4 Movies About OCD
We watch movies as a form of entertainment. After a long day at work, putting on a movie from the comfort of your own home or attending a new movie out in theaters is a great way to take your mind off of your 9-5 and relax a bit.
But movies are also a way for us to connect with the characters on the big screen. We laugh, cry, and care, yearning to find pieces that speak to us and our daily lives.
It’s nice to know that you’re not alone, and movies help us feel like even our weakest parts can be strengths. This is why showcasing mental health challenges in movies is so important. One condition often shown in movies is OCD.
Here are 4 movies about OCD.
1. The Aviator
The Aviator is a biopic that depicts the early life of Howard Hughes and his career as a director and aviator from the 1920s to the mid-1940s. Howard Hughes was believed to have obsessive-compulsive disorder before it was a common diagnosis. Throughout the film, you can see Hughes struggle with contamination OCD. His mother warned him about the epidemic as a child, which could’ve been the main cause of his fears relating to contamination. Here are some of the symptoms or compulsions shown in this movie:
- Bringing his own soap to public restrooms
- Creating and following a schedule and routine
- Repeatedly washing hands
- Unable to touch doorknobs or shake hands
- Wrapping the airplane wheels to avoid germs
2. As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets is about three people, an author, a gay artist, and a single mother, forming an unlikely bond after one of them is assaulted during a robbery. Melvin Udall, who is portrayed by Jack Nicholson, is the main character in this movie. Udall shows signs of OCD, specifically contamination OCD. Throughout the film, he shows signs of compulsions and ritual behaviors that cause disruptions in his life. These are some of the compulsions shown in the movie:
- Bringing his own silverware to restaurants
- Checking and rechecking that doors are locked
- Over-cleaning his apartment after being in public spaces
- Repeatedly washing his hands, as well as the bars of soap that he uses
- Turning on and off light switches
- Wearing gloves in public
3. Dirty Filthy Love
Dirty Filthy Love is an obsessive-compulsive comedy. It showcases how a man’s life slowly falls apart due to suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Tourette’s Syndrome. Michael Sheen plays the main character, Mark Furness, who exhibits several signs of OCD. Furness shows signs of involuntary behaviors, compulsions, and obsessions throughout this movie. Dirty Filthy Love has been known to give viewers an inside look at a realistic portrayal of what OCD actually looks like.
4. UNSTUCK: An OCD Kids Movie
UNSTUCK: An OCD Kids Movie is a documentary that gives viewers an inside look at obsessive-compulsive disorder. The documentary showcases six children who deal with the adult-sized problem of OCD. These children share how they were able to become “unstuck.” Each of them shared how they could face their fears, overcome their compulsions and rituals, and take back control of their lives again.
Next Steps
Movies are often used to relax and unwind after a long workday or something to do during the weekend. But something else that movies provide to us is real, genuine connections. They help us feel a little less alone. These four examples give viewers an inside look at what people with OCD face every day. They also can help individuals who personally struggle with OCD know that other people experience similar signs, symptoms, compulsions, and obsessions.
The world feels less lonely when you know that you’re actually not alone. While movies are great, they don’t replace treatment from a licensed and trained mental health professional. If you’re looking for additional support for your OCD, reach out today to see how OCD therapy can help you better manage it.