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I was actually suffering from a condition millions have
the-sun.com • • health
Key Points:
- Dana Da Silva, a mother of two from Sydney, battled terrifying intrusive thoughts in her early 20s, fearing she might harm others despite never acting on these thoughts, which she later identified as symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Initially unaware that OCD could involve mental rituals and intrusive thoughts rather than just physical compulsions, Dana's diagnosis and therapy helped her understand and manage her condition effectively.
- Dana emphasizes that OCD involves irrational anxieties and "sticky thoughts" that persist and cause distress, contrasting with fleeting intrusive thoughts experienced by most people.
- Through therapy, she learned to let intrusive thoughts pass without emotional engagement, leading to significant improvement; she no longer meets OCD diagnostic criteria but continues to manage her symptoms.
- Dana publicly shared her story in a memoir to combat stigma, raise awareness about the true nature of OCD, and challenge misconceptions that trivialize the disorder as merely about cleanliness or tidiness.
