New Channel 4 series "Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners"

[Guest sarah1984]

Saw a trailer for this series last night http://www.channel4.com/programmes/obsessive-compulsive-cleaners which made me very angry. The gist of the programme is to pair up someone who lives in squalor with someone who is fastidious about cleanliness to get them to clean their homes. I'm not sure whether the "clean" people are actual contamination OCD sufferers or non-sufferers who would describe themselves as " a little bit OCD" about cleanliness but I thought the title and the concept of the series is pretty tasteless. Again, it reinforces the stereotype that all OCD sufferers are obsessive cleaners. I did see one participant repeatedly flicking a light switch on and off while counting to 10 so the "clean" participants might well be OCD sufferers. I wondered whether OCD UK were aware of this series and I would be interested to hear what they think about it. From the programme website, there is a link to OCD support sites - OCD Action is listed but not OCD UK. I enjoyed watching some of the programmes from the controversially titled "4 Goes Mad" season last year but this new series seems to undo all the good work that season did to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. I'm guessing that viewers are encouraged to gawp and laugh at the "clean" participants as much as the "dirty" ones.

Not a happy bunny

Sarah

[Ashley]

Yes I am aware Sarah, this is partly why I started a thread in the main OCD forum on Monday because I was trying to establish if my views on 'cleaning OCD' were what others felt, or not. It seems others shared the same view as me, so we took action.

I was asked by the ch4 viewers team Friday for our contact details for the webpage you mention above, which we provided, but we seem to have been omitted or removed which I find interesting. Since then I had looked up for more information about this programme over the weekend and I found another webpage, which is different to the one you found above. I spent hours Monday calling and emailing the production company and ch4, and I have spoken at length to the disability advisor for ch4, who did not seem to take in our concerns.

We have a statement prepared since Monday, which was written by myself, my chair and vice-chair, but I was waiting for ch4 to come back to me before we publish the statement. I wanted to give them a fair chance to respond. I spoke at length to them Monday evening, I emailed he disability advisor again yesterday, and ch4 press office again today. I am told they are preparing a response to my email.

Our statement is pretty much along the lines you mention Sarah.

[Guest OCD-UK RSS]

OCD-UK today remain extremely disappointed that, despite our lengthy discussions with them, Channel 4 are continuing with their plans to broadcast a series of programmes which falsely gives the impression that people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder somehow gain pleasure from their compulsive cleaning. We feel that this not only trivialises the severity of those that suffer with contamination obsessive fears, but also adds further to the misconception that OCD is primarily about cleaning compulsions. This misrepresentation about what OCD is all about can only lead to increased stigma for those that suffer.

Next week (13th Feb, 9pm), Channel 4 launch the first of a six part series called Obsessive-Compulsive Cleaners, which follows a lady, that the channel 4 programme describe to be obsessed with cleaning so much that she setup an agency to recruit what the programme call 'Compulsive Cleaners'. The programme description goes on to suggest that people with OCD that are compulsive cleaners have a special set of skills and a gift for cleaning that could change the habits of the nation, and in the programme Linda Dykes, sets out to recruit an army of obsessive compulsive cleaners to help clean Britain's dirty homes and filthy public spaces.

Whilst we are yet to see the programme, despite a request to do so, we are incredibly concerned that the title and emphasis of the programme might add to the wholly inaccurate and false stereotype that OCD is purely about people that clean. In fact, the direct opposite is true, the NICE guidelines for OCD suggest one study showed that only 26.5% of people with OCD actually have cleaning compulsions, and that figure goes down further in other parts of the world. In fact, people with OCD that do have contamination/cleaning issues find it incredibly disabling and actually get no pleasure what-so-ever from their compulsive rituals.

The notion that people with OCD get 'Monica from Friends' style enjoyable pleasure from cleaning is a totally inaccurate portrayal of OCD. Our own Chief Executive, Ashley Fulwood sufferers with contamination OCD, and told us "I and perhaps others with similar OCD fears totally bust the myth that we are all ‘neat freaks’, I live like a typical single bloke, a slob like kitchen and bathroom, my bathroom is sometimes disgusting with soap scum everywhere from over-washing myself. Not only that, I also detested the washing and cleaning I did when the OCD strikes, I would get no pleasure from it, and I just wanted to stop, but the OCD forced me to continue. So to suggest there is any sort of pleasure for people with OCD from cleaning is a misconception that must be challenged. From the programmes point of view a question I would like to ask an OCD specialist is if people who find cleaning so pleasurable would even get a diagnosis of OCD anyway?"

