Research • OCD

OCD is one of the most common disorders in people, affecting different ages including children. It is estimated that one in every 50 people suffer from the disorder, and is experienced by many healthy people with no other problems. A lot of people I know have slight indicators of OCD, such as "touching wood" when something bad is said, and checking windows and doors a few times before going out for the day. I, myself, suffer from slight OCD, I always have to wash my hands at work every 15 minutes or have to wear gloves as I get an extreme sense of uncleanliness and they feel horrible. However, for OCD suffers, they have an unending cycle of obsessive thoughts which can take over their lives.

There are two different categories of OCD, "Obsessions" and "Compulsions". Obsessions are intrusive images, ideas or thoughts, which keep coming into the suffers mind, despite trying to resist them and think about something else. Although the thoughts are the persons own, they find it difficult to ignore them and can lead to severe anxiety and worry. Obsessions can be grouped by theme, and are as follows; dirt and contamination, hoarding or collecting, ordering, religion and morality, aggressive thoughts, sexual thoughts or the constant worry of making mistakes. However, compulsions are repetitive acts or behaviours that the suffer thinks they must carry out, even though they know they are irrational or not needed. These compulsions can also be grouped and are as follows; cleaning and washing, checking, hoarding or saving, repeating, ordering and needing to follow their own rules everyday.

When I discussed my idea for my project with Lawrence and my fellow peers, they all agreed that the idea was a strong idea and should be back up by research and a full understanding of the condition so my photographic work will reflect my knowledge. This book has given me a full understanding of the condition, how it can effect peoples lives and what pairs with OCD, such as anxiety, substance misuse and relationship problems. I am also now in understanding that I have a small form of OCD due to me washing my hands all the time at work and after, as well as ordering items and keeping my room clean (and if it is not, I become anxious and distressed). I plan to take some experiments, and they are as follows:

1) A series of photographs showing the same chair, as my initial shot, and then a photograph of someone washing their hands, I will then repeat this pattern but cleaning something or moving something in the shot of the chair, to make it appear like the person has to obsessively clean the area until it is fully clean, but wash their hands every 5 minutes or so

2) A series of photographs, again, showing the chair, and then a photograph of a child washing their hands, repeating this pattern again throughout the set, but the pair of hands seems to age (i.e. child, teenager, adult, elder), showing the long lasting effects of OCD and how some people hid the condition and don't tell anyone throughout their whole life

3) A series of photographs where the chair and window are stationary, and outside a pile of leaves is forming, every second shot, the leaves get cleaned up, but the cycle repeats. This would show that the person is not happy until the scene is clean, and it doesn't matter if they have to do it all day

4) A series of photographs showing the chair and window, and the shot stays stationary, but the furniture or floor keeps getting cleaned, so a slow shutter speed shot is shown of the person frantically cleaning or hoovering. Therefore, we do not see the persons identity, but we see that they are cleaning

References: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, The Essential Guide by Joanna Jast, 2011, ISBN 978-1-86144-084-6