My Blocksmith Experience was made to help users evoke empathy for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, more commonly known as OCD.
OCD is extremely common but rarely taken seriously, with the commonly used term, “Oh, I’m so OCD” used to describe people who like things neat and orderly. Instead, OCD is a chronic disorder that causes uncontrollable thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that afflict a person and cause intense feelings of discomfort, fear, doubt, or guilt. This can often lead to torturous habits and rituals that are created and practiced in a vain attempt to quell the thought spiral, and are often extremely uncomfortable and time-consuming.
I created my experience to help users understand the daily struggles that those with OCD experience, along with emotions like frustration, fear, and low self-esteem. It helps users step into the shoes of someone with OCD by having them complete an obstacle course as fast as possible, while receiving bothersome notifications that require them to repeat the task, walk backwards, or sit and wait, impeding their progress for what seems like no good reason. This gives users insight into the stress caused by OCD and the ridiculousness of the obsessions they receive. Users will walk away from the experience with a deeper understanding of what challenges those with OCD have to work through, and will have more empathy in the future for those who suffer from this disorder.