OCD-UK very much believe that language used by the media can be positive or negative in changing misconceptions about OCD, and any programme which features people with OCD involved in cleaning, and uses the language ‘Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners’, ‘Obsessive Cleaners’ or ‘Compulsive Cleaners’ will inadvertently or maybe intentionally have the connotation, that this programme is all about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

At a time when charities like OCD-UK work so hard each October to raise awareness and change perceptions during OCD Awareness Week, (and throughout the year infact), programmes like this may well set our awareness efforts back considerably by incorrectly adding to false stereo-types about OCD, and also to add further stigma to those that suffer with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

At the time of writing, the production company Betty TV have failed to discuss our concerns with us, despite a phone call and email being sent on Monday, their only response was to tell us to contact Channel 4. We have spoken to a disability consultant for Channel 4 on Monday, and again via email on Tuesday when we urged them to reconsider the wording used on their website, and the title of the programme which they have refused to do.

Ashley went on to comment "This also somewhat brings into question Channel's desire to truly honour the Time to Change anti-stigma pledge that they signed last July, in which they became the first British broadcaster to pledge to tackle mental health stigma. If they're broadcasting programmes that could add to the stigma that people with OCD face, even after we have highlighted the possibility to them, then yes, they may have signed the pledge as an employer to challenge the discrimination and prejudice that their employees with mental health problems may face, but doing the opposite with their programmes is rather hypocritical."

OCD-UK feel that this type of programme is likely to lead to an upsurge in the trivialisation of OCD further with more cleaning companies using OCD in their marketing. We are already aware of several cleaning services using OCD in their marketing, which we condemn because for many thousands of people the impact of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can lead to utter devastation.

We now await viewing of the programmes, and we hope that our fears are unfounded. We have informed Channel 4 that we will be making a formal complaint directly and via Ofcom should the programmes indeed add to misconceptions and stigma, when prior to broadcast they had opportunity to change following those concerns being highlighted to them.

View the article on the OCD-UK website

[Northern Star]

Utterly disgraceful.

Is OCD so "entertaining" when a young woman attempts to take her own life because she can no longer bear to spend hours every day cleaning?

Is OCD so "entertaining" when a young woman believes that she is a danger to other people due to her thoughts that she might be a paedophile, despite the only person she has ever hurt being herself?

Is OCD so "entertaining" when hundreds thousands millions of sufferers endure hell on a daily basis simply to try to survive? When every move and thought is analysed? When every situation seems fraught with danger? When their lives are destroyed by this hellish condition?

I hope to goodness that this series is not as bad as the title would suggest, but C4 does not have the best track record when it comes to mental health. I remember at the age of 15 being convinced I was the only person in the world with these thoughts; I know that there are bound to people who are suffering similarly; I just hope that this godawful title and potential voyeurism does not put them off seeking help or, worse, push them over the edge.

PS that is an excellent press release, really well-written

[Guest Annabel]

Everybody thinks they are 'a bit ocd' apart from sufferers who know what this illness really is.

Sometimes I wish no-one knew about OCD because of the ill-fitting stereotyped connotations it brings up for most people. Suffering from a painful, chronic, disabling mental illness is bad enough, seeing it trivialized all the time is just adding insult to injury.

I hope the programme shows someone get stuck in the shower for hours with chemical burns on their hands from using industrial cleaning products to sanitize their skin.

OCD eats away at your time, finances, family, work and social life. No-one with true contamination OCD would be able to clean (and enjoy cleaning) someone else's house, even venturing into one would be a huge ERP exercise.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Annabel

[Guest legend]

nothing surprises me anymore . 4 steps forwards 10 back

Edited February 6, 2013 by legend

[felix4]

Out of interest, who is the author of this RSS feed post/article?

[Guest Charlotte]

I'm really shocked to be honest - I thought that last year's 4 Goes Mad season was sensitively handled and now they throw this out.

Out of interest, who is the author of this RSS feed post/article?

Felix - I imagine that the trustees put it together.

