HBO's Girls and OCD

My Coz referred me to this show after the third season closed out. She wanted someone to chat with about it, and figured I'd relate to the characters like she did.
I had already heard whispers of their episode about OCD, but never felt compelled to watch it. Haha, see I made a funny there.

This episode messed me up. As soon as Hannah's character hurt herself with the q-tip, I knew exactly how it would end, and I cried for her. For those who haven't seen it, she has a compulsion for "balance," so after returning from the hospital for cutting her eardrum, she uses the same q-tip on the other ear.

OCD, and related disorders, are often centered on and triggered by stress. It's an anxiety issue, which means lots of worry, lots of fear, lots of irrational feelings.

Not every case is centered on numbers or an obsession with clean hands. Sure, that plays out better on screen because it's quirky and kind of cute, but for that person I guarantee it is not. Unfortunately even my beloved Scrubs is guilty of this, although they attempt to redeem themselves at the end of their OCD feature.

 

As gritty and painfully awkward as the rest of this show may be, this episode really hit the nail on the head. For a more detailed explanation on the disorder, this blog handles the episode's accuracy quite well.