WINNIPEG (MB.) October 14, 2020 – October 12-16, 2020, is International OCD Awareness Week. Every year, the International OCD Foundation dedicates the second full week of October to raising awareness of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and OCD programming.
The Canadian Mental Health Association Manitoba and Winnipeg (CMHA) has entered into a partnership with the OCD Centre Manitoba, Inc. (OCDC) to provide excellent services and opportunities for people living with OCD and/or Hoarding Disorder in Manitoba. Through this partnership, the OCDC and the CMHA will produce education programming and enhance the services available in Manitoba for people with OCD and Hoarding Disorder.
OCD affects 1-2% of Canadians. It involves having obsessions and/or compulsions. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), “obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced as intrusive and unwanted, whereas compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.”
Hoarding disorder is a mental disorder thought to be related to OCD. It involves a persistent difficulty discarding items and may also involve excessive acquiring of items that are not needed, which can result in a build-up of possessions beyond a reasonable amount over time. Currently, there are no formal statistics on the prevalence rate of hoarding disorder in Canada, though it is estimated that 2-6% of Canadians live with Hoarding Disorder.
People and families of people living with OCD and hording disorder often look for support and services on their journeys to recovery and the OCD Centre Manitoba, Inc. (OCDC) has been a strong presence in that regard, serving the community since 1995.
“We are very excited to partner with CMHA,” says Acting Executive Director, Sheryl Giesbrecht. “It is a wonderful opportunity to expand the OCDC’s services and supports to all Manitobans and their families.”
Support groups for people with OCD and hoarding disorder are now being offered by CMHA at 930 Portage Avenue. Currently, there are peer support groups for young adults and adults with OCD or hoarding disorder, and for friends and family members of someone with OCD. These groups are incredibly valuable to the community as they help to remove the stigmas associated with mental illness and provide participants a chance to ask questions and offer support to others, furthering their growth on their journey to mental wellness.
CMHA will have information about OCD on their social media—CMHAmbwpg—throughout the week in support of International OCD Awareness Week. Check it out on twitter and Instagram.
About the Canadian Mental Health Association
Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. For more information, visit mbwpg.cmha.ca.
For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Lynn Russell
204-982-6141
lrussell@cmhawpg.mb.ca