?

I dunno, I guess I got annoyed because when I heard that was comming on, I was hoping they might have explained a bit about how OCD isnt always that way.

Am I making any sense or does anyone see where I'm comming from?

Sorry for the ramble.

Gem x

gem why dont you contact the show and offer to go on and talk about your ocd - only by doing that will that side of ocd get covered .

we have to be prepaired to get the message out there ourselves ....because if we dont who will ?

in defence of the 'this morning'' they have been fab at covering ocd over the years - i have been on the show twice myself...... so i feel sure that if you contact them they would willingly allow you to go on to talk about your ocd ......

go for it girl .....you can do it x

Edited December 6, 2011 by orange socks

[Gemzi3]

Oh wow that's really interesting orange,

When did u go on? Did you cover more aspects of OCD?

[Guest orange socks]

i went on in 2006 and also the third week of april 2010 . in 2006 i had a film crew follow me round in my day to day life cause my ocd was taking 19 hrs a day and i had slept in my car for 2 years on the front seat.

in 2010 i was on again cause the worry from the ocd had given me a heart attack - so it was a follow up and also cause i was running the london marathon that weekend.

my ocd was mainly checking and horrendous intrusive thoughts along the lines of me thinking i was killing my family and dogs etc.

if you contact them via their website hun i am sure they will let you on to talk about other forms of ocd.

they actually contacted me on both occassions - but i am sure that if you contact them - its certainly an area of ocd that could use more coverage - if you like i will go on with you to support you. i absolutely promise to go on with you . let me know what you think and we can work out together how to best contact them x

Edited December 7, 2011 by orange socks

[Ashley]

I think if someone was to appear on a TV show, it would be better if an official charity representative was to work with that individual to help brief them on what to expect and guide them as a chaperone if need be. In the past, certain media organisations have taken advantage of media participants, and our role would be to ensure that did not happen.

If anybody would like to share their OCD story, then if you come to me, we can make that happen for you, but in a way to protect the individual without being blinded by the need to appear on TV.

[Guest orange socks]

ashley do you want my contact name and numbers for the show just in case ?

always willing to help in a supportive role for the charity too loads of time on my hands !

[Guest LucyS]

Ooh Orange Socks, I remember seeing you on This Morning - after your heart attack - I can clearly remember it because I was so relieved to see someone on the TV 'like me'. Well done for being brave and going on there, it must have taken alot of courage. xxx

[Guest orange socks]

aww thank you

it wasnt too scary . Eamon and ruth and the team there were so nice it was just like chatting in someones living room to be honest .

running the marathon a couple of days later wasnt quite as comfortable though :lol:

doing it again in april - who knows why???

thank you for your lovely comments though - means a lot xx

Edited December 12, 2011 by orange socks

[Guest LucyS]

I'd struggle running to the end of the drive, so take my hat off to you, well done! You're a glutton for punishment though lol, was once not enough? hehe.

[Guest orange socks]

aww its an amazing experience ....honestly. you dont even notice your running - its just like a massive carnival. if you ever get the chance to do it take it xx