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FU to my OCD: From Struggle to a Song that’s Inspired People Everywhere

You’ll often hear people say, “I’m so OCD”. You may have jokingly said it yourself. We all like to keep things neat and tidy. Perhaps, “We’re all a little OCD,” right? Wrong.

OCD is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions. Media portrayals have led most people to believe that sufferers of OCD are eccentric perfectionists who love cleaning. A notion especially damaging to the undiagnosed.

Together, Theron and I wrote “Therapy” a song about overcoming mental health struggles and finding the strength to keep going. With lyrics like “FU to my OCD, I let go of my Anxiety, My mind’s playing tricks on me, Brush It off like 1 2 3..”. The song quickly resonated with the OCD and mental health community, especially with kids!

When I was deep in my battle with OCD I searched far and wide for a song that I could relate to and did not find what I was looking for! You can Pre-Save Therapy on your favorite music platform, ahead of its upcoming release date, and you can watch the official lyric video right now on YouTube!

Sticks and Stones

Do you remember the old saying heard on the playground, “Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words can never hurt me?” People often throw around words like “crazy” or “psychotic” to describe those with a mental health diagnosis. The word “psychotic” is not necessarily a stigmatizing word, but people sometimes use it as an insult.

How I use my words has become very important to me now. I use words to help educate people about my mental illness, about my schizophrenia. Honestly, I can be hesitant about sharing my story with other people, but I have had help from various sources.

I have found purpose in sharing my mental health journey with the online organization called Students with Psychosis. I googled publications that publish mental health first person accounts. ADAA’s website popped up and I thought it would be perfect for my story. By putting my story out there along with other ADAA authors we are helping to bust the stigma of mental illness. I also think when people with mental health challenges read other people first person accounts they feel less alone.

I needed to talk to someone, so I called the Mind Infoline

Pete, who suffers from anxiety and depression, has run seven marathons and raised several thousand pounds for Mind.

I ran the London Marathon for Mind in 2017, and that was life changing for me. It gave me so much confidence. I’d achieved something that was a massive challenge and had found something that made a big difference to my mental health.

Running got me outside and gave me goals and objectives. As well as being active, running helped me live in the moment, instead of worrying about the future or past, which I’d always done. I’ve now run seven marathons and raised several thousand pounds for Mind.

Teetering on a Tightrope

Teetering on a Tightrope, my bipolar journey, is the story of my lifelong battle for balance. For most of my 73 years I have suffered from bipolar disorder. Descending into the depths of suicidal intentions or rising to the high of watching the births of my children, I have endured a roller coaster ride of epic proportions.

Teetering is both a deeply personal memoir and a call to action, rallying the reader to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental illness and find the support they need to resurrect their lives. My memoir will be released January 24, 2023. If you are interested in inviting me to be a guest on your podcast or in any other capacity please email me at swwilson.wilson@gmail.com.

The Dark Cloud Overhead

When I was in my middle teenage years, my dad once remarked that I seemed to have a dark cloud hanging over my head. He did not say those words to be hurtful. They were just an observation that he made on a particular day. Although that comment was made over twenty-five years ago, I still remember his words because they describe my adolescence very well.

I learn more every day about managing my symptoms, and I use my experience to advocate for others who might be experiencing mental illness. It is still hard for some people to ask for help and to get the help they need. For those who are able to get help, therapy is even available on the phone. I write first person accounts of living with mental illness so that others will not feel alone.

I Will Not Be Defined by a Diagnosis

At the age of 23, I could no longer get out of bed in the mornings and put my feet on the ground without feeling I had heavy weights around my ankles. I could barely drag myself to the bathroom. I had no idea what was happening. After a month of not getting out of bed, I moved back home with my parents, where my depressive state worsened and I attempted suicide.

While I have found self-love and confidence, I worry about others grappling with mental health conditions. Mental illness should not be treated any differently from physical illness — but it is. Due to the stigma surrounding mental illness, people living with mental health challenges face unfair assumptions, negative attitudes and unpleasant stereotypes. I have experienced this firsthand. My hope for the future is that we can advance the conversation about mental health and squash the stigma that limits us.