[Mel1971]

this is Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) - my mother in law has been diagnosed with it and loves cleaning!!! What are C4 thinking of?

its utterly disgusting that they can get away with this..honestly beyond belief!

Just sent c4 a stinking email explaing the difference between ocd and ocpd, wont do much good but i couldnt sit back and do nothing grrr!!!

Edited February 7, 2013 by Mel1971

[felix4]

To be honest, I am in 2 minds about this, & I guess it really is impossible to comment until after the series has been aired.

Okay, it is not the best wording for a title (I have seen worse, such as cleaning businesses named 'OCD cleaning'), but who knows, it might actually go into depth about the differences between OCD & OCPD (new on me) & raise awareness.

I understand one of the cleaners appears to have previously officially been diagnosed with OCD, & I wonder if they may actually be cleaning a diagnosed hoarders property for example, but I guess we wont know until afterwards.

I just think you have to be careful not to shoot yourself in the foot as it were.

Edited February 7, 2013 by felix4

[Ashley]

I just think you have to be careful not to shoot yourself in the foot as it were.

Indeed, I hope it is an excellent programme and that our concerns are unfounded, I hope our statement does make us look silly, but we have been clear to state we have not viewed it and we feel it might cause additional stigma, and that we hope our fears are unfounded. But even if it is a superb programme about contamination OCD, it still adds to the misconceptions about OCD only being about that.

However the press pack wording and our discussions with the Channel 4 disability advisor did not lend itself to allaying our fears about the way they are talking about OCD as a gift. By her own admission she thought the press pack webpage was misleading about OCD being a gift and needed changing, that was Monday, then yesterday she told me they would not be making any changes. They did not even know about OCPD when I spoke to them Monday! She did say Monday they might change the voiceover to explain that it is not part of OCD being content and happy to clean, so hopefully they have now done that and will explain it clearly.

However, the use of the term 'obsessive compulsive' to me suggests they were hoping the OCD connotation would be made. She also contradicted herself by telling me that the main lady in the programme does not have OCD and it is not about OCD as such, yet the press interviews are touting her as someone with OCD.

Because Sarah and other people had already contacting us about their concerns, I discussed at length with my chair, vice-chair and Prof Salkovskis and we felt we should take a proactive stance and publish our statement in advance to make our concerns known. You asked about the statement, the OCD-UK feed is an automated feed that takes all content from the front page of the main website, that is why the funny characters appear sometimes, because the two websites are on different language formats and I can't change them, although when I change the forum software that will be fixed. This article was written by myself, chair and vice-chair.

Sadly someone showed me a Tweet the lead cleaning lady retweeted last night, which mocked people with OCD. So I am not at all sure this is a sympathetic look at OCD.

I hope we are wrong Felix, I would rather look a bit silly, then see the hard work of every brave soul that has opened up about OCD in public be trivialised. For that reason I truly hope we end up looking silly, worrying about nothing!

[felix4]

However, the use of the term 'obsessive compulsive' to me suggests they were hoping the OCD connotation would be made. She also contradicted herself by telling me that the main lady in the programme does not have OCD and it is not about OCD as such, yet the press interviews are touting her as someone with OCD.

I appreciate what you are saying, but I think the TV guide reviews might be putting their own spin on things here, which differ from Channel 4's release. Unless of course they have since changed this.

[Ashley]

I appreciate what you are saying, but I think the TV guide reviews might be putting their own spin on things here, which differ from Channel 4's release. Unless of course they have since changed this.

Any spin they have added will have been started by the Channel 4 press pack Felix. The OCD misconceptions will clearly be increased because of this programme by the focus on cleaning, but I hope the programme does not trivialise the suffering that contamination OCD brings, so we will have to wait and see next week. Like I said, I do hope our fears are unfounded and I hope by us raising our head above the parapet, they have made the voice-over changes to reflect the clarity about what OCD is and isn't.

[Mel1971]

i agree with you ash thats why i emailed them - the cleaning lady might have ocd but she might have had a different type of ocd and just like cleaning! I hate hate hate the generalization that goes on..really bugs me.

Better to go in hard with a statement at the ready and look daft than do nothing and then condemn it, i do hope it doesnt trivialise the suffering of the very brave ocd sufferers including my child, but i have a horrible feeling it will...

