Soaps kids like Connor Newman, played by Judah Mackey on The Young and the Restless, aren’t above doing whatever it takes to get their parents back together. However, Connor’s OCD, which the show is exploring, is the real deal. Mackey tells Soap Hub what you may not know about his character’s condition.
The ABC’s of OCD
Mackey says he didn’t know much about OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) until the show informed him about the storyline. “I did a lot of research with my parents,” Mackey says. “We learned what obsessive-compulsive disorder actually is — ̶ and what it isn’t. OCD is a serious mental illness disorder that is often experienced in cycles of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are persistent unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that enter the mind and trigger distress. Compulsions are uncontrollable repetitive behaviors, rituals, or mental acts done to provide temporary relief brought on by the distress of obsessions.
“Many teens with OCD work hard to hide their rituals from their friends and family and can become very upset when a ritual is interrupted,” he adds. “It can also be very distressing for family members who often end up completing rituals or providing extra reassurance to the person with OCD. Connor has been through a lot over the years and was also diagnosed with trauma. Some studies show this can increase risk for OCD and symptoms can be more extreme in stressful times.”
Not too long ago, Connor’s parents, Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) and Adam (Mark Grossman) — who recently locked lips — believed that Connor was making progress — only to soon discover he’d suffered a setback. What does Mackey know about scenes in which he doesn’t appear as Connor? “I haven’t been told about any of the developments that have taken place off-camera so far, and I only get scripts for episodes that I appear in,” Mackey says.
“Once I learned about Connor’s setback, my parents and I did more research and learned that some OCD sufferers self-harm as a way to deal with their intrusive thoughts — such as Connor telling himself he doesn’t deserve to be happy — and using it as a coping mechanism for the distress the unwanted thoughts create,” the actor adds.
Mackey says taping video chats with Egan and Grossman takes on different forms. “We [tape] two different takes,” he reveals, “one where I’m looking directly into the studio camera, and another where I’m looking right into Connor’s laptop camera. Sometimes Mark and Missy stand off-camera and read their lines opposite me, but they are usually read by one of the stage managers.”
Mackey hopes that this story informs viewers about OCD in case they encounter someone who has the disorder in real life. “Even though there’s more awareness about mental health, OCD is still often misunderstood, especially in the media,” the actor points out.
“OCD is talked about like it’s an adjective – a person is not ‘so OCD’ if they like to
keep their room tidy,” Judah Mackey says. “It’s not something someone enjoys or can control. The way OCD and mental illness is perceived really needs to change. Comments made to trivialize, dismiss or minimize the symptoms of OCD is very damaging not only for the people who have it, but for the people who have not been diagnosed or treated for it. By reducing the stigma around OCD, people are more likely to seek help.”
For more info on OCD, check out Kids Mental Health Foundation.
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