Share Your Story
Living with OCPD can be very isolating. Yet most people have never even heard the acronym. If you live with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder, love someone who does, or work with people who have these traits, your experience can help someone else feel less alone.
We welcome your story. When you submit it through the form below, you are giving The OCPD Foundation permission to consider it for publication on ocpd.org and the Foundation's social media channels.
Why sharing matters
Our mission is to raise awareness about OCPD, provide support for those whose lives are impacted by this personality disorder, and help lower the stigmas surrounding mental health issues. Personal stories do that in a way that research alone cannot.
OCPD often hides in plain sight as "just being responsible," "high-achieving," or "detail-oriented." Hearing what it is actually like — the rigidity, the high standards, the impact on work and relationships, and the work of loosening those patterns — can help others recognize themselves, find language for what they are going through, and take a first step toward support.
You do not need a formal diagnosis to write to us, and you do not need a perfectly polished draft. If these patterns have shaped your life, or the life of someone you love, there is a place for your story here.
What kinds of stories we are looking for
We welcome submissions from people with OCPD, from partners, family members and other loved ones, and from mental health professionals. A formal diagnosis is not required. If you recognize these traits in yourself or in someone close to you, that is enough.
There is no single "right" kind of story. You might write about:
If you have OCPD, or you recognize these traits in yourself
When you first realized that your drive for order, control, or perfection was something more
How these patterns have shown up in your work, your relationships, or your ability to rest
What it has been like to loosen some of those patterns, or what you wish you had known earlier
A moment when you felt truly understood — or truly alone — and what you needed then
If you are a partner, family member, or loved one
What it has been like to love someone with OCPD, or with these traits
What you have learned about supporting them and taking care of yourself
A conversation or turning point that helped you understand what they were up against
What you wish more people understood about being close to someone with OCPD
If you are a mental health professional
What you have learned from working with clients who have OCPD traits
What you wish more people — including other clinicians — understood about this disorder
How someone found their way into treatment, and what helped
Submission guidelines
Length. There is no perfect length. A few paragraphs is plenty, and a longer piece is welcome too. As a guide, 400 to 1,200 words works well. Please don't let the pursuit of a perfect draft stop you from sending it in.
Your voice. Write in your own words. First person is welcome. You do not need to make it clinical or polished.
How you are credited. You can be listed under your full name, your first name only, or as anonymous. We will use the option you choose on the form. Please still include your real name and email so we can reach you. That contact information will not be published.
Editing. We may edit stories and titles for length and clarity. We will do our best not to change your voice or your meaning. If we need to make substantial changes, we will try to reach you first. We may not be able to publish every submission, and we will be in touch if we plan to publish yours.
Other people. Please do not include last names, workplaces, schools, or other details that could identify another person, unless you have their permission. If you are a clinician, please do not include any information that could identify a client.
Photos. Please only send a photo you have the right to use, and please do not include other people unless they have agreed.
This is not a crisis service. This page is for story submissions. It is not a place to request immediate help, and it is not a substitute for care from a trained mental health professional. If you or someone you know is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, please contact local emergency services or a crisis line right away. In the United States, call or text 988. For international resources, visit https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/
Permission to publish
By submitting this form, you give The OCPD Foundation permission to edit your story for length and clarity and to publish it on ocpd.org and the Foundation's social media channels, under the credit option you select. You can contact us later to request that your story be removed.