Putting in the ground work for Mind

Mark explains why he has set himself the challenge of cycling to 116 football grounds in 34 days to raise money for Mind.

I wanted to take the focus away from myself and focus on helping others, so I decided to support charities concerned with my two passions – football (Luton Town) and cycling. Being able to exercise through cycling had helped with my mental health, so for the 2021/22 season I set myself the challenge to cycle to all the away games raising awareness and funds for mental health and other charities.

My message to everyone is ‘it’s ok not to be ok’ and don’t be afraid to ask for help. No one should ever have to face struggles with mental health alone.

My EUPD Journey

Nadia blogs about her journey of being diagnosed with EUPD (also known as BPD), learning coping techniques, and helping others to find their own coping strategies by volunteering, speaking, and teaching.

Nadia is a mental health advocate and passionate about sharing her own mental heath experience to bring hope, positivity and awareness. Follow Nadia on Instagram at instagram.com/the_mind_mentor

My passion is to share my own lived experience of mental health to bring hope, positivity, understanding and awareness. I realised my passion and purpose in life and made steps to make this a reality.

In the last four years, I have co-led courses at the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trusts Recovery Academy as a volunteer. I am now also a qualified public speaker; I use my voice to talk about my passion. I am also currently studying to be a Mindfulness Teacher. Mindfulness has really helped me in recovery. When difficult thoughts or emotions come to me, instead of reacting like I used to with my old coping mechanisms, I sit with how I am feeling, take time to understand what’s really going on, and accept how I am feeling and let my emotion out in a healthy way.

Recovery for me is a never ending journey of growing pains. The transformation of “becoming” can be painful but coming home to ourselves is worth it, it’s what we deserve.

Overcoming Cultural Stigma to Fight my Depression

I was 14 years old when I first experienced depression. I began to feel an overpowering sense of loneliness and, for the first time in my life, I began questioning everything about my existence. Often, it felt like the darkness would never lift — like I would be forever trapped in a pit of despair with my feelings of worthlessness. This sadness and self-doubt brought me to my lowest point, and I contemplated suicide daily.

After my rocky teen years and difficult time in the military, I wanted to make a difference in the lives of people experiencing similar issues. I now study Criminal Justice and Psychology at Victoria University, work in the corrections industry in Melbourne, Australia and provide support to existing youth/community services. Many of the people I work with have a history of mental illness, and I find that I’m often able to relate and offer guidance. My goal is to become their advocate and help them communicate what they’re feeling.

Building the Ride Don’t Hide movement: Michael’s Story

On August 1, 2010, Michael Schratter, a Vancouver teacher who lives with bipolar disorder, began a solo cycling trip around the world.

Over the next year and a half, he would cross six continents, 33 countries, and travel a distance of over 40,000 kilometres. His journey, which became known as “Ride Don’t Hide,” raised over $100,000 dollars for CMHA BC while bringing global attention to the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Building on Michael’s momentum, Ride Don’t Hide has since become a national movement for mental health. In 2012, CMHA BC launched Ride Don’t Hide community bike rides that drew around 500 participants. Over the next four years, the event would expand across the country, drawing thousands and raising close to $4 million for CMHA’s mental health programs and services in local communities.

“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined Ride Don’t Hide would be what it is today. To see 7,000 people come out and ride, and show each other there’s nothing to be stigmatized about,” says Michael.

For Michael, the stigma surrounding mental illness can be even more damaging than the illness itself. Fear of judgment can, for instance, prevent people from accessing the help they need: although 1 in 5 Canadians live with a mental illness at any given time, only 1/3 of those who need mental health services will actually receive them.

“Ride Don’t Hide for me was about finding the courage and realizing the obligation for me and other people who are dealing with mental health challenges to come forth and say: it’s okay.”