Did anyone see this documentary last night?

I caught the last few minutes, but had been in two minds as to whether or not to watch the whole thing.

What were the impressions that people drew from the programme about the condition?

I was going to watch it but the other half said that watching people suffering with a mental illness being put in a situation where they will probably be upset is not entertainment, and I had to agree.

Isn't it amazing how far down the pan channel 4 has gone, it's almost the same as ITV now.

I'd have to agree that CH4 seems to have lost any clue as to just what it's demographic is and where it's strengths lie.

Over the past few years they've drifted away from providing a place for wonderful comedy series like Father Ted, Spaced and Black Books and started to give far too much airtime to vehicles for (there's no other word for them) tossers like Jimmy Carr and Justin Lee Hawkins (who stole my image).

Originally posted by Carmine
Did anyone see this documentary last night?

I watched it, but merely because there was nothing else on at all.

There was a woman who obsessively washed herself, a man who was scared he was going to confess to crimes he didn't commit and another woman who was scared of glitter so darent touch anyone in case she gets it on her.

They didn't really explore what triggered the OCD which would have been more interesting. Instead they made the three face up to their fears, resulting in one having a panic attack (glitter woman.)

We all have our little quirks and fears but they didn't really explain what turns these into OCD. It just made me start to think that maybe we all suffer from it in one way or another.

Like me... I can't stand stickers. Especially when they've been stuck to something and then peeled off. Urrrgh... dirty :)

Originally posted by Norton
We all have our little quirks and fears but they didn't really explain what turns these into OCD. It just made me start to think that maybe we all suffer from it in one way or another.

Like me... I can't stand stickers. Especially when they've been stuck to something and then peeled off. Urrrgh... dirty :)
I have the age old "did I lock the door" dilemma, I'm surprised that Mrs Carmine hasn't tried to smother me in my sleep over that one.:(

So you didnt all see the bit when they had the OCD washy hands woman stick her hands and rub them around in a toilet then, then let her proceed to rub her hands on her hair and her clothes + eat food without washing her hands- the people running the show would not let her clean herself afterwards to see if she could complete this 'task' ????

My missus was surprisingly disgusted by this and could not see why this would help the woman at all.

CH4 didnt say whether or not the loo was cleaned beforehand before this happened- I hope it was.. but I dread to think!

Originally posted by Norton

Like me... I can't stand stickers. Especially when they've been stuck to something and then peeled off. Urrrgh... dirty :)


Not going for that job in the Post-It note factory then?

I watched this and it did explain some of the possible triggers for example 'glitter woman' had had a miscarriage and was therefore really scared that dirt was to blame I guess. Glitter looks just like specs of dirt so I think it just escalated from that.

With the lady who had to put her hand in the toilet, I'm guessing it was cleaned thoroughly before doing that or the ethical issues and risk assessments would've been too high. In these people's cases they seem to need to do the extreme to cope with the everyday stuff. If that means wiping your hand round a clean toilet then eating crisps so you can stop making your hands really dry and red raw for the rest of your life then I know which I'd be going for. And can you imagine using tissues to touch anything or not write for 5 years as you're scared you'll admit to something you didn't do? I'd try anything to cure myself that's for sure.

Originally posted by ickle
I watched this and it did explain some of the possible triggers for example 'glitter woman' had had a miscarriage and was therefore really scared that dirt was to blame I guess. Glitter looks just like specs of dirt so I think it just escalated from that.

Sadly, many women suffer miscarriages. However, they don't all develop an OCD. That was the point I was making regarding them not explaining the triggers fully.

I had a friend who suffered and probably still does from this condition and I found it totally bizarre and difficult to understand. The 'cure' is to keep confronting your problem and force yourself to touch or do or in some cases not do whatever the compulsion is. My friend had a real thing about dirt and things that may get dirty, forever inspecting the soles of her shoes, repeated hand washing and if something became 'dirty' she couldn't touch it or she'd become dirty. I remember once at her bedsit seeing a half empty tin of beans next to her cooker, on closer investigation it had been there for over a week and was 'dirty' and so could not be touched but she'd used a tea towel to push it to the wall and there it stayed tea towel and all. I said I would move it but she wouldn't let me as I would of become 'dirty' and she wouldn't be able to see me again. She had other phobia's which in the end meant she couldn't function in everyday life and so she has been hospitalised on several occasions now. They then tried to control her fears with drugs that would work until she got it into her head that the drugs were somehow damaging and probably poison and 'dirty' and so it'd start all over again. A horrible situation to be in and last heard she was in sheltered accomadation and practically institutionalised.