The Main Character from Boy in the Hole Suffers from OCD
In Boy in the Hole Jacob, the main character wrestles with multiple barriers that prevent him from getting want he truly needs: self-awareness which leads to self-acceptance.
When he shifts his attention out toward his external reality, he is confused and uncertain about religion. He is revolted by his dysfunctional family. He gets bullied and molested by a trusted figure. But inwardly, Jacob has same-sex feelings he doesn’t know what to do with and he suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Most of his obsessions revolve around one question: “What if…?” What if the house burns down. What if mommy gets sick. What if someone makes fun of me. On and on the questions roll like agates endlessly crashing together in a lapidary tumbler. He fears the future and feels no sense of control over his life.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can take many forms. Some obsess about cleanliness. Some are compelled to stop on the side of the road and check behind their car, feeling certain they just ran over a person. Others battle intrusive thoughts that don’t line up with how they see themselves and therefore create fear and doubt about one’s identity.
Jacob has intrusive thoughts about bad things happening both to himself and others he cares about. When a “bad thought” comes, Jacob must make some physical movement and/or sound or phrase to “erase the bad thought” and feel at peace again. For example, in Boy in the Hole, Jacob sees a sick person when he is with his mother, Rose. He is careful not to look at the sick person then directly at Rose for fear she will catch the illness. Instead, he is compelled to click his teeth, nod, and say to himself, “Everything will be okay.”
If you know someone with OCD (over a million Americans suffer from the disorder), there are things you can do to help them:
Learn more about OCD.
Encourage your friend or family to get help. Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been shown to improve the condition.
Stop enabling their compulsions. Have you unwittingly been participating in an OCD ritual? For example, your friend needs to check the locks on the doors multiple times or they feel they must flip light switches up and down until it “feels right” while you wait. Don’t wait! Assist them with a mindfulness technique, a breathing session, or some other pattern to distract them from the thought and keep moving.
Keep a calm, peaceful mood about you when you are with the person who has OCD. Learn their triggers.
Educate others in your sphere of influence about OCD.
Sunlight is a natural disinfectant. Darkness breeds disease. Expose OCD for what it is and the light will begin to heal the disorder.
