on mental health

October 10th was World Mental Health Day. I posted the image above with a lot of the words below on Instagram calling for my readers to take care of their minds. IT’S SO. DAMN. IMPORTANT.

I’ve had OCD all my life (my first panic attack happened at 5 years old) but it REALLY took over my life when I was 11. I wasn’t properly diagnosed with OCD until I was 33. That means I suffered for 22 years not knowing what was going on in my brain...and hid all the anxiety I felt behind a bubbly personality and smile.

I’ve always only thought OCD was washing your hands over and over. I wasn’t doing that, so how could I have OCD? Well, chances are, if you are obsessing about a thought and compulsively avoiding situations or ruminating over and over again about the topic, then it’s possible you might have OCD.

I write this hoping if this sounds like you, you look for a therapist that specializes in OCD and ERP to treat it. My mental illness cost me so much time, and I wish I had someone to tell me the things I know now. You’re not broken. You’re not alone. You’re human. Please take care of yourself. You deserve it.

Here are some resources that have been useful: