Scrubs OCD

[@vitaminB36476]

The scene at the end with him freaking out over the soap is one of my favorite scenes. Painfully real and honest, you can just feel his frustration and tiredness, and then admire his strength and determination. Well-written character, talented actor

[@Sophieswihart1999]

Brian Balmforth I agree. I mean, I just made this video to show to my psychology class because there weren't any high quality versions anywhere for some reason, but I agree. The show did a great job showcasing OCD as it really is

[@TonganHalfBreed]

He probably used his frustrations he felt of his actual condition to do that scene

[@MitchellTF]

@@TonganHalfBreed Oh, definitely.

[@SlideIX]

This is what made scrubs one of the best shows of its time and why it still holds up now, it wasn’t just funny but dramatic and thoughtful. If it wanted you to feel something it will goddamn make you feel!

[@toomanyjstoomanyrs1705]

That scene makes me cry. Every time.

[@aBucketOfPuppies]

Man, Michael J Fox really nails this character. The scene with him washing his hands is one of the most memorable to me in the entire show

[@DarthTwilight]

One of the most relatable characters with me. The people who pretend they're OCD because they're neat and organized piss me off almost as much as the people who tell you to "get over" OCD.

[@andy6576]

THIS. Every word.

[@tablehead6758]

Absolutely. It annoys me a lot when people call me OCD just because i like to be neat and am a little finicky. It's just stupid and very insulting for people who actually do have it. I can't imagine the struggle. I am not even that neat, i just like things a certain way. Way to exaggerate it.

[@KiwiSpartan01]

@@tablehead6758 there is a method to my mess, if people fuck with it I loose things

[@dbcitizen4355]

I have clinical OCD and am very disorganized and messy, lol.

[@jakebreedlove9619]

Important to recognize that it’s almost always just a result of colloquialisms, and not ill-willed. Good opportunity to educate. But if you approach it from an angry perspective, no one is going to want to learn anything from you

[@killingzero]

That little flinch after JD says good night, and you realize he has to start over flicking the lights.

[@MayandPoppy]

I know! I hope he didn’t stay in the hospital too long. 😞

[@jayferguson9968]

Him and Ben are probably my favorite gusts.

[@Profile__1]

I must admit, I found it humorous at first how they portrayed his OCD, especially with the Super Doc scene and the clip where he touches everything in the patient's room. It stopped being humorous when I started realizing how awful it'd be to have something that controlling in one's mind.

[@burnchod111]

Bruh it sucks bruh

[@flyingkatya]

Yeah it's balls

[@Laurap01]

That’s exactly what the episode aimed to do. Give you the ‘funny’ stereotypical version of OCD and then show you what a hell it really is.

[@SeanR91]

As health professional with OCD. The scene where he screams in frustration nearly makes me cry, because I understand what it's like. It's painful to try your best to convince yourself that you're right, but you think you're wrong. I'm doing my best to work with it, not ignore it.

[@Tomahawk00984]

Things like this is why Scrubs is one of the best shows... ever. And still probably rated the most medically accurate too. They don't sacrifice reality for good feels and theatrical feedback, but rather, make their own drama, comedy, and theatrics from reality itself.

[@snowfire676]

that scream just shows it ,the frustration really nails it

[@OldSchoolCurt]

Having ocd I have been there!

[@kacktustoo]

Incredibly well done, but also really uncomfortable to watch something so accurate. But damn scrubs is good, I need to watch it again.

[@danielgibbs5643]

This episode of scrubs was the one that made me realise that I had OCD. I still think to this day, this is the MOST accurate portrail of the illness

[@arieldacruz2044]

Agreed 100%. I also struggle with OCD.

[@Andyboii_2]

@@chrish5549it sounds like you struggle with it, i would just like to advice you to seek help as life can improve quite alot (i get that seeking help is hard it took me 7 years)

[@ginyoshida6872]

Him having Parkinson's disease in real life is what makes this episode so special.

[@Andrew.Grabowski]

May he Rest In Peace.

[@ginyoshida6872]

@@Andrew.Grabowski He is still alive, 59years old. I was talking about Michael Fox .

