Topic: Digital World How does the media’s portrayal of OCD affect individuals with the mental disorder in the United States? OCD and Media portrayal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects approximately 2.5 million adults in the United States. It is not uncommon amongst people to mention OCD in conversations. Despite the popularity of the term, OCD lacks awareness of what the disorder is. Many forms of media depict the concept of OCD as an adjective, or a humorous trait, usually referenced when an individual has extreme fear of germs or perfectionism, which is highly misleading. OCD is an anxiety disorder that includes unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions), that lead individuals to perform repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Obsessions and compulsions differ between individuals that experience the disorder. OCD can revolve around …show more content…
There are 2 main causes of the stigma surrounding OCD, the first is the lack of information regarding the disorder, and the second is the misinterpretation of OCD in the media. To this, the misinterpretation of OCD in media is inevitable, as it is difficult to maintain regulations of how media can depict OCD. However, misinterpretation of OCD in the media is also caused by the lack of information about OCD. So, to both improve OCD awareness in the media and raise awareness of OCD, steps are to be taken such as: Mental health organizations to involve more OCD awareness campaigns in the form of videos, or posts that are easily accessed by the mass media. This will make it more convenient for people to educate themselves on OCD. Encouraging OCD awareness and growth. Media hosts to encourage people with OCD to use their platform to share their struggles. This gives a good representation of OCD for people to reference, sharing examples of the symptoms to counter misconceptions. Therefore decreasing the stigma of