They Turned Living With OCD Into A Short Film

Most films and TV shows get OCD completely wrong. They reduce it to a quirky obsession with cleanliness or a need for perfect symmetry, missing the relentless, intrusive thoughts that actually define the disorder. But filmmakers Luca Pizzoleo and Conor Patrick Walsh — who both have OCD themselves — set out to change that. Their short film, O.C.D., isn’t about neat freaks or excessive handwashing; it’s about the unseen war happening inside the mind.

In O.C.D., intrusive thoughts aren’t just thoughts — they’re real, tangible, inescapable. With a mix of psychological horror, dark humor, and brutal honesty, Conor and Luca pull viewers into the suffocating cycle of compulsions and anxiety that so many with OCD know all too well. The response has been overwhelming — millions of views, thousands of comments from people who finally feel seen — and hopefully, plans to expand the story into a full-length feature film.

Both Conor and Luca sit down to talk with Dr. Patrick McGrath about living with OCD and the filmmaking process behind it — where the disorder was ever present. 

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:20 Inspiration behind O.C.D. film
4:10 Conor’s OCD experience
5:51 Luca’s OCD experience
7:40 Why OCD feels so real
10:50 OCD is the mental version of “knocking on wood”
11:38 A clip from O.C.D. film
18:11 Substance abuse as an OCD coping mechanism
20:33 Luca’s treatment experience
23:08 OCD lies to you
25:27 No one with OCD recommends having it
27:39 Living with OCD IS possible
32:45 How OCD interfered in Luca’s filmmaking process
36:24 Turning O.C.D. into a feature film
38:21 Has the film helped others understand OCD?
41:18 Portrayal of OCD in the media
45:08 What Conor and Luca hope people take away from the film
48:17 Outro

Watch O.C.D. here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAfdRMeZkWQ

If you are struggling with OCD, help is available. NOCD Therapists are specialty-trained in ERP therapy, the most proven treatment for OCD, to help you regain your life. Book a free 15-minute call to learn more about specialized treatment at https://learn.nocd.com/podcast

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