OCD: Fact or Fiction? (PsychCentral) and why it misses the point.

I was surfing my stream on Twitter. I stopped at @DrKCBugg . I usually check him out. Kyle had tweeted a link to PsychCentral blogs.  Browsing it, I found a post, “OCD: Fact or Fiction“. Don’t be fooled by the title. It’s nothing extreme like “OCD does not exist, it’s been a big hoax pals”; in fact, it’s a very good example of how to pull down hard theory to a comprehensible-for-all language. It makes OCD (at least some of its 101s) easy to understand.

For instance, when she brings up the “fact vs fiction” wordplay, she is referring to the effect of OCD: a piece of reality is torn from the person and is filled with fantasies and “ghosts” from our unconscious. That’s what sometimes makes OCD a bizarre experience.

Now, this is the part where I’ll focus:

” [...] Thus, if you have OCD, we recommend that you start having a conversation with the fiction horror writer that dwells in your mind. When you start to obsess over causing harm to others, encountering germs and other contaminants, or other types of catastrophes, tell that horror writer in your mind something like, “Well, much as I appreciate your creativity, I am going to walk out on this movie or stop reading this book.” In other words, realize that the various OCD scenarios that play over and over in your head truly are works of fiction. With considerable practice and time, you can learn to walk out of the movie and live in the real world [...] “.

The author makes a call to those who suffer OCD to have a conversation with the “fiction horror writer that dwells in your mind”.

The problem here is that it’s not the point to have a conversation with the writer. In fact, there’s a lot of conversation in OCD, actually one of the characteristics that make OCD so unbearable is that excess of words, the continuous chatter. There’s a lot of noise and a 1 on 1 channel with the writer would be too “dirty” with other voices.

Another problem is that that writer is really enjoying what he does, and in a deep obscure way, there is also enjoyment in us. Moreover, this guy is writing for us. He’s writing the novel of our lives the way our unconscious mind wants it. See where the point is? We are never part in this equation. It’s not about who‘s talking. It’s the symptom talking for us. It’s a neglected part of ourselves talking for who you call “I”. We can’t walk away from our movie. Besides what defines OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is the compulsiveness to do or think something. That’s what defines it. There’s no relief until the mandate is followed, and that relief can sometimes be brief.

The author is forgetting something proven when she writes that “[...] In other words, realize that the various OCD scenarios that play over and over in your head truly are works of fiction [...]“.  She forgets that people who suffer OCD are absolutely aware that their behaviors and/or thoughts are irrational and even absurd, yet they can’t avoid thinking about it or doing whatever they do.  They openly accept this fact, so it’s not a matter of learning to tell “reality from fiction”.

Finally, it’s not a matter of having strategies or developing techniques. A deeper commitment to oneself must be made. To really get to know who we really are, why we do what we do and why we think the way we think. That’s what will set you free. Starting therapy and getting proper care.

That’s the one other thing I liked about the article, The advise of seeing a therapist… which gave me an idea for my first poll, if this free account allows it.

Article by Fernando

This is my blog - I write about careers, talent management and organizational development. I've been featured at Monster.com, Alltop, WeBlogBetter and BloggingPro among others. I hope you leave this blog with more than you arrived and I look forward to discussing your ideas and projects with you. See you in the comments section.

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