You all really had a response to my episode on bipolar disorder and many of you responded

with requests for more mental health diagnoses that come up in pop culture and are frequently

misunderstood.

When you ask, I try to deliver, so today I'm going to talk about obsessive compulsive disorder.

Welcome back to Savvy Psychologist, I'm your host, Dr. Monica Johnson.

Every week on this show, I'll help you face life challenges with evidence-based approaches,

a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

I receive several responses related to OCD, and I understand why.

It's very common for people to walk around and say, I'm so OCD.

Let me tell you, simply because you like to Marie Kondo your apartment or are a bit

of a perfectionist, does not make you OCD.

Many of you disclose to me that you have a diagnosis of OCD and found that when people

do this, it minimizes your experience.

I hope the information I provide today will help us to understand the disorder better and

to not use the disorder to describe our idiosyncrasies.

Prior to bipolar disorder, OCD afflicts a relatively small number of people.

According to the DSM-5TR, about 1.2% of the United States will experience OCD in a given

year.

Women are affected at a slightly higher rate than men and adulthood, while men are more

commonly affected in childhood.

Most people will experience symptoms by age 19, and while onset after the age of 35

is uncommon, OCD can occur later in life.

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