OCD vs KHLO-C-D

I made this image in the hope of addressing the app’s misconceptions, while sidestepping what seems to have become an unpleasant online conversation. Among the largely measured and polite criticism of KHLO-C-D this week, I’ve seen words like ‘bitch,’ ‘disgusting,’ ‘gross,’ ‘shameful,’ and ‘extermination.’ If we all care deeply each other’s mental health, can’t we play nice?

I’ve written about my discomfort with this ‘calling out’ culture in mental health advocacy before, in Vice and the Guardian. In short, I believe there’s an important difference between ignorance and malice; that we must be able to joke about anything we choose; and that aggressive advocacy is alienating and counterproductive. Besides, I can’t blame anyone for not understanding the scope of OCD (I didn’t for years – and I was suffering from it). Also, I like Khloé. She’s always struck me as ballsy and funny.

So why am I responding at all? Because regardless of intent, the misinformation that the Khloé app is spreading is harmful. Since 2015, Khloé has used the phrase ‘KHLO-C-D’ repeatedly on her social networks. She has 73 million Instagram followers. Statistically, a good million of them will have OCD. That’s a million people who will probably, because of lack of public understanding, be on long and genuinely excruciating journeys, trying to find treatment.

They certainly won’t find any answers on the Khloé app. In one segment, it invites subscribers to take a test: ‘How KHLO-C-D are you?’ (me: not very, apparently). I know from my own work in publishing and TV that due diligence is time consuming and expensive. Capitalising on mental health demands great care and sensitivity. I don’t see much evidence of that here.

In one piece of KHLO-C-D content, Khloé extols benefits of sorting your foodstuffs into plastic containers. If they’re so inspired, users can then buy these same plastic containers in-app. This commodification sends a confusing message to users with OCD, who could be experiencing distressing intrusive thoughts about anything from murder to infidelity to child abuse.

Khloé, if you or your team are interested, I would love to talk to you about the realities of OCD, and how our experiences are different.