Wheat stalk: inspiring journey provides hope in the dark

CHENNAI: Fatima Yusuf started battling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) when she was 13. Her school life was challenging as she couldn’t realise what was happening around her. “As there wasn’t a lot of awareness about OCD that time, people tagged my condition as laziness or usual mood swings that occur in the teenage phase,” starts Fatima, who has now successfully published her book, Wheat Stalk - Swaying, Not Severed.

“It was not about organising stuff on the rack or cleanliness. It was about me repeating the same activity over and again-- like listening to music or reading books, unaware of the time consumed. It was difficult to focus on my priorities and shift my thoughts. It was beyond my understanding,” she states. She added how people confuse OCD with depression, “People feel low all the time when depressed. But that was not there in my case. There were a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings about the whole concept.” As she liked to read and write since her childhood, Fatima started writing stories in her diary on a daily basis. This motivation made writing an enjoyable process and became a routine, beyond her hobby.

Her writings are her inner conversations, which have now taken the form of a book. Wheat Stalk - Swaying, Not Severed is a self-help book packed with quotes on how to tackle OCD, avoid relapse, and sustain recovery. Through her book she wants to help people, and bring them hope and positivity. “Wheat Stalk refers to the typical characteristic of the wheat stalk activity of bending but not breaking or collapsing during a storm. People should realise that life is all about understanding the differences and going with the flow,” Fatima explains.

The book has visually striking illustrations by doodler Fernweh. “The book is reader-friendly and not text-heavy. Personally, I like illustrations and people can relate to something more when they see it visually. Wheat Stalk is connectable even to those without OCD but goes through other mental health issues,” remarks the author.

Fatima, who is in her mid-30s, shares the feeling of abandonment she had to face because she was clueless about what she was going through. “In school, my friends wondered how to help me, which added to my anxiety. Looking back, I have learned to forgive and forget,” she shares. After a lot of observations, she learnt self-respect that made her see the positive aspects that lie in people.

Fatima feels that when people voice out their conditions of late, misinterpretations have become comparatively less and the acceptance level has increased, thanks to the internet. She also adds that there is a long way to go. She explains to DT Next about the different ways of helping those with OCD. “Some people don’t like to be helped and they prefer to be alone. For those, just be there for them without any judgements. From my journey, the most important aspect is being normal with them. Do not treat people with this condition differently or make them feel inferior. This helps in the recovery process,” the author emphasises.

Wheat Stalk is divided into three parts- dealing with OCD, relapse, and sustaining the recovery. Talking about how she faced the battleground, Fatima says, “In my case, if I find something is not right, I will do things to make it right, instead of moving on. To overcome this, I started observing the routine, reactions, and healthy coping techniques of those around me.”

She wants people with OCD to be brave and fearless and not try to control everything around them. “OCD is all about letting go. What we can do is control our reactions to a particular situation, which is not easy. As life is short, be happy and kind to yourself,” Fatima concludes.