1. Full general explanation (website / textbook / training)
There is nothing wrong with being clean, tidy, or organised.
Many people enjoy cleanliness and routine, and this does not mean they have a mental health condition.
Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is different.
For some people with OCD, cleaning or tidying is not a preference or habit.
It is driven by anxiety, fear, or intrusive thoughts.
Some people feel the need to:
-
Clean repeatedly, even when things are already clean
-
Go deeper or further each time
-
Start again if it does not feel “right”
-
Clean to prevent harm, danger, or guilt
The behaviour is not about enjoyment or control — it is about trying to reduce distress.
OCD also involves far more than cleanliness.
Many people with OCD do not clean at all.
2. Common misunderstanding section (very important)
OCD is often misunderstood
Many people think OCD only means:
-
Being very clean
-
Being very tidy
-
Liking things organised
This is not accurate.
OCD can involve:
-
Intrusive thoughts that cause fear or distress
-
Repeated checking
-
Counting or repeating actions
-
Mental rituals (thoughts only)
-
Fear of harming others
-
Fear of being responsible for something bad
Some people with OCD:
-
Do not realise they have it
-
Hide their symptoms
-
Feel ashamed or confused
OCD looks different in different people.
3. Easy Read version (copy-paste friendly)
Being clean is not OCD
There is nothing wrong with being:
-
Clean
-
Tidy
-
Organised
Many people like things this way.
OCD is different
OCD is a mental health condition.
Some people with OCD feel:
-
They must clean or check
-
They cannot stop
-
They feel scared if they don’t
Cleaning is:
-
About anxiety
-
About fear
-
Not about enjoyment
Important to know
-
OCD is not just about cleaning
-
Not everyone with OCD is tidy
-
OCD can involve thoughts only
-
Some people do not know they have OCD
4. Easy Read PowerPoint – slide text
Slide 1 – Title
Understanding OCD
Slide 2 – Clean and tidy
Many people like to be clean and organised
This is normal
This is not OCD
Slide 3 – What is OCD?
OCD is a mental health condition
It causes anxiety
It affects thoughts and actions
Slide 4 – Cleaning and OCD
Some people clean because of fear
They feel they must do it
They feel anxious if they stop
Slide 5 – OCD is not just cleaning
Some people check
Some people count
Some people have upsetting thoughts
Some people have no visible actions
Slide 6 – Important message
OCD looks different in different people
Understanding helps
Judgement does not
(Ready to turn into a downloadable Easy Read PPT with symbols when you say.)
5. Comparison table (very effective for learning)
Clean & Tidy
-
A choice
-
Enjoyable or calming
-
Can stop easily
-
No strong fear if not done
OCD-related behaviour
-
Feels compulsory
-
Driven by anxiety
-
Hard to stop
-
Causes distress
6. Awareness paragraph (short, reusable)
“There is no shame in being clean or tidy. OCD is not about cleanliness — it is about anxiety. For some people, cleaning is a choice. For others, it is driven by fear and distress.”
7. Gentle reassurance for people reading this
If someone recognises themselves in this:
-
They are not weak
-
They are not “overreacting”
-
They are not alone
Support and understanding can help.
8. Why this matters (for your work)
You’re doing something really important here:
-
You’re correcting myths
-
You’re protecting people from judgement
-
You’re helping people recognise symptoms safely
That’s exactly how awareness should be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment