Rising Above OCD: Cody's Story

Cody describes himself as a happy child growing up, but during high school he experienced bullying due to his sexuality and being openly gay. He was able to persevere through the bullying and went on to start a career in the tech industry. Over time he did notice changes in his behavior, but since he was having professional success, Cody felt it might have been residual from the bullying and that his perfectionism tendencies were just normal. Eventually though, the symptoms increased to the point where they became debilitating.

Living in Minnesota at the time, Cody sought help at Rogers Behavioral Health's clinic in Eden Prairie, where it was determined there were co-occurring conditions of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). After three months of treatment with the Rogers team, Cody was eventually discharged and feels he now has a toolkit of coping strategies that help him respond to any symptoms that might flare up again. Cody has risen above his mental health challenges and is thriving today in Pacific Beach, California, and shares his story in the hope others might find inspiration to seek help for their own challenges.