26. OCD 101 & My Full OCD Story: Misdiagnosis, Evidence-Based Treatment, OCD Myth Busting, & Comorbidities

On episode 26 of A Chat with Uma, I dedicate a full episode to OCD awareness, in honor of OCD Awareness Week 2023. I provide a full primer on OCD 101 - all about what OCD is NOT, and what it IS. I share my full OCD story of onset, symptoms, misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, incorrect treatment, and what evidence-based treatment has looked like. I speak at length about my non-linear path within treatment, normalizing the coexistence of both suffering and recovery at once. I dismantle misconceptions and bust pervasive myths about what OCD is considered to be by popular culture, and discuss the repercussions of misinformation around OCD. Above all, I provide empowerment, validation, and hope around the OCD experience through speaking openly and honestly about all facets of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Topics Discussed (+ timestamps):

(00:00:00) Intro, overview, why I am recording this episode today

(00:13:04) UPCOMING EVENT: Made of Millions OCD Socratic Seminar: BIPOC Representation in the OCD Space

• Mon. 10/9, 8 ET
• Livestream on @MadeOfMillions TikTok + replay on IG

(00:14:21) UPCOMING EVENT: ⁠IOCDF⁠ Live Stream Panel - Diversity Starts With UsTues. 9/26, 7 ET

• Thurs. 10/12, 7pm ET
• Link to attend

(00:15:13) UPCOMING EVENT: IOCDF Advocate Instagram Live

• Sat. 10/14, 12pm ET
• Attend: @IOCDF Instagram Live

(00:15:55) UPCOMING EVENT: OCD Gamechangers: Live Advocate Virtual Event

• Sat. 10/14, 7:30pm ET
• Attend: OCD Gamechangers YouTube or Facebook Live

(00:17:04) UPCOMING EVENT + ANNOUNCEMENT: Online OCD Conference - KEYNOTE ADDRESS!

• Sat. 10/21, 6pm ET
• ⁠Register here⁠

(00:18:16) ANNOUNCEMENT: Joining OCD Wisconsin's Board of Directors

(00:20:25) What OCD is NOT:

• A choice
• An adjective
• A quirk
• Ego-syntonic (it's ego-DYStonic)
• Nobody "is a little OCD" or "has a little OCD"
• Why misrepresentation of OCD leads to misdiagnosis & mistreatment

(00:38:18) What OCD actually IS:

• DSM-5 definition of "obsessions"
• DSM-5 definition of "compulsions"
• OCD themes & subtypes
• Taboo obsessional themes within OCD
• Mental compulsions & rituals
• The shame of OCD
• Why rationality, logic, & reason do not permeate the "OCD brain"
• How OCD is fully ego-DYStonic
• The doubting disease
• Anxiety vs. OCD

(00:54:22) My FULL OCD story

• What OCD looked like for me in childhood
• How it fully took over by adolescence
• How I hit rock bottom in early adulthood and lost all functionality
• How I finally received a diagnosis at 22
• 13 years of no diagnosis or treatment
• 22 years of misdiagnosis
• 12 years of incorrect treatment
• 25 years without proper intervention
• Finding evidence-based treatment at 25
• Contextual episodes:

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