Whilst the collaboration of OCD Charities are doing what they can to host events aimed at increasing awareness of OCD, we really need everybody to get involved to make a real difference. There are lots of ways people can become involved, and if everybody with OCD highlighted their OCD to just 10 of their family and friends over the next week, then OCD Awareness Week will have the potential to have reached millions of people! Even simply updating your Facebook image or status will have the potential to highlight the illness and change perceptions.

These are just some of the simple ways you can become involved in OCD Awareness Week this October.

• Send an OCD Awareness Week postcard
OCD-UK have an OCD Awareness Week postcard they can send to you. The idea is you then simply post one or more of the postcards on to someone you want to make aware of OCD, maybe your local MP or chief executive of your local NHS trust. Email OCD-UK with your postal address and let them know how many postcards you would like.

• Change your Facebook cover photo
For those with one of the new Facebook profiles, dedicate your cover image to the Awareness Week by downloading our OCD Awareness Week image and uploading it to your own Facebook profile. Click the image to the right, and download the Facebook Cover image to your PC, and then upload it to Facebook.

• Change your Facebook profile photo
Show your support for OCD Awareness Week by changing your profile photo for the week. You can use with of the banner images by clicking the image to the right, and download the image to your PC, then uploading it to Facebook. We will collate a series of other images you may wish to use in the gallery. Or alternatively you might want to get creative by requesting an OCD Awareness Placard (see below) and using the image as your Facebook profile image.

• Request an 'I'm supporting OCD Awareness Week' placard
OCD expert Professor Paul Salkovskis was showing his support for OCD Awareness Week, will you? OCD-UK have an OCD Awareness Week placard they can send to you. The idea is you then get someone to take a creative photo of you holding the placard, ideally against a funky backdrop, and upload the image to your Facebook or Twitter profile. Don't forget to send us a copy for this website too! Email OCD-UK with your postal address and let them know you would like an OCD Awareness Week placard.

• Change your Twitter profile background
Like with Facebook, you could dedicate your Twitter background image to the Awareness Week. Click the image to the right to open up the Twitter background image, then right click, and save the image to your PC, and then upload it as your Twitter background image. Check the gallery for other Twitter images you can use.

• Distribute OCD Awareness Week posters and leaflets
OCD-UK have an OCD Awareness Week poster that they can send to you. If you're an international visitor to this website, check with one of our global partners nearest to you and they may also be able to send you an OCD poster and leaflets. Then, speak to your local library, university or other public place to seek permission to pin the posters on noticeboards, or even create an OCD Awareness Week table/display. Email OCD-UK with your postal address and let them know how many posters you would like.

• Host an OCD film night - fun for family and friends
This is a great favourite, and a fun way to start talking about OCD more to your family and friends by hosting an OCD film night. Grab a few nibbles and drinks, a couple of OCD DVDs and you are set to go.

It does not need to be serious, a mix of the serious and fun works well. From the more serious films such as Leonardo DiCaprio's Aviator, to the light hearted As Good as it Gets, or episodes from the TV series, Monk, and even a couple of episodes from Season 3 of Scrubs which featured Michael J Fox as  Dr. Kevin Casey struggling with OCD, (Season 3 - Episodes 12 (My Catalyst) and 13 (My Porcelain God)). For those with a copy, Dirty Filthy Love starring Michael Sheen is a comedy-drama co-written by OCD-UK patron, and OCD sufferer, Ian Puleston-Davies which is also well worth a watch. You might even want to show the OCD-UK Understanding OCD film, or Claire's Living with me and my OCD. Although it can be hard talking about OCD sometimes this is a relaxing way to start the conversation and dispel some myths your family and friends may hold about OCD.

• Tweet about OCD or update your Facebook status
Throughout the week Tweet or update your Facebook status promoting OCD Awareness Week or maybe even to tell your followers all about your OCD. Throughout each day of OCD Awareness Week, OCD-UK will update this website with some suggestions for OCD fact status tweets or updates. If you do use Twitter to Tweet about OCD, the collaboration of OCD charities have agreed to use the hashtag #OCDweek so please be sure to use #OCDweek, lets get OCD trending.

• Write a blog or record a video podcast update about your OCD or OCD Awareness Week
If you write a blog, then why not write or record a video podcast about your OCD, or OCD Awareness Week. Perhaps you could dedicate each day of the week to enter your own OCD Diary to give your readers a little insight into your OCD life. Please do send us a link to each blog entry and we will try and list some of your entries via this website.

• Share your story with local media If you are prepared to talk publicly about your OCD, then if you're in the UK OCD-UK would love to hear from you, and they will endeavour to set up an interview with your local radio or newspaper. This is a great way to raise awareness and educate people on just what it is like to live with OCD. If you're outside of the UK then please see if the collaboration of OCD charities supporting OCD Awareness Week represent your country and, if they do, approach them - they will always welcome people willing to share their OCD stories.