We have all heard of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or its acronym OCD. You most likely have heard it used and/or seen it portrayed on television or in movies. Key characters that stand out are Monica Geller from Friends, Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory and Emma Pillsbury from Glee. If you have experienced, seen or at least heard a real-life account of the struggles that come with OCD, then you know that the writers of the characters listed above have it all wrong.
OCD
The National Institute of Mental Health defines OCD as a “long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both.” Obsessions lead to repetitive behavior in order to ease the stress the obsessions are causing. For example, if someone has an unhealthy fear of a family member being harmed (obsession), they may begin repeatedly checking their locks (compulsion) to make sure no one can get in the family house. They could repeatedly check the kitchen appliances (compulsion) to make sure they are all off and a fire won’t start. At first, the compulsions will ease the fear that their family is going to be hurt, but then the anxiety and stress will pop back up about the family being hurt. Then they will go back downstairs to check the locks and kitchen appliances, and it turns into a cycle.
The hard part is that the obsessions and compulsions cannot be resolved by logic or reasoning. One can say to oneself that there is no need to check the locks multiple times, but the OCD brain does not find it easy to do that. The obsession is just as strong and the need to act on a compulsion cannot be suppressed easily. Because of all this, OCD can make it extremely difficult to complete daily activities, go to work, take care of themselves, etc.
The Harm
You or someone you know have probably said something along the lines of “I am so OCD!” This speaks to the lack of education on this disorder. OCD is not an adjective, and when people use it as such, it not only continues the stereotypes surrounding cleaning and organization among other things, but it also downplays the significant and life-altering effects that those who actually have OCD are suffering from.
Monica Geller is depicted as a “neat freak” who cannot stand to see things out of place. Her friends make fun of her for her neurotic behavior and everyone laughs it off. Not only that but her “OCD” has been used to depict her as a villain in several occasions.
Emma Pillsbury is a dramatization of OCD symptoms and also continues the cleaning stereotype. She is often time seen wearing gloves for daily tasks, cleaning each grape individually before she eats them and many other time-consuming compulsions. These symptoms are not inaccurate and often times compulsions are very time-consuming. But Emma Pillsbury as a character is content while performing these rituals. A large part of OCD is the stress that comes not only from the obsessions but from the compulsions too. It is very frustrating and stressful to keep repeating the same compulsions over and over again. Someone with OCD logically knows that these compulsions don’t control the obsession, yet having to do them anyway can put people at the mercy of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Sheldon Cooper’s OCD is used a comedic device during the entirety of The Big Bang Theory, where he is often ridiculed or teased for his “quirks.” Sheldon’s symptoms are very stereotypical, including being extremely concerned with cleanliness, loving routines and being scared of germs, but they lack depth. Like Emma from Glee, he lacks key elements of the illness like intrusive thoughts, ritualistic behavior and panic attacks.
There is Still Hope
As time goes on, and more people share their stories of living with OCD, the misrepresentation will begin to fade. Even now, new, relatable depictions of OCD are finding their way into the main media stream. With the release of the book Turtles All The Way Down in 2017 and the premiere of the movie adaptation in May of this year, John Green has been praised for its honest depiction of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The main character Aza is a 16-year-old high school student who struggles with anxiety and OCD.
She is terrified of getting an infection and repeatedly picks at a callus that has never quite healed, hoping to drain out from her body. Throughout Aza’s story, different parts of the illness are explored, and at one point, in the midst of a panic attack, Aza drinks hand sanitizer and passes out. The movie does a great job of showing just how scary and crippling OCD is without alienating the character or labeling them as an “other.”
While subjects of this nature are better learned from books, medical sites, databases or human connections, many people choose educate themselves through media. So, if you find yourself saying “I am so OCD!” without knowing any of the information above, maybe visit your local library and rent Turtles All the Way Down, book or movie.
If you are struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder and need help the NAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “helpline” to 62640, or chat online. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).
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