For many people in Florida, it is hard to put yourself in the shoes of those suffering a mental condition. This is mostly because many of these conditions impact a person internally, meaning it is not entirely visible to those coming into contact with them. With regards to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), many view this as a minor condition, claiming that everyone is a bit OCD. Don’t we all like to keep things tidy or have certain things exactly in their place? However, this is a common misconception of this disorder, because it is not about being a perfectionist but rather an illness that is considered to be crippling.
How severe is OCD? According to the World Health Organization, OCD is ranked in the top 10 most debilitating illnesses. Sufferers of OCD experience obsession, which in turn causes them distress. This results in the person doing compulsions as a response to these obsessions. There is such a wide variety of obsessions to have or compulsions to do that even the stereotype of those having OCD having a very neat a tidy house is very untrue.
While some individuals with OCD do have a compulsion to have everything tidy, this does not encompass what it means to have OCD. Whether a person has a compulsion to have things neat, do things a certain number of times before moving on to the next task, having thing color coordinated or any other type of compulsion, this disorder can cause debilitating stress and panic for the person living with it.
Because there is no known cause for OCD, it can be challenging to treat. Because of this, this debilitating condition can make it impossible to live a normal life or even hold down a job. Thus, those living with OCD or any other form of mental condition should understand their rights and options. Applying for Social Security disability benefits could be extremely helpful, providing the necessary funds and assistance to cover basic needs.
Source: Nypost.com, “The horrifying reality of having OCD,” Lily Bailey, May 16, 2017