If you are struggling to manage the impact of OCD and find support, you are not alone — these types of questions are very common for individuals living with OCD. In addition to being highly misunderstood, OCD can be an unpredictable and unique disease that can impact all areas of your life.

Having a peer community to share experiences with and turn to for support can be an invaluable asset. That’s why the IOCDF has recently partnered with HealthUnlocked to launch a new peer-to-peer online community called My OCD Community!

My OCD Community is a free, online peer-to-peer forum for members to share their OCD experiences. The community is a safe space that allows you to post a question and get answers from members of the forum, share your OCD journey, connect with others, and contribute to ongoing conversations – all from your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

To learn more about My OCD Community, read IOCDF’s recent blog post here.

The UC San Diego School of Medicine OCD Research Program is investigating different treatment approaches for individuals with OCD and they are interested in your opinion regarding treatment preferences and effectiveness! This online survey will only take 25 minutes to complete and will be helpful for future treatment development.

You are eligible if you are age 18-75, have OCD, and are fluent in the English language.

Link to the study: alliant.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aay03Hys2dN94Rn. Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ucsdocd.researchprogram. Click here to download a flyer containing more details regarding the study.

Anxiety in the Classroom is an online resource center for school personnel, students, and their families. This website provides general information, resources, and materials about anxiety and OCD as they relate to the school setting, as well as more specific tools for teachers, administrators, and other school personnel who may work with students with anxiety and/or OCD. Parents and students will also find tools and information to help them advocate for school accommodations, as well as to educate their teachers and classmates about OCD and anxiety. Click here to go to the website.

Thomas Smalley calls his YouTube page “Struggle Into Strength.” Anyone who has watched his two documentaries can begin to understand the enormity of his struggle with OCD and his strength to overcome it. A college junior and psychology major, Smalley works hard these days to give us a clue. A strong young man who is on a mission to help people understand OCD, his goals are to spread the word to those suffering from mental illness that they are not alone and to help eliminate the stigma. Click here to read the article.

The Anxiety Institute is hosting free screenings for a documentary that sparks conversation about mental health. The film “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety,” comprises stories about teens who are living with anxiety disorder, OCD and trauma. After the film, experts will offer tips on coping and the different treatment options that are available.

Free screenings will be held October 3 at Prospector Theater, 25 Prospect St., Ridgefield, CT, 7:00 to 8:30 pm and October 17 at Bow Tie Ultimate Royale 6, 542 Westport Ave., Norwalk, CT, 7:00 to 8:30 pm. RSVP to angstmovie.com/anxiety-institute-events.

SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry in Brooklyn, NY is conducting a research study sponsored by the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health). Research has shown that genes can make some people more likely than others to develop OCD and related disorders. The goal of this study is to identify these genes.

ELIGIBILITY:

• 7 years of age old or older.
• Have symptoms or a diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Related Disorders (Hoarding Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hair Pulling Disorder/Trichotillomania, and Skin Picking Disorder/Excoriation Disorder).

STUDY PROCEDURES:

• Complete a screening questionnaire on personal and family health history.
• Be interviewed by a clinician about your symptoms.
• Give a small blood sample (about 3 tablespoons).
• Be compensated for your time and effort.

If you are interested in learning more about this study, please contact SUNY Downstate Medical Center at:
Email: InstituteforGenomicHealth@downstate.edu
Phone: 718-270-8254
All inquiries are confidential

Click here to download a flyer containing all information.

Typically patients with OCD see a therapist once a week for an hour over several months, but this intensive therapy program for OCD consists of two-hour group meetings three times a week, plus up to four additional hours of individual therapy per week. Some patients complete the treatment in just two weeks. The program is part of a new wave of concentrated, intensive therapy programs for psychiatric disorders. Click here to read the article.

A new study reports that children who possess tendencies toward perfectionism and excessive self-control are twice as likely as other children to develop OCD by the time they reach their teens. MRI scans taken as part of the research revealed that the perfectionists often had smaller volumes of a brain structure previously linked to OCD. Click here to read the article.

The Yale OCD Research Clinic, based at the Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC) in New Haven, is currently running a range of studies, running the gamut from cognitive testing to neuroimaging to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment studies.

They are currently conducting a new treatment study for adults with refractory OCD. They have been studying the FDA-approved drug riluzole for refractory OCD for over a decade and are now partnering with a local pharmaceutical startup, BioHaven (led by Yale’s own Vlad Coric), to test the efficacy of a riluzole prodrug (trigriluzole) that has better pharmacokinetics and tolerability than riluzole itself.

Patients for this study must have a diagnosis of OCD that is their primary psychiatric problem and must be stably medicated on an SSRI or clomipramine. Certain other antidepressants are permitted, as is stable (but not new) therapy and low-dose benzodiazepine use. The study consists of a placebo-controlled, blinded 12-week treatment phase, followed by an optional 48-week open-label continuation phase.

There are several features of this study that may make it more attractive to patients than a typical industry-sponsored drug study. First, trigriluzole is converted into riluzole in the body, and we know a great deal about riluzole’s tolerability. We also believe, based on our published research, that riluzole helps some individuals with refractory OCD. So the new drug, trigriluzole, is much less of an unknown than many novel drugs in pharmaceutical studies. Second, because of the open-label follow-up phase, everyone who enters the study has an opportunity to try the new drug. Third, since the drug’s mechanism is the same as that of riluzole, patients who get some clinical benefit during the trial can continue treatment (with rilzuole) without interruption, even if there is a delay in getting the new drug approved by the FDA.

Interested patients who would like to participate in this exciting trial can contact Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic, by email at christopher.pittenger@yale.edu.

It’s sometimes said that Spring is a time for new beginnings, and to celebrate the IOCDF is incredibly excited to share that they are bringing back its Spotlight: OCD News & Research Updates!

Spotlight is the IOCDF’s monthly series that brings the absolute latest in OCD news and research right to your email inbox. There they feature compelling stories from advocates and cutting-edge research from the scientific community. In Spotlight, they put a special focus on the important work of its Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board experts, as well as the research and discoveries made possible through its Research Grant Program. They’re excited to be back, and look forward to sharing Spotlight with you each month!

If you would like to sign up, please click here to make sure that each month’s update arrives right in your inbox.