Irish Woman Battles Debilitating OCD After Late Diagnosis
After years of misdiagnosis, **Lucy Shiel** is raising awareness about the realities of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
For years, **Lucy Shiel** of **Kilkenny**, Ireland, grappled with distressing thoughts that made her question her own character. It wasn’t until years later that she discovered she had obsessive-compulsive disorder. Now, she’s sharing her story to help others recognize the signs and seek help. About 1.2% of U.S. adults have OCD each year (NIMH).
Sudden Onset and Misdiagnosis
At 19, **Shiel** experienced a sudden onset of dark, intrusive thoughts after a night out. She recalls being in bed when these thoughts began, leading her on a frustrating search for answers.
Despite seeking help from therapists, her condition was initially dismissed as general anxiety. It wasn’t until four years later, through online research, that **Shiel** encountered information about OCD.
“I had worked with therapists in these four years before but unfortunately none of them could figure out that it was OCD,”
**Shiel** told the Irish Sun.
After her own discovery, **Shiel** consulted her general practitioner, who referred her for a psychiatric evaluation, finally confirming her self-diagnosis.
The Daily Reality of OCD
**Shiel**, now 25, describes living with OCD as a constant internal battle between the conscious and subconscious mind, resulting in a spiral of negativity. For her, this manifested as a fear of being a bad person and persistent self-doubt.
“It was hard, it was horrendous. It’s categorised by this onslaught of intrusive thoughts that are usually quite dark in nature, because those are the ones that grab your attention obviously,”
she explained.
She described the racing thoughts and the immediate self-questioning that follows. Compulsive behaviors then emerge as a way to cope with the anxiety triggered by these thoughts.
Internal Compulsions
**Shiel** noted that her compulsions were primarily internal. “A lot of mine was totally internal, from the outside looking in you wouldn’t think I was doing anything but I was doing a lot,”
she stated. These included neutralizing bad thoughts with good ones and reviewing memories to reassure herself of her goodness.
“So you’re always engaging in the thought in some way whether saying no that’s wrong or trying to disprove it, literally anything to get rid of it,”
she added.
Creating OCDiaries
Recognizing the lack of information and resources available in Ireland, **Shiel** launched OCDiaries on Instagram. This platform aims to educate people about OCD, its symptoms, and management strategies.
“Since I started the page I’ve spoken to hundreds of people who have said thank you, I didn’t realise there were other people like this in Ireland,”
she shared.
Misrepresentation in Media
**Shiel** also addressed the misrepresentation of OCD in the media, where it’s often portrayed as a quirky personality trait rather than a debilitating condition. She clarified that this is more akin to obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, which is distinct from OCD.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF OCD?
OCD affects different people in different ways, but usually appears as a particular pattern of behaviours.
These include four main steps:
- Obsession – where an unwanted, intrusive thought or urge repeatedly enters a person’s mind.
- Anxiety – the unwanted obsession then provokes a feeling of intense anxiety or distress.
- Compulsion – as a result of feeling anxious, a person will carry out repetitive behaviours or mental acts that they feel driven to perform to better the situation.
- Temporary relief – the compulsion will offer temporary relief to the OCD sufferer’s anxiety – but the obsession soon returns, causing the cycle to begin again.
While it is possible to just have obsessive thoughts or just have compulsions, most sufferers will contend with both.
Common types of compulsive behaviour in people with OCD include:
- Cleaning and hand washing
- Checking – such as checking doors are locked or that the gas is off
- Counting
- Ensuring order and arranging things ‘perfectly’
- Hoarding
- Thinking “neutralising” thoughts to counter the obsessive ones
- Avoiding certain places and situations that they feel could trigger obsessive thoughts
Medication and Recovery
After a particularly difficult period, **Shiel** sought help at A&E and was prescribed medication, which she describes as a lifesaver. She firmly believes that recovery is possible, even though OCD is a chronic condition requiring ongoing management.
Brendan Courtney’s Experience
**Shiel**’s story follows RTE star **Brendan Courtney** also recently sharing his experiences with OCD. Diagnosed at 25, **Courtney** spoke of the “terrifying”
intrusive thoughts and how they spiraled out of control, particularly during stressful periods.
**Courtney** has learned to manage his condition through counseling, therapy, and self-education.
In conclusion, **Shiel** emphasizes that OCD is a serious condition that is often misunderstood. She wants others to know “recovery is possible, it can feel like it isn’t, it can feel all consuming like my life is over but it’s not.”
