OCD Awareness Week: Understanding OCD Beyond the Stereotypes

Every October, OCD Awareness Week creates an opportunity to talk about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), challenge common misconceptions, and help people feel less alone in their experiences. When many people hear “OCD,” they picture someone who loves organizing, keeps everything spotless, or checks a lock a few extra times. But OCD is much more complex than these familiar stereotypes, and many people struggle with experiences that others cannot see.