The OCD Awareness Walk and Community Event returned to Fair Oaks Park in Canyon Country on Saturday, offering a place to share stories, debunk misconceptions, and bring awareness to obsessive compulsive disorder.
Held as an annual event in October, the local OCD Awareness Walk of Santa Clarita Valley welcomed people of all ages to engage in activities, hear stories and participate in the awareness walk around the local park.
The walk was also in support of the International OCD Foundation’s “One Million Steps for OCD” campaign.
Among them was Joseph Rosales, a longtime resident of the SCV who was diagnosed with OCD in his early 20s.
Rosales’ OCD wasn’t related to keeping everything clean, or being afraid of germs, which is what many people believe the mental health condition is all about. His OCD was impacted by driving.
“Intrusive thoughts come to mind that you may inadvertently do something that may hurt somebody, so it impacted my driving,” he said. “When I would drive and hit a speed bump or a pothole, it would immediately trigger my OCD. I’d go circle back and look.”
Rosales at some point spent thousands of dollars in Ubers to avoid getting behind the wheel until one point in 2022 he sought help, and attended the OCD Walk in Los Angeles.
“I learned of an OCD support group. There I was referred to a therapist who’s been assisting me in my recovery the last four years,” he said. During Saturday’s event, he was handling volunteers, and mentoring other individuals.
Now, he’s driven as far as San Diego. He started off with driving around the block, then down the street to the local grocery store.
“It’s step by step,” Rosales said, adding that now that he’s gained control of the challenge, he’s never felt more free.
“There’s so many people struggling quietly,” Rosales said. “I hope events like this allows people to take that time to understand what OCD really is.”
