What the Media Gets Right—and Wrong—About OCD
OCD has been a pop culture buzzword for decades. From quirky characters on TV to influencers casually diagnosing themselves on TikTok, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder has been both spotlighted and misunderstood. As a psychologist who specializes in OCD, I often see how these portrayals shape what people believe—and misbelieve—about this very real and often painful condition.
Let’s break down what the media gets right, where it misses the mark, and why it matters.
What the Media Sometimes Gets Right
OCD Involves Repetitive Behaviors (But There's More to It)
Shows like Monk or The Big Bang Theory highlight ritualistic behaviors and a need for order. While exaggerated, these depictions do show how compulsions can take over a person’s life.
It’s Not Just About Cleanliness
Some stories have started to explore harm OCD, checking, or intrusive thoughts, especially in online communities. This reflects the growing awareness that OCD can show up in many forms—not just as a “neat freak” stereotype.
It Can Be Debilitating
The emotional distress some characters feel when their rituals are disrupted can give a glimpse into how exhausting OCD really is. When done thoughtfully, this helps reduce stigma and increase empathy.
What the Media Gets Wrong
“I’m So OCD” ≠ OCD
Being tidy, liking color-coded closets, or double-checking your email doesn't mean you have OCD. The disorder is not a personality quirk—it’s a chronic condition that causes real suffering. Using “OCD” as shorthand for being detail-oriented trivializes what people with OCD actually go through.
Ignoring the “O” in OCD
Media often skips over obsessions—those intrusive, distressing thoughts or mental images that drive compulsions. These are the heart of the disorder. Without them, it’s not OCD, it’s just a habit or preference.
Characters with OCD Are Often One-Dimensional
People with OCD are typically portrayed as eccentric, uptight, or overly cautious—and that’s where the character development ends. This flat representation misses the reality that OCD doesn’t exist in a vacuum. When OCD is reduced to a single trait, it dehumanizes people and reinforces stigma instead of fostering understanding.
Compulsions Are Shown Only as Visible Behaviors
Most media focuses on external rituals—hand washing, checking, arranging. But many compulsions are completely internal: mental reviewing, counting, repeating phrases in your head, mentally neutralizing "bad" thoughts, or constantly seeking certainty. These mental rituals are just as disruptive and painful, but often go unrecognized—even by some therapists. Ignoring mental compulsions leads to underdiagnosis and can make people feel even more alone in their experience.
Why Accurate Representation Matters
The way OCD is portrayed affects real people. It shapes how friends, partners, and even healthcare providers respond when someone opens up about their symptoms. When media oversimplifies OCD or focuses only on visible compulsions, it can reinforce the belief that OCD has to “look a certain way” to be real.
This has real consequences in therapy. Many of my clients were misdiagnosed for years—not because their symptoms weren’t severe, but because their OCD didn’t fit the stereotype. They were told their intrusive thoughts were signs of unresolved trauma, suppressed identity, or even personality disorders. Others were mistakenly reassured, encouraged to “trust their gut,” or told their fears were valid and worth acting on—all of which accidentally reinforced their OCD cycle.
Even well-meaning therapists can miss the mark without proper training. And when OCD is misdiagnosed, it delays access to evidence-based treatment and deepens the shame many clients already feel.
If You’re Struggling, You’re Not Alone
If you’re living with OCD—whether your thoughts revolve around contamination, harm, sexuality, relationships, or something else that feels too weird or shameful to say out loud—it’s not your fault, and it is treatable.
At Beyond Labels Psychotherapy, I offer individual therapy and a weekly OCD group that blends Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT).
If you're ready to feel seen, understood, and supported—whether for the first time or after a string of invalidating experiences—reach out. You don’t have to keep it hidden or fight it alone.
