Step 2 - Breaking Away From Labels

Step Two for Overcoming OCD is Breaking Away From Labels and Mental Illness Stigma

https://www.restoredminds.com/5-Rules-For-Recovery

When talking about the obsessive compulsive cycle, it is virtually impossible to ignore the notion of labeling or diagnosing people with the particular mental-illness known as OCD.

From my point of view, I don’t believe it necessary to place a diagnosis or label on someone in order to help them. In fact, my personal experience in the field of mental health has led me to believe that a good majority of clinicians seem to care more about the client’s diagnosis than about the client’s name, and this mindset has contributed to the Stigma Associated with Mental Illness.

From a clinical standpoint, I understand the importance of accurately diagnosing someone’s problem. I even understand determining a clinical diagnosis for billing and insurance purposes. But, I do not believe that a diagnosis or label should be the main focus of the clinician nor the person seeking help.

After seeing multiple therapists in my quest for help with obsessive thoughts, I was diagnosed with Depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Several Specific Phobias, and a possibility of being Bipolar.  I came to find out that none of these were accurate diagnoses. Eventually, I was finally accurately assessed as having obsessive-compulsive tendencies. But even when I read the clinical diagnosis of OCD, I didn’t necessarily feel it to be completely accurate in my personal situation.

The truth is my experience happened to be very unique because it was my personal experience. No one in the world shared my exact experience with obsessive thoughts. So the idea of being categorized under the definition of a manual and labeled as such always bothered me. Particularly because most people in our society have a very limited understanding of mental illness, and there tends to be a horrible stigma that comes along with being identified as “mentally ill”. Which is why breaking away from labels and the mental illness stigma is so important.

Throughout my time working  in the field  of Social Work I have seen many people take labels that were placed on them to heart and actually over-identify with them. In fact, if you take a second to think about it, you have probably also seen this happen.

You have probably individually heard someone identify themselves with a mental illness as well. For example, you may have heard people say things like

“I am depressed”

or “I’m Bipolar”

or “that person is schizophrenic”

or “they are crazy”

And by using this type of language, a person is identifying themselves or another person as a particular disorder.

The point is that we need to starting changing the way we look at mental illness. Instead of focusing on labeling and categorizing people, we need to focus on empowering and educating them. It is time that people living with mental illness realize that this illness does not have to control their life. So when it comes to overcoming OCD & Obsessive Thoughts you need to start breaking free from labels and begin to remove the negative stigma that accompanies those labels.

Realize that you are unique. You have many aspects in your life that have come together and intersected to compose your individual identity. Some of those aspects include your gender, your age, your level of education, your employment status, your socio-economic status, your personal experiences, your religion, your marital status, your race, your culture, your political affiliation, your family history, your sexual orientation, your family roles as a brother, sister, mother, father, son, daughter, uncle, aunt, or grandparent. These are all aspects of your life that intersect to form your identity and separate you as a unique individual.

So if you suffer from obsessive thoughts, depression, or anxiety it is really just a small part of who you are. There is so much more to you than your struggle. And please recognize that labels are often counter-productive to overcoming your struggles. It doesn’t matter what type of OCD your have or even if you have a mental illness or not…..all that matters is that you are a unique individual and that you are moving towards overcoming a particular struggle you are facing. That’s it!