My name is Matthew Harrison and I have suffered from OCD for at least 3 years but most probably for much longer. However thankfully due to a lot of help from the charity CHUMS my OCD is becoming more controllable or at least easier to live with.

I have had a very hard time struggling to live with my OCD especially during Year 8 and the start of Year 9 however even though I still do have a lot of worry, self doubt and stress leading to my 'rituals' on most days (with some worse than others) I am improving. I know I will always have OCD but living with it is getting easier. 

I know that my struggle with OCD has been far 'better' than many other people's because I have people behind me who are supportive and willing to ask for help when needed. CHUMS gave me some counselling sessions and provided me and my parents with strategies to use to try to help manage my condition. However many people do not have that support during their youth and struggle on into adulthood without the knowledge to help them understand what is happening to them. Furthermore many children my age struggle without adequate support from people around them. This is why in the future I wish to become a psychologist because I want to help others just the way people have helped me.

I hope that my challenge of the Coast to Coast will help raise some money for the amazing charity that helped me and to whom I am very grateful. The money I raise could be used to raise awareness of the charity as I believe that is what will help young people realise that there is help out there for them and encourage them not to suffer in silence. I know this may only be a small help for a charity that deserves so much but I am a firm believer that  any small contribution is important for keeping organisations such as CHUMS running.

However the main reason I am doing this is to show that there is hope for those who need it and that anything is possible, I know that this is a cliché however there is truth in those words, hope is what will inspire and provoke change in people’s lives.

Hope.