Go Teal for OCD Awareness Week

The Rhode Island State House will be illuminated in teal Oct. 6–10 for OCD Awareness Week. (Photo courtesy of OCD Rhode Island)

Editor’s note: This article has been updated from a previous version.

Keep an eye on the State House next week and you might spot the dome lit up in brilliant teal.

Teal is the universal color for obsessive-compulsive disorder awareness and will be projected on the Rhode Island capitol Oct. 6–10 in preparation for OCD Awareness Week.  The International OCD Foundation officially celebrates Awareness Week this year on Oct. 11–17.

Ryan Glode, founder and vice president of OCD Rhode Island, says the organization is joining with the International OCD Foundation to raise awareness and reduce stigma toward OCD and related disorders. Glode is a licensed mental health counselor specializing in OCD treatment in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

“Our mission is basically to help individuals within the community who have OCD to get connected to resources, whether that’s support groups or some of the OCD programs and clinics in the area, or direct providers,” he says.

As part of the week’s events, the organization will co-sponsor a showing of An Unquiet Mind with Butler Hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ray Hall on the Butler Hospital campus. The documentary sheds light on the darker side of OCD that many of those who live with the condition are reluctant to speak about. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with OCD experts and an audience Q&A.

“This silence and misunderstanding of OCD has fostered a culture of shame, hindering access to support,” says the film’s description. “Thousands of people living with OCD aren’t diagnosed because even many health professionals are unable to recognize nontraditional symptoms. Other are suffering in silence and isolation, reluctant to seek help due to the highly stigmatized nature of their disorder.”

The film follows two individuals, Natasha and Vinay, both living with OCD. Natasha struggles with intrusive, unwanted thoughts about physically and sexually harming her loved ones, while Vinay struggles with unwanted images of death and violence following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Both speak about their experiences with particular types of OCD.

“We need to talk about this topic openly, honestly and with no shame. By telling Natasha and Vinay’s stories, we aim to empower mental health advocates, health professionals and those affected by OCD,” write the filmmakers.

According to the International OCD Foundation, about one in forty adults has OCD or is expected to develop it at some point in their lifetime. Symptoms often appear between the ages of seven and twelve, or during the late teen years and early adulthood.

OCD is marked by intrusive thoughts that revolve around contamination, violence, responsibility or other topics, as well as repeated behaviors that could indicate a compulsion. For people with OCD, intrusive thoughts happen frequently and can trigger extreme anxiety, fear or disgust. The International OCD Foundation has resources that adults and family members can use if they suspect they or a loved one has OCD.

“People often have OCD but they don’t diagnose it, because a lot of the content’s taboo. They minimize it or ignore it,” Glode says.

In addition to the film screening, OCD Rhode Island will hold a fundraiser at Flatbread Company in Providence on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 5 to 9 p.m. A portion of all flatbreads sold will benefit the organization, and visitors can make a donation in person of online. The event also celebrates the tenth anniversary of the organization’s founding. Next spring, OCD Rhode Island will host the state’s first “1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk.”

For more information about OCD Awareness Week and to connect with local resources, visit OCD Rhode Island.

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