They Turned Living With OCD Into A Short Film

13/03/2025 49 min
They Turned Living With OCD Into A Short Film

Listen "They Turned Living With OCD Into A Short Film"

Episode Synopsis

Most films and TV shows get OCD completely wrong. They reduce it to a quirky obsession with cleanliness or a need for perfect symmetry, missing the relentless, intrusive thoughts that actually define the disorder. But filmmakers Luca Pizzoleo and Conor Patrick Walsh — who both have OCD themselves — set out to change that. Their short film, O.C.D., isn’t about neat freaks or excessive handwashing; it’s about the unseen war happening inside the mind.In O.C.D., intrusive thoughts aren’t just thoughts — they’re real, tangible, inescapable. With a mix of psychological horror, dark humor, and brutal honesty, Conor and Luca pull viewers into the suffocating cycle of compulsions and anxiety that so many with OCD know all too well. The response has been overwhelming — millions of views, thousands of comments from people who finally feel seen — and hopefully, plans to expand the story into a full-length feature film.Both Conor and Luca sit down to talk with Dr. Patrick McGrath about living with OCD and the filmmaking process behind it — where the disorder was ever present. Chapters:0:00 Intro2:20 Inspiration behind O.C.D. film4:10 Conor’s OCD experience5:51 Luca’s OCD experience7:40 Why OCD feels so real10:50 OCD is the mental version of “knocking on wood”11:38 A clip from O.C.D. film18:11 Substance abuse as an OCD coping mechanism20:33 Luca’s treatment experience23:08 OCD lies to you25:27 No one with OCD recommends having it27:39 Living with OCD IS possible32:45 How OCD interfered in Luca’s filmmaking process36:24 Turning O.C.D. into a feature film38:21 Has the film helped others understand OCD?41:18 Portrayal of OCD in the media45:08 What Conor and Luca hope people take away from the film48:17 OutroWatch O.C.D. here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAfdRMeZkWQIf you are struggling with OCD, help is available. NOCD Therapists are specialty-trained in ERP therapy, the most proven treatment for OCD, to help you regain your life. Book a free 15-minute call to learn more about specialized treatment at https://learn.nocd.com/podcastFollow us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/https://twitter.com/treatmyocdhttps://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.