[Ashley]

I have just spoken at length to a lovely lady with OCD who took part in all six programmes. Contrary to being alarmed at our press release, she shares our concerns about the way the programme is being promoted, and about the comments from the main lady being featured. The lady I spoke to said she went into this with the objective to show that you can overcome OCD, as she has done herself for the most part. She is due to see the programmes tomorrow so she will let me know if they have captured the message she wanted to get out there, if not, I have told her we will happily give her a voice through the charity.

[Northern Star]

I am really disliking this programme so far, and it's not even started properly yet! Someone has just described themselves as "being happy to be described as a bit OCD".

Grrr.

This just smacks of "put the loonies in their feared situation and then laugh at the results". This isn't entertainment. I will try to keep watching it but already this seems like some kind of cheap entertainment rather than anything useful to the OCD community.

[Northern Star]

Oh dear. This chap has just said that his ex-wife's family described him as "proper OCD", presumably as an insult.

[Northern Star]

"People with an obsessive need to clean should be put to use".

"I'm told I'm a nutter" (she says seemingly proudly).

This is beyond ****.

[Northern Star]

"I couldn't live like this. I'd be ready for the madhouse".

What are Channel 4 thinking of?

[Northern Star]

"Linda loves cleaning so much that she has made a business of it".

"Us OCD people can make the world a better place".

"Linda thinks that if there were more people like her then this world would be a better place".

[Mel1971]

i am with you there Jo, I am absolutely appalled at the programme so far.

[Guest legend]

What an insult to all of the hard work ocduk has done in the past and present

The idea i thought was to reduce cleaning and rituals, not make people comply . and to use ocd sufferers in such a way is well . sorry im deflated and lost for words

[Northern Star]

Congratulations Channel 4. You have shamelessly added to the ignorance and stereotypes of OCD, that we are a bunch of loonies who should be "put to use" cleaning up after the nation. Utterly disgraceful. I thought this was the 21st century? We sufferers go through sheer hell on a daily basis, often to try to protect other people, and you see fit to humiliate us like this? Would you make a programme like this about cancer or diabetes? Of course you wouldn't. But mental health, in particular OCD, is fair game? Shameful, utterly disgraceful.

Should I just be entertained rather than distressed by my belief that if I don't clean enough then someone will get ill or die? Or how about the paedophilia fears? I know - let's make a programme where I am turned into a child-minder. The three million panic attacks I have in the process should be entertaining to watch. Never mind that OCD has left me physically and mentally scarred; never mind that every day people attempt or commit suicide from this awful illness, this disorder that has been described by the World Health Organisation as being one of the top ten most debilitating in the world.

I am gobsmacked. I thought we'd left the "laugh at the loonies" mentality back in the 19th century. Yet another example of mental health stigma. Next time I'm suicidal over my thoughts I'll try to see them as entertainment for the masses.

[Guest Sun]

Hi guys

I started watching this with my mum and sorry, I had to switch over.

I couldn't even be bothered to explain why.......

[Mel1971]

i complained to Channel 4 last week, this is the reply i got yesterday, really really crappy ;

Thank you for contacting Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries regarding OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE CLEANERS.

We are sorry to read your concerns regarding the programme. We’d like to reassure you that the programme does in no way trivialise Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the profound impact it can have on people’s lives.

Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners features people who are, by their own admission and to varying degrees, obsessed with cleaning. Those taking part in the programme either have a diagnosis of OCD, or appear to show symptoms of the condition, or might simply classify themselves as extreme cleaners. We are hoping to show in the programme that some people with OCD manage their condition, function well and are able to control their anxieties.

The series doesn’t feature anyone with severe OCD who may find the process of immersion in a messy house, where they lack control and are unable to perform their rituals, distressing. The language used throughout the programme will distinguish between the contributors with and without diagnosis of OCD, so viewers understand the difference.

We already know from some of the contributors that the experience of taking part in the programme has had a positive impact on their lives, they feel it gives a good insight into obsessive compulsive disorder, and hope that it might encourage people to seek diagnosis and support if they are struggling with similar issues.

Nevertheless, we can assure you that your comments have been noted and logged for the attention of those responsible for our programming.

Good insight into OCD??????? No its not!!