[@Me-Dwight]

The hand washing scene is unfortunately me everyday, some days you just want to rip the sink off the wall, it's not fun, especially when others view it as strange which it undeniably is. "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

[@zahraaamer7481]

OCD is a monster I suffer from it , it’s actually very inspiring to see a character that coped with their disease and became doctor

[@Jen-rw7yh]

Its not disease its disorder! Which is even worse in away!

[@eggbeater55]

@Charles Pukeowski Ye, and that character in the show became a doctor in spite of it. Characters in TV shows can be inspiring as well...?

[@myrkrormr]

@Charles Pukeowski think youre missing the point buddy. TV isnt for you if youre gonna take everything literally or be a killjoy

[@romainsavioz5466]

@Charles Pukeowski 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@luke2r2r]

I liked this comment 4 times. I also have a lot of OCD.

[@thedreamydecade4438]

Michael J. Fox is a national treasure

[@pipclip]

This was a surprisingly really good portrayal of ocd. there really isn't a lot of good representation, but having this, especially in the 2000s, when there was still such a huge stigma on mental disorders, is super refreshing.

[@xxBlueAngelKissxx]

This was on of my favourite episodes of scrubs because of my personal burden of Obssessive Compulsive Disorder and i have to say they knocked it right on the head! RIGHT ON IT. I sometimes spend forever checking things and it impacts how i live my life on a day to day basis. And the way that everyone else reacts in the episode is similar to most neurotypical people. It seems as if its for comedic effect when really this is the kinda stuff that makes us jumpy. And when Casey gets pissed at the end and frustrated i can relate as some nights i get so little sleep due to constant checking my OCD has reduced me to crying or banging my head on the wall physically, its horrible and the anxiety it coincides with is even worse And the mental weight it puts on you being in a new enviroment is understandable- Its takes me at least two weeks to fully settle in a new job! Because of the changes i need to make to ROUTES, where i set etc which most people dont think of but it does make sense those who suffer.. So congrats to Scrubs on an excellent portray -signed, a woman aged 20-25 who suffers from high functioning Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

[@hardwirecars]

as someone with RA im sorry you have to go through that i wish we could find that magic pill that takes all this away.

[@Anna-sf8cp]

Same, dear.

[@theywalkinguptoyouand4060]

hardwire you do medical research? Because you said "we". Which is strange because anyone who understands OCD would know that's not how it works.

[@TheodoreBotman]

You're 2025? Well you're bound to have a few things wrong with you.

[@joyreauderooy]

Theodore Botman you dumb fuck😂

[@RANDOM-KNIGHT145]

3:59 Thats all i needed to hear when around my friends or family. Really. it meant so much. Thank you, MJF.

[@bloodsling]

awww man 1:54 cut before the end of that scene lol Dr.Kelso "Now,your patients on this wing have all been complaining about odd noises" Dr. Kevin Casey "Oh if it's 'bink' I can explain" Dr.Kelso "It isn't 'bink' stop saying 'bink' ".

[@anime0wolfs12]

As a kid the scene where everyone watching Kevin wash his hands over and over again really got to me. Its was something like yeah that person might do things better or have something better but I don't know what thier dealing with.

[@spideyviewer327]

Whoa...that's heavy, doc.

[@drpinky504]

There's that word heavy again. Is there something wrong with the earth's gravitational pull?

[@oldyoung9951]

I remember seeing this episode years ago and to this day, as someone with crippling OCD I think this portrayal for me is so damn relatable and well done.

[@TemirCudri]

Fellas with OCD, I used to have it bad five years ago. What helped me is breaking the loop. Do the opposite of your routine and see that nothing terrible happened next moment or the next day. It should be your exercise. It sounds hard and it feels as if you are making a mistake. But it's worth it in the end. Nowadays I wash my hands only 3 times after the toilet instead of 20. Progress! You will be fine as I am fine.

[@m.b7542]

wow I wasn't expecting to get attacked with accurate representation. now I'm crying.

[@Brawp]

My cousin has very bad ocd, one time he stepped back an forth for 3 hours trying to get the perfect step.

[@DaniellaCartwright]

I get him so much, I almost cried. I've watched this before when I was 14 and was later diagnosed with OCD.

