recent and upcoming documentaries?

[Stuyp89]

Does anyone else think that the recent Channel 4 series, Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners, is in a way exploiting people with OCD? I know those who took part obviously chose to take part but I just couldn't get over the idea that these people were in someway being exploited for the sake of some second rate listings filler. And not to mention the fact that once again OCD was potrayed as some kind of funny little eccentricity.

Has their been any complaints made (and actually how do you make a complaint to Channel 4?)

Also remember briefly seeing something on here a while ago about some more documentaries being made? Is that true and when are they on?

Cheers.

[lovid]

Hi m8,I haven't watched that yet but there's a programme called hoarders on bio at the moment(repeated at 2) which seems to be portraying the hoarder as selfish.I have only watched a bit of it so far but it seems to be following the same theme as you describe.

[whitebeam]

Hi Stu

There is a thread in OCD in the media forum:

New Channel 4 series "Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners"

A lot of people are unhappy about this series and Ashley and several others have made complaints.

whitebeam

Edited April 4, 2013 by whitebeam

[Guest icallitmadness]

I agree to some extent, although I found myself wondering if all these people really have OCD. I'm sure they may have tendancies but for instance there's no way I could clean some of those filthy houses without becoming paralysed with rituals and keeping away from all the germs. I would have had to wear some kind of boiler suit and mask and gloves and make sure I didn't get contaminated, and then clean things five times over.

I might be wrong, I mean we're all different in how extreme and in what ways our OCD shows iself. But I thought the shows trivilaised the condition. I think people who don't understand it wouldn't appreciate how bad it really is for a lot of us.

[Guest Fredd]

I watched a couple of them - I think some of it was genuine, but it didn't really cover the disabling doubts and compulsions that go with having OCD. So overall I think it only adds to the stereotypes/myths. Shame really as Channel 4 is capable of doing good informative stuff.

[Northern Star]

In terms of upcoming documentaries, there is currently one (might be two actually, can't quite remember) being prepared for BBC3, not sure when that is going to be shown.

There is also a documentary currently being filmed for ITV1 which will be broadcast during OCD awareness week in October.

[Guest FobicFairy]

I watched the cleaning OCD programme and didn't mind it too much. The problem is that the people that took part were not always that anxious about it. One lady actually said she loved cleaning, where as most people with contamination OCD hate cleaning as it exhausts them and they find it very traumatic.

I personally think that the severity of OCD can vary, the symptoms are the same, but some people can manage to go to work and get on with their life whilst others are paralysed by fear. For example I have a friend with contamination OCD who has outdoor clothes for work and shopping etc, and then when she gets home she has indoor clothes. Because she can keep her 2 worlds separate her anxiety is reasonably low, she can go home, undress, have a quick shower and she is fine. Most people with OCD don't have that luxury. Or if they do keep 2 worlds at once they can't switch as easily between the two and end up having multiple showers and changes of clothing.

Some of those hoarders houses were really minging, so kudos to the cleaners who did have strong contamination fears.

I will keep an eye out for the ITV documentary.

FF