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WHAT IS IT like to have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Ireland?
It affects 2-3% of the Irish population, and though there there tends to be a popular image of people excessively hand-washing or flicking light switches, OCD can take many different forms.
A new documentary, OCD and Me, due to be broadcast tonight at 9.35pm on RTÉ One, looks into the lives of people with OCD, and challenges some of the popular stereotypes around the disorder.
Obsessions are defined as intrusive thoughts or images, while the compulsion is the action people take to make the thought go away. The documentary explains these actions can include washing or touching, or repeating the thought over and over again.
We meet four people in the documentary:
Jacob
A 25-year-old Dublin artist whose daily existence is dominated by his battle with severe contamination OCD where he views himself as ‘OCD clean’ and most of the world as ‘OCD dirty’.
His mother, Mella, also lives with her own form of OCD, and gives a perspective as a parent. She says that she chose to take part because a lot of people are hurting due to OCD.
Eileen:
In her 60’s, lives in Sligo town and is part of a local anxiety support group. She has lived with her OCD for the last 50 years and says it has destroyed her life. She hopes sharing her story might stop others from going through the same hell. Her OCD has come in many forms, hand washing, praying, folding clothes etc. If she does certain rituals she believes it will prevent terrible things from happening to people in her family.
Simon:
A highly functional 32-year-old Dubliner who works for a prominent radio station. He has lived with a variety of forms of OCD and has started talking openly about the condition in recent months.
Director Adrian McCarthy told TheJournal.ie that he didn’t realise how serious OCD was until he started filming the documentary.
It was on meeting people who were living with OCD that you realise that we all have our quirks – all of us, everybody, no matter what it is. But the difference between that and having something that is really obstructing you from living your life in a normal way, that is what OCD is.
He described it as “a big huge leap of faith” for people to decided to go public about their experiences. “It’s a very embarrassing disorder.”
While some of us might get certain thoughts, for people with OCD, those thoughts get stuck, said McCarthy. It could be a thought about hurting somebody they love, thinking they are contaminated, or the outside world is contaminated, or, as the documentary shows, can include extremely distressing thoughts.
“They are brave. They have decided themselves to put themselves forward,” he said of the four participants. “It took a whole a lot of work. A lot of meetings. There was a certain amount of wariness as to why I was doing it.”
The main reason why people chose to take part was because “there are a lot of people out there who are living with these thoughts who don’t know what’s wrong with them and they don’t know it’s OCD”. The people in the documentary want to help others, and raise awareness.
The documentary shows that there is help out there for people, and focuses on the therapeutic assistance available.
“I think it’s certainly opened my eyes, and I think these people are fantastic,” said McCarthy, who hopes that the show will stoke up a national conversation around obsessive compulsive disorder, and show that there is nothing to be embarrassed about. “I have huge admiration for them for doing it because of what OCD is.”
OCD and Me is produced and directed by Adrian McCarthy and executive producer is Martha O’Neill. Editor is Brenda Morrissey. the 52-minute documentary will be broadcast tonight at 9.35pm on RTÉ One.
For more information or help with OCD, see:
First published 30 January
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“People are weary of old school politics which has led to years of austerity, unfair cuts and disillusionment.” Zappone, about a week before she voted for Enda Kenny.
Zappone would sell her moth to stay on that ego trip,if I were her I’d invest in a sat nav if there was any cash left over.
@Gerry with a J: It was actually such a spittin in the face
Zappone, a textbook example of a self serving MeFeiner, untrustworthy.
Why is my younger sister in England, my 3 brothers in Australia.?
Better life?
Wont ever come back, such a shame the country is being run into the ground.
Straight forward question TD’s get €6000 today pensioners and those on other benefits get €5 in March. Why?
@Kerry Blake: Now that’s a question that probably won’t be answered.
@Dave Murray: I live in hope Dave…
And ministers have awarded themselves € 11000 a year increase.
7pm tomorrow, why don’t we all not comment or engage with the ‘show’. Watch the tumbleweeds blow by. That would be funny. Of course their little keyboard pals would ruin it, wouldn’t they?
€5 will get an elderly person a meal for one .. next March . Comparing this to the 6k they got and it’s just sickening. …
I have 2 children, they are in crèche 3 days a week. It costs 8 euro a month less than the mortgage. Why couldn’t you make childcare tax deductible or available as a benefit in kind from your employer with some form of tax break there?
