Kirsten Pagacz

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Kirsten Pagacz was born in 1966 and grew up in Oak Park, IL. OCD came to her life when she was nine years old. At the onset, it was a welcomed distraction that took Pagacz away from her chaotic childhood. Her OCD was like a secret friend that always had interesting things for her to do. By high school she was deep in the clutches of her illness. Pagacz also developed the shadow syndromes of anorexia and substance abuse. When she was 32, after a complete mental collapse, Pagaczwas diagnosed with severe OCD. On that day, in front of her doctor, she found one grain of sanity left within herself. From that one grain she had to grow a peaceful warrior, because the fight of a lifetime was in front of her. Kirsten wanted to do more than merely exist. She wanted joy back. She was tired of being robbed of literally thousands of hours while trying to comply with the demands of her OCD. Since being diagnosed with severe OCD, Pagacz has been actively on a path to wellness and stability. Today, her OCD is in the side car, and she’s driving behind the wheel and teaching other sufferers to do the same.