OCD is brutal, cynical, and unforgiving. While we might find consensus on some well-chosen adjectives, OCD is more akin to snowflakes — no two are identical. I discovered this reality firsthand at McLean Hospital: one resident might be engaged in an anxiety-driven two-step dance right at the entrance of the meeting room, while another could be in the middle of their fourth round of apologies. Both were examples of the ritualistic toll that OCD forces us to pay to progress in life.
I'm not sure why people say things like 'You dont look like you have X'. Are they just trying to reconcile their preconceived image of what X looks like to them and the way I present myself? It feels so condescending.
I've definitely struggled with feeling confident in my skills or abilities or even identities. I'm curious what people can do at the individual level to feel more confident. Also what we can do at a larger scale to understand why these feelings exist and what to do about them.
I'm not sure why people say things like 'You dont look like you have X'. Are they just trying to reconcile their preconceived image of what X looks like to them and the way I present myself? It feels so condescending.
I've definitely struggled with feeling confident in my skills or abilities or even identities. I'm curious what people can do at the individual level to feel more confident. Also what we can do at a larger scale to understand why these feelings exist and what to do about them.