Channel 4 (UK) Documentaries

Jon Richardson: A Little Bit OCD (2012x29)

Air date: Jul 24, 2012

Jon Richardson investigates OCD. Is he simply a demanding perfectionist or does he have obsessive compulsive disorder? Jon Richardson's life is driven by a quest for perfection. It dictates everything from his eating habits and his relationship with his mother, to his ability to go on dates or entertain the idea of living with his friends. His obsessive nature and need to control the world around him was minutely detailed in his book, It's Not Me, It's You. Now he delves into the world of Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. Jon is not alone. After writing an article about his exacting nature affecting his ability to find a suitable girlfriend, he was inundated with letters from readers who identified with his compulsive need for immaculate cleanliness, precision and organisation. But Jon admits he knows very little about the condition. With his 30th birthday approaching, he's determined to find out exactly what OCD is, what it's like for people living with this disorder and whether he actually has the condition. Jon meets some of the one million sufferers around the UK, ranging from mild to extreme conditions. Jon also talks to his friends, former flat-mates, including comedian Russell Howard, and his mother, in a bid to discover the nature of his compulsions. He also meets staff who treat in-patients with the most extreme form of OCD, and experts in the field, to gain insight into the disorder. And finally, in an intimate one-to-one session with one of the country's leading experts on OCD, Jon finds out once and for all if he's simply a demanding perfectionist or if he has OCD.