Leading OCD expert welcomes Charles Walker MP's honesty

One of the country's leading experts on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and senior consultant psychiatrist at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) Dr Lynne Drummond, has praised MP's for holding an historic mental health debate in the House of Commons last week (14 June 2012).

The debate was significant for a number of reasons - not only was it the first ever substantial debate on the topic in the House, but a number of MP's broke down barriers and spoke honestly and openly about their own experiences of living with mental health problems.

Charles Walker was one of those MPs who spoke out about his own struggles. As a sufferer of OCD for the last 30 years, he said:

"On occasions it is manageable and, on occasions, it becomes quite difficult. It takes you to some quite dark places."

Dr Lynne Drummond who is also the Medical Advisor for TOP UK, congratulated Charles Walker for talking about his condition. She said

"OCD can be a very serious and very distressing condition, but it is also eminently treatable. Well done to Charles Walker for speaking out about living with OCD in such a high profile situation, and to all the MP's who shared their own personal stories - it was a brave and admirable thing to do.

The more people can talk about mental health problems the more chance we have of reducing the stigma attached to those conditions. Hopefully what this debate will do is set the tone for more people to feel they can also talk about their mental health problems and feel able to come forward and seek help, advice and support."