Obsessive-Compulsive disorder is a frightening and debilitating illness, ranked by the World Health Organisation as one of the top ten most disabling health conditions of any kind. And yet television shows like Channel 4's Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners continue to iterate the stereotype that it is just about being clean and tidy.

Both the title of the programme and the episodes themselves make obvious references to OCD, despite the fact that many of the participants do not suffer from it at all. Not only does this give the impression that the show accurately portrays what life with this disorder is like, but it encourages viewers who consider themselves to be similar to the participants to self-diagnose OCD, which can be a very damaging thing to do. Furthermore, this presentation totally limits OCD to cleaning, which is a compulsion that many people with OCD do not actually have.

I'm not asking that the show be taken off air, or even that the format of the show itself be changed in any way. I am simply asking that references to OCD be removed from the series and its title in order to prevent further stigmatisation of an already very misunderstood illness.

Thank you.