A study of mental illness literary by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Singapore found that nine out of ten respondents believe that those with a mental disorder “could get better if they wanted to,” while half also saw mental illness as a sign of “personal weakness.” Researchers say this stigmatizing mindset often prevents people from seeking treatment (Straits Times, October 2015). To read the article, click here.

Even for people with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), cognitive-behavioral therapy outperforms anti-psychotic medication in some hard-to-treat patients, finds a recent study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (Columbia University Medical Center Newsroom, October 2015). To read the article, click here.

Rose Bretécher, author of a new memoir about her experiences with pure OCD, explains how her new boyfriend’s accidental discovery of her therapy homework actually revealed the surprisingly positive (and therapeutic!) sides of embarrassment (The Guardian, September 2015). To read the article, click here.

The IOCDF is proud to announce its new website regarding OCD in kids and teens. The foundation’s goals in building this website are to educate the general public about OCD, facilitate education and training of mental health professionals, pediatricians, and school personnel, support research into the causes of and effective treatments for pediatric OCD, and improve access to resources for those with OCD and their families, as well as clinicians and school personnel. To access this website, go to ocfoundation.org/ocdinkids/.

Learn how to break free from OCD using this illustration of the OCD Cycle. This important and effective tool will guide you to the Path to Freedom using Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). Click here to view the cycle.