{"id":28063,"date":"2021-03-07T10:35:42","date_gmt":"2021-03-07T10:35:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ocduk.org\/?page_id=28063"},"modified":"2023-06-13T15:37:18","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T14:37:18","slug":"claire-go","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ocduk.org\/ocduk\/people\/claire-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Claire"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Claire<\/a>I first found OCD-UK in late 2010. Like a lot of people, I\u2019ve had OCD for as long as I can remember, but didn\u2019t get a diagnosis until my early 30s.<\/p>\n

At that time, I had no one to talk to. I was terrified at receiving the diagnosis of an actual mental health condition. It was confirmation of something I had spent years trying to pretend wasn\u2019t real, and hoping it would just go away. I always knew something wasn\u2019t right. I knew about compulsions from what I\u2019d seen in films, but didn\u2019t realise I could have OCD, because like a lot of people, I didn\u2019t know what it was. I knew though, that avoiding social situations because I found it too stressful to leave my flat, wasn\u2019t right. I knew that avoiding cooking in case I caused a fire wasn\u2019t right. I didn\u2019t put it together with the excessive anxiety about my personal security until a counsellor, not much older than me, said \u201cyou\u2019ve heard of OCD, haven\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Once I got over the shock, I went online, desperate to find people who understood. I found the OCD-UK forum, and signed up. I couldn\u2019t believe what I was reading. These people just understood! They spoke to me with empathy and humour, and I finally felt part of something.<\/p>\n

I attended my first in person support group in 2011, on my birthday. I felt so inspired by the honesty of everyone speaking their truth, and I learned so much from them. The support group was a long drive away, but it was worth it, and something I very much looked forward to every month.<\/p>\n

After a couple of years, I felt that supporting others was something I might be able to do myself. Support groups are unfortunately few and far between, and there wasn\u2019t a group in my local area. So I asked Ashley if he felt running a support group was something I could do. It took me a few months to pluck up the courage, because Ashley\u2019s groups are so good\u2026 what if I wasn\u2019t good enough?<\/p>\n

I was honoured (and a bit terrified!) when Ashley offered the support of OCD-UK to host a group in Worthing, West Sussex. We began meeting in 2014, and to my surprise and delight, people came, and kept coming back!<\/p>\n

As my confidence grew, I felt that I\u2019d like to be involved in other areas of the charity\u2019s work. So I hosted awareness events, and helped plan and deliver conferences. I spoke on the radio. I spoke up at work, and offered support to colleagues who were struggling.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, I spoke up to my family. My big incentive to tell them was my desire to be more active with the charity, and I didn\u2019t want to keep it from them anymore.<\/p>\n

So here I am, 11 years after finding the support forum, a trustee of the charity, and co-host of the weekly online support group. After all these years, the support group still holds a special place in my heart, as I owe them so much.<\/p>\n

Each time I attend an event, or speak up with the name of the charity behind me, I feel immensely privileged to be part of such a wonderful team, who believe so much in what they do. I look forward to the future, and hope to be a part of OCD-UK for as long as they\u2019ll have me!<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
The difference we make…<\/h5>\n
I think it is amazing that the charity is run by people who live with OCD, because you are able to really sympathise and understand what others are going through.KNS<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I first found OCD-UK in late 2010. Like a lot of people, I\u2019ve had OCD for as long as I can remember, but didn\u2019t get a diagnosis until my early 30s. At that time, I had no one to talk … <\/p>\n

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