How does OCD affect individuals and how can awareness on this disorder be spread?
Project by Polygence alum Olivia
Project's result
I made a podcast! It’s available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Here is the official description: “Around 3% of people around the world are diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), the "cleaning disorder." But contamination OCD is just one of the countless subtypes, and stereotypes like these only prove how little people really know about OCD. This podcast gives you the unique chance to enlighten yourself, and what better way to learn about the disorder than to interview people who are actually diagnosed with it? Tune in as your 16-year-old host Olivia Catarello interviews 5 very different people with very different types of OCD, with the first guest being her own sister!”
They started it from zero. Are you ready to level up with us?
Summary
I am curious about how neurodivergence impacts learning and the overall development in individuals. In my research project, I want to focus on gaining a deeper understanding of mental health disorders, specifically OCD. Through interviews with people with OCD, I will explore how OCD challenges the lives of those affected and how the disorder can look so different depending on the person. The aim of my project is to spread awareness of OCD and how inaccurate the public perception of it is. My project will culminate with a podcast compiling my interviews with people with OCD in order to broaden the knowledge of anyone who listens. I believe that society in general should be understanding of and patient with everyone—with or without mental health disorders—because everyone's brains work much differently. We can all be a little kinder to make everyone’s lives a little easier.
Oluwaseyi
Polygence mentor
MD Doctor of Medicine
Subjects
Biology, Psychology, Medicine, Social Science
Expertise
mental health, psychiatry, public health, health disparities, health inequity, medicine, reproductive health, maternal health,
Check out their profile
Olivia
Student
Hi! I am a sophomore in high school at Lane Tech College Prep. I just finished conducting a research project on OCD that culminated with my self-published podcast about OCD awareness. Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, “Tell Me What OCD Is *Really* Like” consists of unique discussions with a different guest each episode. The guests share their personal experiences with OCD in order to enlighten listeners about the disorder. I was motivated to create my podcast because my sister has severe OCD and really struggles with her classmates' attitudes towards her disorder. Most people don't even try to understand her, but I want to change that. As a society, we can all be a little kinder to make everyone's lives a little easier. My sister’s experience sparked my interest in the psychology field for my career, but I don't want to have to wait to start learning. Your teenage years are the best time to explore what you're curious about, so I decided to conduct my own research. And now here I am!
Graduation Year
2028
Project review
“The program was a lot more flexible than I thought, and my mentor knew a lot more than I expected her to. I had a blast because my assignments were genuinely interesting. It’s so much easier to get in the flow when you’re studying something you’re curious about.”
About my mentor
“I swear she knew everything. If she didn’t, she’d find an article that could further help me. She helped me work around my schedule and was very transparent about hers, so we were able to coordinate well. I would not have been able to do this without her. She was so easy to talk to and always asked about me before how my project was going. She is so sweet and genuinely likes working with me. It always made me smile when she expressed how proud she was of me. She was also very understanding if I needed more time or help with an assignment. I miss our weekly meetings!”
Check out their profile