4 TPC Digest Erin E. Woods, Alexandra Gantt-Howrey, Amber L. Pope “I’m So #OCD” Read full article and references: Woods, E. E., Gantt-Howrey, A., & Pope, A. L. (2023). “I’m so #OCD”: A content analysis of how women portray OCD on TikTok. The Professional Counselor, 13(1), 27–38. doi: 10.15241/eew.13.1.27 Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a serious mental health condition often misunderstood by the public and mental health providers. Individuals with this disorder experience recurrent unwanted, intrusive thoughts, urges, or images, also known as obsessions. Obsessions are unpleasant and result in distress, which individuals attempt to reduce or negate through repetitive mental or behavioral actions called compulsions. This disorder, which occurs slightly more frequently in women, can cause significant impairment. Despite the seriousness of the disorder, OCD has become a commonly used term to describe someone who likes things organized, clean, or just so. The use of this clinical term to describe preferences or cleaning habits is reductive and can minimize the experience of individuals living with this disorder. Social media has the power to spread information to large groups of people quickly. If the information presented is accurate, it can facilitate education, understanding, and advocacy. If the information is inaccurate, it can perpetuate stigma and misunderstanding. It is not uncommon to see or hear individuals referring to themselves as “OCD,” especially on social media. In this study, we conducted a critical content analysis of 50 TikTok videos with the tag #OCD to better understand how women portray OCD on social media. We found two main themes—minimizes OCD symptoms and accurately depicts OCD symptoms. Within the first group, many videos fit into the subtheme uses OCD as a synonym for cleanliness and organization. The second theme included two subthemes, corrects misunderstanding and shares obsessive fears. These themes illuminate the need for increased education and advocacy concerning OCD in the realm of counseling, as well as in the public sphere. Implications for mental health counselors are discussed and include practice efforts by counselors and consideration of counselor training issues. For example, counselors can seek continuing education on OCD and make specific efforts to become aware of and address the biases and stigmatizing views they may hold. Similarly, to assist in these efforts, counselor educators can broach discussions concerning OCD and its portrayal on social media in the counseling classroom, connecting such discussions to diagnostic criteria. Implications from study findings also include the need for advocacy that addresses the importance of public education in decreasing stigma. Counselors may consider how their own use of social media can serve to decrease the stigmatization of OCD, and in future studies, researchers may explore how OCD is portrayed on other social media platforms and how social media may serve as a source of support for those diagnosed with OCD. Erin E. Woods, PhD, LPC, serves as Clinic Director at the College of William & Mary. Alexandra Gantt-Howrey, PhD, NCC, is an assistant professor at New Mexico State University. Amber L. Pope, PhD, LPC, LMHC, CCTP, is an assistant professor at the College of William & Mary. Correspondence may be addressed to Alexandra Gantt-Howrey, P.O. Box 30001, MSC 3AC, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, aghowrey@nmsu.edu. A Content Analysis of How Women Portray OCD on TikTok
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDU5MTM1