[@DW-rs1pr]

Love seeing how influential this has been on some peoples lives ❤❤ much love people

[@xyxean]

0:53 damn it

[@winter4265]

I thought that was my laptop lmfao

[@mathewgodfrey1517]

I thought that was my device. Then I remember I’m on an iPad.

[@PaddyRoon7]

3:28 I felt that yell deep in my soul. Must have been cathartic at for MJF, using his experience with Parkinson's to draw from.

[@Karls_Clips]

That scream felt primal, like its Michael screaming about getting parkinsons disease at such a young age. Well Michael you are loved as an actor.

[@clairestark9024]

As someone who used to suffer from ocd. The scene at the sink really cuts deep. You know its stupid but you cant stop.

[@DewMan001]

Okay, that bit where he screams while he's washing his hands... Oh my god I know how he feeeeeeeelllllsss. One of my OCD ticks is handwashing. And holy fuck they got a damn fine representation of it on the tape there. OCD affects everyone differently, but it's really nice to see a really good representation of it in popular culture

[@TechPorkChop]

The final scene when he yells, really gets to me. I battle Depression, Anxiety and I think a little OCD. I sometimes do the same thing in my head. The feeling of not being in control or feeling that you belong at the bottom of a well, it's something I don't wish on my worse enemy. I am very grateful to have an amazing wife and two young daughters that can react quickly when I show signs of an episode.

[@JRMAV1]

Michale J Fox still has it

[@williamwinder3466]

Having OCD is torture. It's hard for me to watch this because it reminds me of me.

[@metaprimefandoms9763]

The scene where he points and laughs at Ted i find really funny in an ironic sense because Ted was played by Christopher's Lloyd's (Aka Doc Brown) nephew Sam LLoyd (may he rest in peace)

[@GirlTmak]

Song: Cat Burglar by Jonathan Inc.

[@lucaaz14]

Too bad that they use the wrong music at the end. The real episode has; everythings not lost from Coldplay (“when I counted all my demons”)

[@soulrefix6503]

Probably a DVD or streaming issue. Copyright and what not.

[@thespartanfox]

As someone who has OCD, this episode really, really hits home. I know what I'm doing is irrational, but I still feel like I have to do it. It is so extremely draining and exhausting, especially when I'm having a bad trigger for things like contamination OCD (which the pandemic was suuuper great for lol). This show overall will always be my all time favorite sitcom for just how real it can be sometimes.

[@joetri10]

That's certainly a different song at the end than i remember. Another one of those copyright issues from the dvd i guess

[@Valientlink]

My OCD isn't this level, but the pandemic made it pretty bad. I wash my hands 20 times a shift even if it's 4 hours. I refuse to eat if there's a chance I'd have to crap in a public restroom. These are things that never mattered to me when I was a kid and teenager, but by my mid 20s, symptoms were really showing. I'm now 29 and it's at its peak. I actually first noticed it really right after I turned 23, I'd been hit by a car the week prior and got a bad concussion. I'm almost convinced it sped up my diagnosis. Within that month, suddenly, things in my bedroom had to be organized JUST right. Not a centimeter out of place. I cleaned the whole place up brand new and it was a shitheap before.

[@TheLowBrassDude]

My Catalyst and My Porcelain God are my two favorite episodes of Scrubs.

[@SbsGrinth]

Genius to use his Parkinson's movements into the character. Mjf great actor.

[@SolusDarkcoat]

As much as I admire his strength of spirit, you needn't suffer alone. Also gonna sound cheap but I would've stayed with Kevin till he actually left.

[@lethallizard_4493]

Sometimes that’s actually worse He may feel obligated to just pretend he is done so u can go home but then he will likely spend weeks obsessing over the fact he didn’t get to wash his hands correctly

[@Y0G0FU]

This can Backfire really bad for the OCD suffering person. It can throw them off so much that their OCD gets worse.

[@supermetroid009]

He’s , simply one of my favorite people. God bless MJF.

[@MegaDrunkenGamer]

God. I have OCD and that's one of the most real depictions I've seen of it in a show.

