Time to Talk about Mental Health : OCD & Pure OCD

September 12, 2019 at 3:06 pm


One in four people are affected by mental health problems every year. But not everyone feels comfortable discussing their mental health with their doctor, or even family and friends. Many struggle on alone and find it hard to access the help they need. The Time to Change campaign aims to change this, by reducing the stigma around talking about mental health conditions, helping people to share their experiences, and finding the most appropriate support.

Members of the public, including Lockleaze & Horfield Councillor Gill Kirk, attended an event at the Old Library on Muller Road on Monday 29th July. Lifting the Myth of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) was organised by Tracy Tainton, herself living with an OCD diagnosis, and was supported by the local Time to Change Champions Fund in partnership with OCD Action and the Independent Mental Health Network (IMHN).

The event was an initial discussion workshop looking at what it’s like to live with OCD and how this condition can be mis-portrayed in the media. A type of anxiety disorder, OCD is experienced in the form of obsession with intensely negative, repetitive and intrusive thoughts, fear of harm, and/or compulsive patterns of behaviour to reduce the anxiety caused by these thoughts. It is not just about cleanliness or neatness, and many people tend to over-use the term ‘OCD-ish’ without understanding the distressing and debilitating nature of the disorder in its severest form.

This workshop was a relaxed opportunity to chat in small groups, listen to people with lived experience of OCD with family members and friends who support them. Tracy Tainton, who is also a trustee of IMHN, said:

Thank you to everyone who contributed to a frank and open discussion around OCD, especially those who were very open about their diagnosis. Being candid can be so hard and fearful for sufferers: a big well done. Next step is to look at setting up a peer-support / social group in Bristol specifically for those with lived experience of OCD.

The Independent Mental Health Network also campaigns to ensure that local mental health services provide the best possible care and access for patients, with input from service users themselves, and for there to be greater parity of esteem between mental and physical health. If you would like to know more about the Independent Mental Health Network, or the work of their Bristol branch, BIMHN, then please email engagement[@]imhn.org (taking out the brackets in the email address).

The aim of this event was to gauge interest in an OCD support / social group. Tracy is delighted to report that there has been an initial session of this organised for Tuesday 24th September at 7.30pm on the Gloucester Road (exact location to be confirmed). If you are interested in attending, or would like more information, please email Tracy at tracy_tainton[@]yahoo.co.uk (taking out the brackets from the email address) .

 

 

 

September 12, 2019 at 3:06 pm | News | No comment

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