I'm Rob, a photographer from England. In 2011 I set off to cycle 30,000km around the world to help sufferer's of mental health disorders, specifically OCD, sharing the journey at http://thelifecycle.roblutter.com. 

The adventure is raising donations for two charities: Mind & OCDUK, who provide help to sufferer's of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in the UK. It's an issue personal to my own journey....

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a serious, long term & often debilitating mental health condition associated with obsessive thoughts & compulsive behaviour. Almost 3% of the world population suffer from the disorder & the results are isolating & destructive to a persons life. I should know, I am an OCD sufferer. 

OCD is like trying to ride a bike around the globe, everyday, all the time, for your whole life. Hours of repetitions, mental distractions & distressing & intrusive thoughts are added to the normal stresses of daily life. And during this journey, halfway way around the world in the Himalayas, I finally came to terms with my own mental health issues. I had suffered depression in London & had some form of OCD all my life, but it had been hidden away, supressed & left undiagnosed.

My own compulsions and were beginning to comsume the adventure to the point where pedalling became almost impossible. It's taken almost 20 years to understand the disorder I suffer from, to accept it, stop running from it & begin to turn my struggle against OCD to good use. It was time to put my problems and journey to some good by beginning a charity campaign to help others, specifically children, who are trying to cope with mental health issues & OCD.

I never meant for this adventure to become a platform for telling the world, for the first time, about my condition. It began as a photography expedition which, already, has managed to raise $2000 for worldwide clean drinking water.

Since setting off from London in September 2011 the routines involved with riding a bike each day have escalated my own OCD and forced me stand up to the issue & realise that it's a significant part of the trip. Like most with the condition, for years I have tried to keep it hidden, but it's a part of my life and life on earth & it's time to consider all the millions, like me, who are also battling OCD around the world. I know now it's nothing to be ashamed of.

With the road across Australia and the Americas still to travel, I hope to raise lots more for OCD-UK and bring help to those affected with the disorder. 30,000km around the world by bike has to be worth something right, so help me make it count...

Please dig deep and donate now!

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The Lifecycle is a photographical journey around the world, estimated to finish in 2015. To discover more about it & to follow my journey on the bike visit The LifeCycle Adventure Website or checkout www.mind.org for advice!

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