Stephanie Facer

The terms ‘obsessive’ and ‘compulsive’ carry very different meanings in medical language than they do in everyday usage. An ‘obsession’ as it pertains to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an intrusive thought or image that disrupts a person's process of thinking, and when this occurs the person will engage in a ‘compulsion’, which is an action or thought, that attempts to alleviate their obsession temporarily.

When discussing any disorder it’s important to differentiate between the ‘signs’ and ‘symptoms’, the term ‘signs’ refers to the outward actions that others may observe a person engaging in, whereas ‘symptoms’ are what the individual is experiencing inwardly. This series aims to visually explore a multitude of common ‘symptoms’ of OCD in an attempt to create a deeper sense of understanding and empathy.