Why am I fundraising for OCD-UK?

Since the age of 8 I have been afflicted by this debilitating problem known as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) which up until recently (I am now 32 years old) had impacted greatly on my quality of life and general enjoyment. People assume that if you have OCD you are partial to a bit more cleaning than the average person or have to arrange the tins in your cupboard in a certain way. For some sufferers this may be true and I am not trivialising this form of OCD in any way. However, the point that most people (non OCD sufferers) are not aware of is that people who genuinely do suffer from OCD suffer intolerable levels of anxiety and fear if for example, they haven't completed something a certain number of times or, they haven't cleaned up a "contaminated" area.Does having a "bad" thought automatically make you a bad person? To OCD sufferers the latter is true and many hours are often spent mentally reviewing the implications of "bad" thoughts or simply replacing them with "good" thoughts to compensate for this. With this in mind, OCD is not something to be joked about, nor is it something any sufferer should want to tolerate in their lives. I am an OCD sufferer in recovery and I wish to do as much as I can to raise awareness of this condition which I believe can be overcome through sheer determination and hard work, as a life without OCD awaits those who are brave enough to make those steps. It is my belief that recovery is possible and it is my aim as a fundraiser to increase the awareness of a problem which many cannot see and simply don't acknowledge it's existance as a result. Remember, you cannot assume that a problem does not exist simply because you can't see it.

Please support me in my quest to increase awareness of this condition and wish me well on my 10K around Mancland.

 

Best wishes.

 

Lisa.