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OCD - towelFlora Maclean

This is what my OCD looks like

Flora Maclean @floracmac

For most of us, the objects we interact with on a daily basis are easy come, easy go.

The receipt the cashier hands over with our change at the till; the earphones we use to listen to podcasts; the plate we eat dinner off, or the pillow we lay our head on to sleep.

For the lucky ones among us, none of these items hold any great significance. But for some people, they could trigger intrusive thoughts too tough to handle.

Sufferers of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can find it takes just one object to turn their whole life upside down. The smallest thing could send them into a spiral that many struggle to understand.

We spoke to seven people who have suffered with this exhausting, debilitating disorder, and asked them about the one 'thing' that symbolises their ordeal. From the object that first triggered them, to the object that helped turn things around, here they share their powerful stories.

Information and support on mental health is available from these organisations.

This article originally appeared inRefinery29