The Home for Writers with Neurological Conditions
In yesterday’s edition of the Evening Standard, there was an article on p. 26 about the latest Budget cuts affecting the British National Health Service. It seems that among many other substantial cuts, the government has put pressure on the NHS to seek £5 billion savings in the mental health area. As the Standard points […]
‘Why me?’ If you have OCD, perhaps you sometimes think that. I can’t answer the metaphysical side to that question, but I can tell you it seems more than likely it’s genetic. Maybe your parents don’t have OCD, but they might have some other related condition. Or perhaps it shows up in other branches of […]
I want to take a moment to talk about the nature of fear – so please take a moment to remember that film series ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’…because this is one of my personal favourite motivating metaphors in life, as odd as that may sound. So Freddy Krueger is a terrible monster with blades […]
So you’ve managed to overcome some of the small stuff – now what about the really painful obsessions? What about the thoughts going round and round in your head? The truth is, in my experience it is far easier to tackle more physical obsessions – checking, washing, etc. – than the overbearing thoughts. For instance, […]
So you’re interested in CBT, but the insurance doesn’t cover you for mental health issues (US) or the waiting list to be seen is astronomically long (UK) and you need help NOW. First, a little background information. CBT is used not just for OCD or anxiety, but also depression. In clinical studies, CBT has been […]
I’m not going to try to sell you any miracle cures. The truth is: there isn’t one. That doesn’t mean there’s no hope, though! I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 13, but on reflection I can see the symptoms stretching right back to at least 5 years old. I also have Tourette Syndrome […]
I’m 17 years old, and I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 13, though I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have symptoms. I’ve since been diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenic tendencies resulting from my OCD. My psychiatrist and I don’t consider titles anymore, just symptoms and treatments. The best day […]
I first learned the term ‘OCD’ in my early teens when browsing the problem page of a women’s magazine. Initially I was shocked to discover my behaviour had a name and I was not the only person in the world who thought of things as contaminated, requiring careful cleansing to make them feel safe. I […]
So what is OCD really like, anyway? What’s it all about? As the title suggests, OCD is made up of two parts: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions really mean doubts, worries, that little niggling ‘what if?’ at the back of all our minds. What if the house catches on fire because I left that toaster plugged […]
Click here to listen to Vrinda Pendred talk about the modern theory that conditions such as OCD and Tourette’s are actually autoimmune disorders, as well as discuss ‘Check Mates’ the very first collection of fiction, poetry and artwork inspired by OCD, all by people with OCD. You can also listen to further episodes of the […]