"I must follow the procedure, because if I don't something really bad may happen..." Read "Lizzy's Story"

"I am 24 and have been suffering from OCD as long as I can remember. It got extremely severe when I went away to college this past September. It got so bad that I had to take a sick leave." Read "Leah's Story"

"At around 35 years of age I began to question why I had to check things all the time - are the car lights really turned off, did I make a mistake in the work I did today (better recheck it), etc... " Read "Cara's Story"

"The first episode of OCD that I recall was when I was a youngster, about 9 or 10. The thought kept running through my mind that I may hurt my parents. My dad kept his rifles and a pistol in his room and I would never go into that room. . . " Read "Mark's Story"

"I would have these awful obsessions and didn't understand why and with time they turned into checking rituals, and hand washing rituals...and then to religious rituals...reading my Bible all the time and praying praying...I also suffer from major depression.... " Read "Jean's Story"

"I am sharing my story because I want others to know that OCD is not just about washing, checking or other rituals. There is another horrific side to this illness, and I want others to know that they are not alone and should not feel shame for thoughts they cannot help." Read "Lisa from New York's Story"

"shining down on me a vision dances
perfect, her wisdom innocent
she tries to free the parts i keep sheltered,
locked behind the doors, safe"
Read "Deb's Poem"

"I guess my story will sound quite familiar but it still feels shocking to me. I still cannot believe that this is happening to me." Read "Phil's Story"

"It reached its worst point around 20-21. I was obsessed about diseases. HIV was a huge deal and at times still is, though I have been tested and am fine. I was bed ridded with this disorder. I could not touch certain colors. " Read "Heather's Story"

"I am a 30 year old woman with 3 children, my first experience with OCD I was 19 years old and it was on Thanksgiving Day. For as long as I live I will never forget that day." Read "Tina's Story"

"The first thought was my mind telling me that I wanted to molest my little cousin, then my mind started telling me that I was a lesbian even though I had never been physically attracted to a girl before. Then my mind started..." Read "Brandi's Story"

" My OCD started when I was 7 years old. When I was supposed to be asleep one night, I couldn't stop counting to 100 and I started crying." Read "Kerri's Story"

"Three separate psychiatrists failed to diagnose OCD (or if they did they weren't letting me in on the diagnosis) and I eventually endured four years of psychoanalytical therapy which was of no value to me at all (having lightened my bank account of $10,000)." Read "Richard's Story"

"When I was in sixth grade, I was first introduced to a "new" virus called HIV. It was during a Health/Sex Education class where we learned about this disease..." Read "Michael's Story"