Living with OCD (Learn the basics from a patient)

Learn about OCD – obsessive-compulsive disorder, a serious mental illness that affects millions of people in the United States alone. It is estimated to affect 1 to 2 % of the world population. Many people do not fully understand OCD and the way people deal with OCD is not necessarily the same as it is portrayed in the media.

The course will talk about its two main components, namely intrusive thoughts and compulsions, and how to deal with them. Intrusive thoughts are words, images, memories, imaginations, that seem to invade a person’s mind. Compulsions, which can be mental or physical, are the rituals a person with OCD does in order to try to relieve anxiety.

The teacher, Laurent Cousineau, will also talk about how OCD affected his own life. Laurent struggled with OCD for about 20 years, starting around the age of 9. Laurent suffered from many different types of intrusive thoughts and compulsions over the years. In 2017, his OCD was so bad that it took up a big part of his day.

Towards the end of the class, there is a lot of advice about the treatment of OCD. Laurent Cousineau strongly recommends a combination of therapy and medication for people with OCD. The most recommended form of therapy is exposure and response prevention, which is part of CBT – cognitive behavioral therapy.

Many people who suffer with OCD are not aware of the treatment options and feel like they are the only ones in the world suffering with the condition. However, it is important to know that millions of people suffer from the same condition and for the vast majority of OCD sufferers, treatment is possible.

* This online class is free and meant for informational purposes (advice); it is definitely not a replacement for medical advice. In fact, the teacher, Laurent Cousineau, highly recommends a combination of therapy and medication for severe OCD.