Femininity and OCD in Swallow | Chaz's Journal
Specifically, Hunter has pica, which is described as the craving and chewing of substances that have no nutritional value. While it is not always an indicator of OCD, in the context of "Swallow," pica is how Hunter tries to exercise some modicum of control over her life. So often, OCD is about control and trying to grasp it. Hunter, in trying to find some happiness or perform some action that is her own while stuck in a controlling marriage, chooses to swallow things. Swallowing items such as marbles, batteries, and thumbtacks is Hunter’s compulsion, something she can use as comfort; without these objects, Hunter cannot be happy and fixates on them until she can fulfill that compulsion. But if she fulfills that compulsion, then she can be the perfect housewife. This fixation, sometimes to the point of harm, emulates the frustrating, exhausting, and painful experience of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
"Swallow" is the first film I’ve ever seen that portrays the disturbing and sometimes harmful reality of OCD without playing it for jokes. Just a few years ago, I was diagnosed with OCD, with my symptoms manifesting through violent intrusive thoughts and the compulsions that would ensure those thoughts wouldn’t become a reality, such as planned walking routes, a need to be on a strict schedule, and ripping off my nails. I believe I’ve struggled with OCD for most of my life, but due to certain media representations of the disorder, I doubted my symptoms.
Most films and television show OCD as the need to continuously wash your hands, flip light switches on and off, and repeatedly lock doors. While these can be symptoms, oftentimes these compulsions are portrayed in film and television as hilarious personality quirks that help define how weird a character is. This is seen most notably in Tony Sheloub’s Adrian Monk from the television show "Monk". Even in the season one trailer, "Monk" is seen as a complete germaphobe who must cover his face in public, must use tissues to touch anything, and his closet is perfectly color-coordinated. Each of these actions is used to make the character look ridiculous and comedic. His debilitating fear of the world is so exaggerated that audiences can’t help but laugh at him.
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