Aly Raisman

A two-time Olympian, six-time gold medalist, author of her own autobiography, and sexual assault survivor, Aly Raisman is a strong woman. When it comes to sharing about mental health, the gymnast speaks out just as bravely as when she is flying through the air during her routines. In an interview on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, Raisman shares her mental health journey - including her experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Given this past week was OCD Awareness Week, it is fitting to clarify what OCD actually is through Raisman’s narrative.

When most individuals think of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, their minds immediately go to the common portrayals in the media: individuals who have an undeniable need to touch door handles a certain number of times or an obsession with germs. While these are certainly manifestations of OCD, most media depictions design the character to be ‘odd’ in a not so nice way. The American Psychiatric Association defines OCD as a “disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions).” Obsessions are repeated thoughts that the thinker does not desire; however, trying to combat these intrusions with logic or reason doesn’t work. What does relieve the anxiety that obsessive thoughts cause are compulsions, or actions that alleviate some of the fear or worry. Compulsions can be physical, such as the touching of door handles a certain amount of times, but can also be mental, such as repeating a phrase or walking through a situation to judge if the thought is true. The latter form of compulsions - mistakenly referred to as “Pure O” due to the lack of visible “C”ompulsions - is how Raisman experiences OCD. 

When on the podcast, Raisman was relieved to find out that Shepard also struggles with OCD. She stated that finding out about when others also are diagnosed with OCD makes her happy - not that they also have the disorder - but that she is not alone in the challenge to overcome intrusive thoughts. She shared that she has used therapy as a way to control her OCD, but it is still hard to determine “what’s made up and what’s real.” She notes that experiencing OCD or intrusive thoughts triggers anxious feelings, describing it as “[It’s] that fight or flight response where it could be something so small and my body is reacting as if like, a tiger is trying to eat me.” She shared that it is hard for those who have never personally experienced OCD to understand what the feeling is like, that sometimes her thoughts naturally turn to catastrophizing the world and she cannot just turn it off. This is part of the reason she has opened up and decided to continue to be vulnerable and courageous regarding her mental health struggles. Fans of Raisman responded encouragingly, applauding the gymnast for speaking out and making them feel less alone. This further goes to show the power in sharing stories of struggles with mental health and letting yourself be vulnerable. When we come together as a community, just as Raisman, Shepard, and gymnastics fans have, we can form a powerful sense of belonging that gives us all the encouragement to continue our journey for better mental health.