Top picks: exploring OCD

SANE's Spotlight on OCD page collects together our stories, blog posts, information and research about obsessive compulsive disorder.

But the internet is a big place, and there are a lot more terrific, useful resources out there. Here are ten, hand picked by our staff.

What OCD is like (for me)

'I can what it's like more than what it is'

John Green, author of novels like Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars, explains his own experience of OCD.

Lily Bailey lives with severe OCD

'I hadn't realised that it was doing the compulsions that was perpetuating the problem'

Model and writer Lily Bailey talks about the OCD that has been her constant companion since childhood.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/the-link/2017-05-19/lily-bailey-lives-with-severe-ocd/8543068

Ellen's OCD blog

'if you're wondering whether or not you're worthy of seeking help for whatever you might be struggling with right now…you are worthy enough'

18 year-old Ellen White writes an award-winning personal blog about her life with OCD.

https://ellensocdblog.com/

And an interview with Ellen in the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/07/ellen-white-ocd-can-become-a-household-joke

I'm so OCD that… (a comic series)

Lily Williams beautifully illustrates her experience of OCD.

https://lilywilliamsart.com/portfolio/im-so-o-c-d-that-a-series/

Maria Bamford: a seriously funny comedian

'I wanted to be isolated so that I would not be around people at all. [I would] stay up all night, making sure I wouldn't fall asleep and somehow lose control, fearing I was going to do those things'

Bamford talks about living with OCD and bipolar, and how it influences her life and comedy.

http://www.npr.org/2013/07/18/202374622/maria-bamford-a-seriously-funny-comedian

My hidden OCD exposed

'Welcome to my therapy!'

Anne Swanson takes us through her obsessions over saying something awful to a friend on voicemail, and shows us the surprising method she uses to disarm that fear.

Where did my OCD come from?

'I've realized that it doesn't matter so much to know how or from whom I developed OCD. It's an illness, and one that can be crippling. But even if you've become afraid of sand like my mom, it is very treatable.'

Sirin Kale's search for the cause of her OCD leads to a new acceptance.

https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/xd7yy4/stuck-in-a-short-circuit-where-did-my-ocd-come-from

Journeys of hope and recovery

'Along my journey I found me, and continue to find me'

Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria has collected stories of people living with and recovering from OCD.

http://www.arcvic.org.au/resources/ocdandanxietystories

Pure O: thinking the unthinkable

'It took me 14 long years to even realise this is OCD and if I can prevent one person from going through that then this will be worthwhile'

Pure O is a disorder in which people experience intrusive obsessive thoughts, but don't have compulsions or act out rituals.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-09/thinking-the-unthinkable-living-with-pure-obsessional-ocd/6829340

Brain scans, recovery from OCD and hints at ways forward

'Why is OCD such a debilitating disorder and why can it be so hard to treat? Our new research offers a clue – and some hope for those struggling'

An article on how the improving understanding of the neuroscience of OCD is informing new avenues for treatment.

https://theconversation.com/brain-scans-reveal-why-it-is-so-difficult-to-recover-from-ocd-and-hint-at-ways-forward-74092