[@Dartanius100]

"Hey, bink you!"

[@jacopovilla9511]

Painfully honest depiction of ocd. It’s exhausting and a pain that hits anywhere anytime and you just die every moment.

[@brettschmeisser2568]

Long live the fox

[@ryancurtis5425]

Now, THIS is how OCD representation is supposed to be done!

[@Persnikity-yv3nh]

For me this is still one of the best depictions of OCD on screen. He seems odd and eccentric at first glance because of the persona he's crafted to downplay his symptoms. But in the moments "nobody's supposed to see," he's crippled by his compulsions. And the fact that, when people do see that moment, they react with kindness and grace. Scrubs is underrated.

[@Emperor_Palpatine_66]

As some one with Tourette’s syndrome, this hit close to home.

[@Jay-n262]

I can relate, I at times have to check to make sure everything is turned off a bunch of times before I leave my house.

[@GFSCN69]

Man, this is like 20 years old, but apparently Fox was already barely able to speak back then.

[@joshie6213]

Dr. Kevin Casey

[@bloodsling]

I gotta find the whole series,so many great episodes

[@ucimobile0468]

HULU

[@bloodsling]

@@ucimobile0468 Can't do Hulu in canada,unless I get one of those VPN hack things..which wigs me out

[@ucimobile0468]

bloodsling 😢

[@dinmamma138]

The thing about real OCD is that it usually gets misinterpreted as just being pedantic or being a germaphobe, while those 2 symptoms can indeed be a part of OCD, the reasons for the 2 differs by a mile to those who just has those quirks to them. Real OCD is basically your brain creating false memories or making up the most idiotic scenarios if you don't complete the "OCD rituals". Someone who washes their hands repeatedly on OCD might do it because if they don't, they believe that their loved ones will get hit by a car the next day, or if the pencil is not straight, then you will get cancer and die. You know these thoughts are stupid, but you hear this voice in the back of your head telling you "what if" all the time, to the point that you might even get physical symptoms like a burning sensation on your forehead or vomiting reflexes. Your imagination is so strong as well that you don't even trust the actions you recently made since you create false images in your head showing you that you did the opposite, also why people with real OCD remember their dreams much more than regular people (like 10 dreams a night), it's because their thalamus is overactive. These scenes were very good showing OCD symptoms, but like every movie/tv show depicting OCD, they never show the mental stuff that is the reasons for the OCD behaviour.

[@gamleskalle1]

Showing This to my ocd friend now

[@lyubalemdyasova8756]

Is it concerning how relatable I find this video lol?

[@THEATREofPAIN270]

Episode started out funny and got serious as fuck.

[@PattyBandAidz]

A better line for JD at the end of the hand washing scene after Kevin (Michael J.) says, "I'm not gonna be one of those people who dumps them on someone else....what do you need JD?".....JDs response should've been something along the lines of, "You just gave me what I needed." Or just, "That. I needed that." Instead of the timid "Nothing..." in what was almost a whisper.... idk, just me opin-yone. Don't crucify me por favor.

[@bottle3014]

I love this.

[@nathanielwilliams3891]

It's unfortunate that they use the same musical cue for "super doc" as they do for "sex buddies".

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

Unfortunate... or hot?

[@GianniCapecci]

0:53 anyone but me minimized the video window after the sound?

[@macmaasi79]

Michael J. Fox is awesome! Fuck his Parkinson's, he's such a great actor!

[@tylertilwick6852]

I love it when people think that being OCD just means keeping things neat and tidy, but not knowing how much it truly can take a mental toll on someone

[@Whakatewhinau1]

I like to think this episode helped JD in the episode with cox after he lost 3 patients

[@MaverickOrange]

@0:34 Important.

[@edmaxwell257]

Not OCD, but Autistic and I can extremely relate to this all

[@NiVi192]

... "I do have a three-second-rule, though." - "Boy, who doesn't?!" 😂

[@91Parabellum]

Playing a nervous OCDler was quiet a brilliant move as it makes Fox's dyskinesia invisible for the audience. Still a very good representation of OCD.

[@Splotched]

0:53 got me good.

