OCD Ain’t a Word
Perzine, John Gamber, 12 pgs, J.F. Gamber, etsy.com/shop/PencilRevolution, @gamberwrites, [email protected], $3.79
Read this primer, and you might think twice next time you utter the phrase “you’re so OCD” to your friend who likes things a certain way.
OCD Ain’t a Word packs a neat little punch about why haphazardly and tritely using such phrases may do more harm than good to those who actually live the reality.
Gamber takes the reader through an educational and enlightening journey in an easy-to-follow format through the challenges an individual diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder may face. Using comic illustrations, an informative definition, and pops of large and bold font to grab your attention, the writer lets it be known that OCD is no laughing joke and is quite literally “its own kind of hell” to live with.
“OCD is not fun. It is not funny. It is not a personality quirk or trait or idiosyncrasy. OCD is a painful illness that sufferers cannot avoid and from which escape is impossible,” writes Gamber.
I count myself as having OCD, and I can say with certainty that I understand and relate to every word of this zine (shoutout to fellow germaphobes who have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, and who Gamber references throughout the pages.) It’s validating to read these tidbits and to join Gamber in rejecting flimsy turns of phrase based on stereotypes and assumptions. A little bit of compassion and a whole lot of understanding will go a long way with people living with OCD. If that’s you, it might even be worth slipping this zine to a close friend to help them understand your battles.
