OCONOMOWOC, Wis. — Marissa Baylerian was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, when she was a teenager.
Now at 35-years-old, she’s learning that diamond art is one of the tools she uses to help shut out any unwanted thoughts. Baylerian is getting ready for the holiday season by decorating Christmas coasters with diamond art to give as gifts to her loved ones.
“To be calm and to really focus, because so often with OCD and also having ADHD, my thoughts tend to just swirl around in my mind constantly and for this there’s concentration,” Baylerian said.
Rogers Behavioral Health said OCD involves unwanted and intrusive thoughts known as obsessions. Those with OCD will perform physical and mental acts called compulsions to get rid of these thoughts.
Rogers Behavioral Health reported that 2% of the U.S. population will develop OCD in their lifetime.
“It feels like this never-ending cycle like you’re on a hamster wheel,” Baylerian said. “You’re wanting to go, go, go and to get somewhere, but you’re not getting anywhere.”
Baylerian has found healing through medication and a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) called exposure and response prevention (ERP).
Dr. Sam Cares is a clinical psychologist at Rogers Behavioral Health. He said finding the right kind of treatment can help people live a fulfilling life.
“Exposure and response prevention helps lower the anxiety overtime,” Cares said. “It’s sort of looking short-term versus long-term benefit. The cycle of OCD focuses on short-term benefit at the cost of long-term being stuck in the disorder. Whereas ERP really helps to focus on that long-term getting better and recovering from the disorder, even if it means exposing someone to those fears that they have.”
For Baylerian, to find new hobbies and discover old passions like music has helped her through her journey.
“Playing the piano more, writing a book, traveling and hopefully getting married one day and furthering my career,” Baylerian said. “Those are just some of the ambitions I have. I’m really looking forward to it. Knowing I have OCD, I know I can conquer anything that comes my way.”