George Price isn’t afraid to be vulnerable in sharing how he copes with his diagnoses of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Telling his story to Blue Cross employees has helped George. It’s also helped others who may be facing similar challenges and don’t know how to talk about them. We met up with George to see how he’s doing and what his life has been like over the past year.
In addition to dealing with the pandemic, George made it through his first year of marriage. Relationships can be challenging for people with OCD and ADHD, so this is a great milestone to celebrate.
A mental health advocate
George is also proud of the Instagram page he started to promote OCD advocacy. George said, “It’s just me being me. I share the emotions I’m feeling – it could be tears or smiles or anything else.”
George said he wanted to tell his story.
“It helps me, and I hope it helps others.”
Instagram is a great way for George to connect with people. For him, videos are a more comfortable way to communicate than reading or writing. “Whenever I feel stressed out, posting about it helps,” he said.
The idea for the Instagram account grew through George’s participation in a virtual support group. The group meets once a month, and George attends when he can. It used to be an in-person event. Now that it’s virtual, people from across the country can find support through the group – another silver lining of the pandemic.
Showcasing his story
George isn’t afraid to be vulnerable in his Instagram posts, either. “Sometimes I get frustrated when my videos are all over the place.” But a friend says those are the best ones. “I’ve only had positive experiences telling my story online,” George said.
The account also serves as a type of diary, a place where George can share his thoughts and feelings any time, in a format that suits his needs.
George says he hopes his story helps others with his conditions. “The mind is complicated. People with the same diagnoses manifest them in different ways. I’m just trying to help normalize OCD and ADHD and help remove the stigma in the mental health space.”
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