They couldn’t give a toss. They’re going to be answering questions about their favorite GAA team and what’s best for the environment..Childcare??? Blaaaa
@Neil..They’re your own children, stop bloody moaning and whinging and look after them, why do you want the taxes of others to look after them…? Jog on FFS
@Turk Oneeighttwo: I’d like my own taxes to look after them, thanks.
i think Turk has a point, your own taxes don’t cover it so you are looking for others to subsidise it, it might be time to see if it’s more beneficial to you and your kids to stay at home.
We’ve looked at it, it’s marginally better financially to be working but its a fairly close thing.
Why does it make more sense to be on the jobseekers than in work?
@Paul: That’s an easy one. It doesn’t.
Petr. . Someone on social versus someone on minimum wages .. you go work it out and get back to us .. bear in in mind now all the extra benefits that come with being on the social ..
@Suzie Sunshine: That’s a very vague comments. You’re making a claim here, so it’s very simple. Lay out the figures. Compare a 40 hour week on minimum wage with a week on JSA with these mysterious “extra benefits”. If you’re right, the numbers will speak for themselves and I’ll be proved wrong.
Over to you!
You’re making the claim that it doesn’t .. how does it not ?
Dj .. he has his head in the clouds …
I’d go with Suzie on this one, time for a factcheck. Is a minimum wage job overall worth less than than being on the dole? Let’s take is as 2 school going kids and the parents. I’d bet the dole with all the extra allowances and forbearances win out big time.
Suzie got busted! :)
Lol I didn’t at all . You seriously can’t be that naive. …. but then again ….
It applies also to part time work as well not just a 40 hour job, when first out of college I had a part time job for €220 a week for 20 hours and was told I was entitled to absolutely nothing from social welfare because I was earning too much. Considering travel costs I was less well off than I would have been if I just did absolutely nothing, it doesn’t seem like a fair system which rewards those who seek employment.
“Lol I didn’t at all . You seriously can’t be that naive”
It would take a Junior Cert pass maths student about half a minute to prove me wrong. But for some reason you’re reluctant. I wonder why.
Naive it is so…
@Suzie Sunshine: Making claims and then running away when asked to substantiate them it is so…
Petr. Eh that’s exactly what you did … you claimed that it didn’t … you don’t need to spell it out for you unless that is you’re still in school and not living in the real world yet …
How far is it from Blessington to Dail Eireann?
Zappone lives in Brittas, Co. Dublin, 22km from Dail Eireann, not the 25km she claimed for her expenses, an apparent deliverate falsehood that will cost taxpayers an additional more than €80,000 over 5 years.
http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/st-4.jpg
We wanted a new way of doing politics. This isn’t it.
Convey jog on useless & zapponi go back to where you came . Budget no difference to any 1 it’s an insult
Like they’ll take any real questions from the electorate! All questions will be screened and approved in advance with non answers given
The solution. The government should start training child care workers in the abandoned dit colleges. then open state run crèches around the country like the swedish system. It would help solve 2 problems the crèche costs and the unemployment problem
@Patrick Gough: Enough of your common sense, that’s not welcome in these parts…
Katherine, i voted for you on a promise to be an independent change (and to push for a repeal of the 8th). You have let me and thousands others down who don’t see a difference between you and the FG councillor who you beat in the election. I will not be voting for you ever again after propping up a minority government, and implementing the same policies that continue to treat those who voted for you like a cash cow. Why did i get you so wrong?
@Alien8: In fairness…..
You’re wrong a lot here.
153 euro increase from the usc rate. 38% increase in my car insurance. Still paying 600 plus tax on my 11 year old car. Any fairness there?
Blame the greens for that situation
I know couldn’t vote for them again because of it
I would like to ask minister zapone is she in favour of abortion on demand in the Republic of Ireland ?
This child care cr ap is obviously social engineering and is unfair to parents who do not want their children in care. Parents know what is best for kids not the flippin government. or agenda heads like Zapone.
What objections does the minister for children have to lowering the age of criminal responsibility, to say, 15?
Do you believe a government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have?
Genuine question,
Minister Zapone and minister Covney
Do you think it is fair for a former minister and Tanaiste to have a child child in court on false imprisonment charges.
The boy is from Minister Zapone’s constituency.
Thanks
Stephen.
Finnart Fail have abondoned the elderly
Will there be any help for people who want to build their first home?
What would Zappone do to help the hundreds of thousands of men being physically abused by their wives and partners? Their plight so completely ignored by society
Do you agree with Hillary Clintons statement “politicans should hold a different private and public opinion ” and don’t start with I “THINK”.
That convey is a sly worm. ..
have your say