day Bergen therapy trialled in Auckland changes lives for Kiwis with obsessive compulsive disorder
A 19-year-old shares her experience with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the life-changing impact of a four-day intensive therapy program in Auckland. The article highlights the reality of living with OCD, moving beyond common misconceptions about the condition.
Why it matters
Raising awareness about mental health conditions and effective, time-efficient treatment options can reduce stigma and encourage those suffering to seek help.
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Paige, 19, battled severe OCD until she underwent an intensive four-day treatment to confront it. Photo / Anna Heath
At first, Christchurch teenager Paige couldn’t sleep without repeatedly checking the alarm on her phone. Eventually, it took over her life.
OCD – obsessive compulsive disorder – is often misunderstood as referring to people who are extremely clean, tidy and organised.
In reality, it’s a mental health condition that can manifest in different ways: compulsive checking, constant handwashing or cleaning for fear of contamination, repeatedly arranging items in a specific order, intrusive thoughts and many more.
“It started with something really simple, and then it asks more and more and more from you until it takes up a lot of your life,” Paige says.
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