[@laurenfisher3068]

Beautiful acting by my baby I wish I was there 😢💕

[@stephenromero7298]

The song at the end is called Cat Burglar

[@eduardorossi7310]

It's curious how a tv series made me realize that I had a problem. A problem with a name, actually. When you live inside the DOC you may think - at least me - that all the bullshit you do it's so obvious and natural that everybody else does the same things. Thanks Scrubs, particularly M.J.Fox. It's not been easy to face with this character for him. He did in the best possible way. You can feel the depth at the end of the episode.

[@microinvestor6191]

Now that I'm in my thirties I see how the twenties are a time of naive optimism, and that optimism reminds older folk life is worth it

[@camillacoelhonettoziliotto]

as someone with high ocd i feel for kevin

[@KenanVonKaiser]

I Got OCD Myself!

[@neen2660]

I watched this too young to realize I had it lol.

[@zilvoxidgod]

as someone with ocd dr. kevin casey is so fucking relatable... I cannot tell you how many times I've sworn at my own disorder because I just can't get it right

[@mathewgodfrey1517]

How ironic would it be if they had an episode in which the character is played by an actor with OCD playing off Parkinson’s Disease.

[@paigeconnelly4244]

Mathew Godfrey that woukdn't be irony, that would be coincidence. It's common for people to mix them up. Also, it's not coincidence either. It's an analogy of his suffering with Parkinsons. In the way that people with OCD just HAVE to do certain things, people with Parkinsons can't stop their movements. I feel like this scene is so raw because the frustration he shows is real (that's not to say that Michael J Fox isn't an amazing actor and that Parkinsons has robbed us all of many more years of his potential work) because what he has to deal with in his life is almost the same as someone with severe OCD. And this was not lost on the audience. He already started raising money for Parkinsons research way before this episode. You can also see it in the way some of his speech is not so clear, the way he's purposefully never still for too long so you can see the tremors, and the way he holds his arms close to him when he is still.

[@NickPiers]

Bink!

[@tristanhartup4936]

A guy with Parkinson's playing a guy with OCD.

[@theodoremelbourne1648]

Man with Parkinson’s plays man with OCD

[@BeLeHoSt]

Super duck!!!!

[@ccburro1]

It is good, important that there are realistic (and more of them) portrayals of individuals with mental health conditions/problems (OCD, bipolar, depression, etc) for those trying to live and flourish with those conditions and for those who don’t have those conditions so as to increase awareness.

[@youvanced6593]

Why was JD angry with him?

[@lunaracc914]

Ugh I hate that song replacement at the last clip, the original song was so much better

[@OnlyNeedJuan]

I like this episode, but I'm not sure if I agree with the message, though it is understandable. People need help, the barrier to ask for help is big enough as it is, ofc there is some tact to it but asking for help every now and then, or more frequently if youre really stuck isn't a bad thing. I can see such a mindset developing for the character though, they fought tooth and claw to get where they are, and they will not be defined by their problems.

[@Bipolarvideos]

as someone who's suffered with a bit of OCD myself I can heavily relate to this

[@quietpickle4549]

You can’t suffer “a bit”. You either have it or you don’t.

[@Bipolarvideos]

@@quietpickle4549 I probably should've said a lot

[@etanaedelman9011]

This performance is such a great example of why you should hire disabled actors to play disabled characters. Even if it's not the same disability.

[@Andrew.Grabowski]

“Not that hard”

[@theywalkinguptoyouand4060]

Interesting fact, having full blown OCD would stop someone from being a proper surgeon. You have to start with very basic training and the stress and inexperience of a surgical resident would push the OCD state into severe decompensation and render someone incapable of working. Also if yiu have OCD enough to want to master internal medicine, you wouldn't switch specialties. There are 50 year old experienced internists who havent come close to mastering the specialties under internal medicine.

[@Crazygurl1211]

proudblackjynx full-blown OCD can be treated. Just because someone has OCD doesn't mean that they are limited in what they can do in life, it just means that they have to get it treated and under control before they can do those things. However, it does not look like this particular character had his OCD under control, so it really doesn't make sense in this scenario.

