"I can't not have things in order. I need to carry my hand sanitizer with me all the time. I can only do this task a certain way." I'm so OCD!" Sure you are.
There's something that's been increasingly bugging me these past few years - the jokes about OCD and other conditions. Let me be straightforward. We need to stop making such jokes. If you think about it, OCD is widely misunderstood. It isn't just washing your hands constantly or wanting everything to be orderly and neat. OCD (or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) manifests differently in different people.
Here's what rollinghillshospital.org says:
"Common obsessions include fear of germs, fear of harming oneself or others, or the idea that everything must be orderly and symmetrical. These thoughts are usually disturbing and feel uncontrollable. Obsessive thoughts often lead to compulsions, which are actions performed to make the obsessive thoughts go away. Compulsions may include excessive cleaning, constant checking of things like oven switches and locks, and repetitive behaviors like counting and tapping.
Those who suffer with OCD are usually aware that their behavior is irrational but cannot stop themselves from the compulsive actions. Studies have shown that the link between belief and action is somewhat broken in the brain of people with OCD, so what they do conflicts with what they know to be true. Even if they know it’s unlikely a doorknob will contaminate them, for instance, they will still wash their hands after touching it.
OCD is often associated with other mental illnesses and disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and substance abuse. Even on its own, it can be debilitating."
OCD is serious. It's no laughing matter.
So what's wrong with joking about OCD?
Millions of people around the world suffer from OCD. In some cases, it's apparent and in others, it's not. People try to hide their OCD out of embarrassment and fear they'll get ridiculed. When we crack such jokes, what we're also doing is lessening the severity of the disorder. Since "everyone has some OCD," those who actually have the disorder don't know if they should get diagnosed and treated. OCD is now just viewed as a peculiarity or quirk. It is also seen as something positive because it simply means being tidy. This only hurts the chances of people [with OCD] from getting help. What we're essentially doing is letting people overlook and disregard symptoms.
Take a look at Amanda Vining's thoughts:
"On Thanksgiving morning, I mindlessly scrolled through the numerous posts about food and family gatherings on my Facebook feed until I landed on a picture of a pumpkin pie haphazardly cut into a plethora of shapes and sizes. No two slices within the pie were equal. The tagline on the photo read, “How To Drive Your OCD Family Members Crazy This Year.”
The post had dozens of “likes” and comments remarking how comical the image and supposed joke were. Some commenters said that the picture made them feel #SoOCD, a phrase that has become far too common and has contributed to the normalization and dismissal of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a mental health diagnosis that is often devastating for the people who truly suffer from it.
I contemplated why this post had hit such a nerve for me. The reason, it turned out, was very simple: I have an official OCD diagnosis, and my life with it has never once been comical nor dismissive. The diagnosis has wrecked havoc on my life, from my relationships to my professional endeavors to my ability to make friends as a child."
If you get the time, please read the entire article here. It's very well-written.
I hope you get my point. Being insensitive just for a few seconds of laughter ain't worth it. You can still crack a good-quality joke and not be a prick. Some of us might be guilty but don't be too hard on yourselves. What matters is that that we learn from our mistakes.
It's easy to be a good person. Just don't make jokes about illnesses and disorders. Oh, and quit using 'gay' as an insult. I might whip up another post just for that last bit.
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| So funny lol |
There's something that's been increasingly bugging me these past few years - the jokes about OCD and other conditions. Let me be straightforward. We need to stop making such jokes. If you think about it, OCD is widely misunderstood. It isn't just washing your hands constantly or wanting everything to be orderly and neat. OCD (or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) manifests differently in different people.
Here's what rollinghillshospital.org says:
"Common obsessions include fear of germs, fear of harming oneself or others, or the idea that everything must be orderly and symmetrical. These thoughts are usually disturbing and feel uncontrollable. Obsessive thoughts often lead to compulsions, which are actions performed to make the obsessive thoughts go away. Compulsions may include excessive cleaning, constant checking of things like oven switches and locks, and repetitive behaviors like counting and tapping.
Those who suffer with OCD are usually aware that their behavior is irrational but cannot stop themselves from the compulsive actions. Studies have shown that the link between belief and action is somewhat broken in the brain of people with OCD, so what they do conflicts with what they know to be true. Even if they know it’s unlikely a doorknob will contaminate them, for instance, they will still wash their hands after touching it.
OCD is often associated with other mental illnesses and disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and substance abuse. Even on its own, it can be debilitating."
OCD is serious. It's no laughing matter.
So what's wrong with joking about OCD?
Millions of people around the world suffer from OCD. In some cases, it's apparent and in others, it's not. People try to hide their OCD out of embarrassment and fear they'll get ridiculed. When we crack such jokes, what we're also doing is lessening the severity of the disorder. Since "everyone has some OCD," those who actually have the disorder don't know if they should get diagnosed and treated. OCD is now just viewed as a peculiarity or quirk. It is also seen as something positive because it simply means being tidy. This only hurts the chances of people [with OCD] from getting help. What we're essentially doing is letting people overlook and disregard symptoms.
Take a look at Amanda Vining's thoughts:
"On Thanksgiving morning, I mindlessly scrolled through the numerous posts about food and family gatherings on my Facebook feed until I landed on a picture of a pumpkin pie haphazardly cut into a plethora of shapes and sizes. No two slices within the pie were equal. The tagline on the photo read, “How To Drive Your OCD Family Members Crazy This Year.”
The post had dozens of “likes” and comments remarking how comical the image and supposed joke were. Some commenters said that the picture made them feel #SoOCD, a phrase that has become far too common and has contributed to the normalization and dismissal of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a mental health diagnosis that is often devastating for the people who truly suffer from it.
I contemplated why this post had hit such a nerve for me. The reason, it turned out, was very simple: I have an official OCD diagnosis, and my life with it has never once been comical nor dismissive. The diagnosis has wrecked havoc on my life, from my relationships to my professional endeavors to my ability to make friends as a child."
If you get the time, please read the entire article here. It's very well-written.
I hope you get my point. Being insensitive just for a few seconds of laughter ain't worth it. You can still crack a good-quality joke and not be a prick. Some of us might be guilty but don't be too hard on yourselves. What matters is that that we learn from our mistakes.
It's easy to be a good person. Just don't make jokes about illnesses and disorders. Oh, and quit using 'gay' as an insult. I might whip up another post just for that last bit.
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