SANE Ambassadors’ film highlights a day in the life of an OCD sufferer
SANE Ambassadors Lynn and Sam Crilly are part of the team behind a new film – A Day with OCD – which looks at issues people face living with obsessive compulsive disorder.
A Day with OCD is produced by counsellor and author, Lynn, and written by Sam alongside her friend Megan Kerby, who both star in the film.
Using emotion and humour, this short satirical feature shows the reality of living with OCD. Sam and Megan wrote the original script for their dissertation while at university and later worked it up into a film.
The film is based on real-life experiences but with a clear emphasis on being light-hearted in nature with a tongue-in-cheek approach to a serious subject. You can watch the film below.
Viewer discretion is advised – stong language has been censored but may still contain anxiety triggers.
“I hope that the film will help to raise awareness of mental illness and also educate people as to how debilitating living with a mental illness is, not only just for the sufferer, but also their carers and loved ones.”
Lynn Crilly
‘Struggle behind the mask’
Sam said: “It’s a light-hearted, very comical look on OCD because it can be really funny if you can laugh in the face of adversity. We wrote it between us and we think it gives a good look at how someone can struggle behind the mask from OCD in a day.”
Drama graduate Sam suffered from anorexia and obsessive compulsive disorder during her teens and early 20s. She now aims to promote good mental health as a personal trainer, working alongside mum, Lynn, in her counselling practice. She is passionate about using the arts to help others struggling with mental illness.
Her book, Hope Through Poetry, was published at the height of the pandemic in 2020. The collection of 50 poems shines a light on what it is like to live with mental illness and gives people hope that recovery is possible.
Lynn is the author of books giving advice and hope to sufferers of mental illness and their families, including Hope with Eating Disorders, Hope with OCD, and Hope with Depression.
Performing as therapy
Megan studied Acting for Stage and Media at the University of West London. She trained in Musical Theatre at Sylvia Young Theatre School and Arts Educational School London.
She found her love for screenwriting/playwriting at university when writing her dissertation with Sam. Megan has suffered with depression and anxiety and her love of writing and performing is a type of therapy for her, and she enjoys sharing the content she creates.
A Day with OCD was launched at a premiere in London to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week. The Crillys were joined at the red carpet event by singer and former model Samantha Fox, actress and author Jess Impiazzi and her partner ex-footballer Jermaine Pennant.
Also joining cast and crew members were DJ and TV presenter Neil Fox and the film’s co-producer Sky Andrew, a former Olympian who won three gold medals at the 1989 Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships and was Britain’s first black sports agent.
More details about A Day with OCD, including Lynn, Sam and Megan discussing the film, can be found on their YouTube Channel
For more about OCD go to the nhs.gov.uk website.
Related articles:
Hope with Anxiety – Myths and truths
Say the right thing – from ‘Hope with Eating Disorders’
Poem: Mental illness is like a cancer of the mind
