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BBC Northern Ireland’s Inside Out carries a report on Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder in this Friday night’s edition of the programme.
Presenter Joe Lindsay meets Philip and Anne who bravely speak out about
the condition.
We all worry about things in our everyday lives but what happens when those normal feelings of anxiety grow out of proportion. People who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder wrestle with just such a problem every day.
Although three per cent of the population have been diagnosed with symptoms the real figure could be much higher as many sufferers are too embarrassed to admit to the condition, even to their GP.
Philip’s had O.C.D. for more than 20 years. It’s affected many aspects of his life including his career and his relationships. “In my head there’s a veil and behind that veil my mind’s going like a washing machine, I can’t seem to relax, I can’t get peace of mind.”
Apprentice solicitor Anne was diagnosed with OCD last year while she was taking her finals at university. A fear of contamination has trapped her in a cycle of constant hand-washing..
She says: “I’d probably wash them maybe ten times before I leave for work in the morning, easily another 10 to 15 times during the day and maybe another ten times in the evening.”
Anne’s working hard to overcome the worst symptoms of her condition but admits it’s an ongoing struggle. She says: “Sometimes whenever I was going through the worst of it you start to think you’re absolutely losing your mind and that no-one could possibly think these bizarre thoughts.”
Psychotherapist Sinclair Hilton has been working with obsessive compulsive disorder patients for the past four years and says that there is help out there if people come forward:
“We’ve found that the effectiveness of treatment, that is medication and cognitive behavioural therapy is effective in eighty per cent of cases.
“The only thing I would say about treatment is there’s no magic wand and it’s very much down to the individual to aply themselves to challenging the OCD. They can be shown techniques to get on top of it but they have to do the hard work.
And you can see that report in full on Inside Out on BBC One Northern Ireland on Friday 26th January at 1930. The programme is repeated on Monday 29th at 1100.
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