This Heartbreaking Poem About Dating With OCD Is So Spot On

Dealing with a mental health issue can affect every part of your life ― including your relationships. Case in point: This viral spoken poem by artist Neil Hilborn, which details the complexities of falling in love when you’re also dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder. The account is raw and emotional. It also perfectly captures the everyday challenges of the condition ― from repetitive behaviors to intrusive thoughts. “The first time I saw her, everything in my head went quiet,” he says in the poem. “All the tics, all the constantly refreshing images, just disappeared. When you have obsessive compulsive disorder, you don’t really get quiet moments. Even in bed I’m thinking, ‘Did I lock the door, yes, did I wash my hands, yes.’” OCD affects approximately 1 percent of the American population, with 50 percent of those cases being severe. It can lead to anxiety-provoking thoughts (some of which can cause debilitating panic attacks) and rituals that can interfere with a person’s daily life. It’s those symptoms, Hilborn points out, that makes relationships difficult ― particularly when the other person may not fully understand the condition. “I asked her out six times. In 30 seconds. She said yes after the third one, but none of them felt right so I had to keep going,” he says. “On our first date, I spend more time organizing my meal by color rather than eating.” Hilborn’s vi...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news