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: 01. My Full Story: 0 to 26 02-04. My Mental Health Journey: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (01:33:24) What evidence-based treatment & recovery has looked like for me My experience of comorbid OCD & PTSD (01:45:02) Reconciling the time lost to misdiagnosis & lack of treatment How OCD led me to join a religious cult at 14 Grief and loss (01:55:04) Rapid-fire final OCD myth busting: OCD is NOT an anxiety disorder (& is not treated as such) OCD is NOT "just" a form of anxiety (disgust, guilt, shame, just-rightness, etc.) OCD is NOT a form of trauma OCD is NOT a form of PTSD (& is not treated as such) OCD is also a neurodevelopment disorder Connect with me! My website: umarchatterjee.com Video + event recording repository Instagram: @UmaRChatterjee Twitter: @UmaRChatterjee TikTok: @UmaRChatterjee Email: hello@umarchatterjee.com Support my work: https://ko-fi.com/umarchatterjee Have a guest you want on the show? Fill out the Guest Suggestion Form!