At Light On Anxiety, one of our core goals is increasing understanding of OCD and reducing the stigma that often surrounds it. We were excited to learn about a local student’s creative effort to help others better understand what OCD is really like through the voices of those who live with it every day.
Olivia Catarello, a sophomore at Lane Tech College Prep, who recently completed a research project on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that culminated in the creation of her self-published podcast, Tell Me What OCD Is Really Like.
Olivia’s interest in OCD is deeply personal. Her sister lives with severe OCD, and Olivia has witnessed firsthand the challenges that can arise when others misunderstand the disorder.
Motivated by a desire to increase awareness and understanding, Olivia decided not to wait until college to pursue her interest in psychology. Instead, she designed her own research project and created a podcast that allows listeners to hear directly from individuals living with OCD.
Tell Me What OCD Is Really Like features conversations with five guests, each sharing their personal experiences with different forms of OCD. The first guest is Olivia’s sister, whose story helped inspire the project.
As described by Olivia:
“Around 3% of people around the world are diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), often mistakenly referred to as ‘the cleaning disorder.’ But contamination OCD is just one of many OCD subtypes, and stereotypes like these only highlight how much misinformation still exists. This podcast gives listeners the opportunity to learn about OCD through conversations with people who actually live with it.”
One of the most powerful messages that emerges from Olivia’s work is that understanding creates compassion. When we take the time to listen to people’s lived experiences rather than relying on assumptions, we become better friends, classmates, coworkers, and community members.
We applaud Olivia for using her voice to increase awareness, challenge misconceptions, and encourage empathy for those living with OCD. Her project serves as a reminder that meaningful advocacy can begin at any age.
The podcast is available free of charge on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts:
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/033lukK4IfQLmdgG3N4GI5
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tell-me-what-ocd-is-really-like/id1896802906
We encourage our Light On Anxiety community to give it a listen and support this thoughtful effort to bring greater understanding to OCD and the people who live with it every day.