[@justarandomgal2683]

CrazyGurl1211 As someone who was diagnosed with OCD as a young kid, I agree with you. It is very possible to meet someone with OCD, but not even know they have it because they have it well controlled. People don't talk about this much but it is possible to get better with treatment.

[@vh187]

I don't think this is true. OCD makes some of the best doctors and lawyers, you're obsessed so you can learn and use it to your advantage, In fact use it for genius. Very bright people have positive outlooks for treatment tho they can overthink. I have pure OCD and obsess over writing, and have won awards and am currently studying Journalism. Yes stress can trigger it but like in this episode, he seems to be well underway to being healthy tho the stress of moving cities makes him act up again. OCD can be used to ones advantage

[@neen2660]

@@vh187 for some people. For other people it can make them go from top of their class to suicidal and stuck in their room for a year that makes them too ashamed to ever get back into academics.

[@Chiller-pc1dv]

​@@vh187 OCD cannot be used to ones advantage, there are no positives to it.

[@darrenspohn8376]

Get that man some Prozac.

[@michaelsong5555]

I'm surprised how that OCD doctor isn't losing his job. I mean, sure, he's got lots of knowledge and is good at surgery, but he also wastes a LOT of time -- time which he should be spending on patients or other hospital duties. And clearly, it interferes with his duties as a doctor. There's no way the hospital admin would keep him around.

[@Ash-us3gs]

I am assuming you do not have OCD so you may not realize how hurtful that is to someone who suffers from it. It’s not his fault and this is a very real and accurate depiction of the disorder. Hospital admin would not fire him unless his disorder caused him to end up further hurting his patients. Also, he is an incredibly talented surgeon so clearly his OCD has not affected his ability to do surgeries. I will assume that you don’t understand what this disorder is really like and I hope you will think differently now. Maybe you won’t, but assuming that his disorder gets in the way of his job is not fair and could be offensive just so you know. I am not trying to be rude, but I think it is important to educate people so they don’t hurt someone’s feelings because OCD is so much harder to deal with than people realize.

[@michaelsong5555]

@@Ash-us3gs I'm sure OCD is hard on the guy. I'm not denying that. What I'm saying is that it gets in the way of him doing his job. For a doctor (or any profession), just doing quality work on his job isn't enough. You must do a quality work within REASONABLE TIME. If he's able to look after only 2 patients while other doctors look after 20 patients, then that's a big problem for the hospital.

[@Chiller-pc1dv]

​@@michaelsong5555 What you don't understand is that OCD gets in the way of EVERYTHING no matter what you do, or what job you get. It doesn't pick and choose. The thing is...people with OCD we still have to live life.

[@michaelsong5555]

@@Chiller-pc1dv I'm not denying that OCD is very very bad. But the hospital (or any firm) must act in the best interest of the hospital. Like I said above, for the hospital, the OCD doctor wastes lots of time. If the hospital has to pay the same wage, but he's only working 2 hrs, while everyone else of same level works 10 hrs (I don't know if this is accurate, but I'm just taking an example), then it's a huge loss for the hospital. The hospital won't keep him around.

[@Chiller-pc1dv]

​@@michaelsong5555So what job is he supposed to do then? Because his OCD will be there no matter what. He's good at his job, he does it well. He hasn't done anything wrong.

[@MouseCIick]

Not very great acting, but the story is really good and sad.

[@joetri10]

Not great acting!?!? You're surely joking. It's Michael J Fox!

[@MouseCIick]

@@joetri10 i am not convince. maybe its the script he was given. just cause he is famous in back to the future doesn't make him a good actor and honestly that was his only good movie and maybe teen wolf. just like daniel radcliffe he is only known for being harry potter. tobey maguire is only known as spider-man. foxes is only known as mcfly. now people like tom hank and sam l jackson are good actors. they are known for multiple roles and i can give you names of multiple movies they are in that was good and successful.

[@joetri10]

@@MouseCIick MJF is known for WAY more than BTTF. You simply are just not cultured enough.

[@Viyou791]

I've never felt so understood by a tv show character. The first scene with stepping on the wrong foot and his frustration really hit hard for me.

[@thedreamydecade4438]

Michael J. Fox is a national treasure