Judah Mackey Opens up About Connor’s OCD on Y&R

The storyline of Connor’s OCD diagnosis and treatment on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS has been a powerful one. And the kid’s portrayer, Judah Mackey, reached out on social media to thank everyone for their support during this important storyline.

“Thank you to all the awesome Y&R fans for tuning in and sharing your kind words, support, and experiences during this important storyline,” Mackey posted on Instagram along with some behind-the-scenes pics from the soap’s set. “My character and his family struggling to cope with his OCD diagnosis and navigate treatment is very relevant because mental health affects so many kids and families.

“There are a lot of misconceptions and we really need to change the way we think and talk about mental health,” he continued. “I hope telling this story brings awareness and understanding to kids’ mental health and encourages others to know there’s hope and they’re not alone.”

Given how sensitively and respectfully Chelsea’s depression storyline was dealt with by Y&R, Mackey knew that Connor’s OCD would be given the same treatment. “The show consulted with OnOurSleeves.org,” he told Soap Opera Digest, “which is a great organization that provides free evidence-informed resources so everyone can understand and promote mental health for children. They created a free guide to OCD in kids and teens which explains what it is, signs and symptoms, what to do if you’re worried, and what the best treatments are.

“People can really be struggling on the inside and they may not show it on the outside,” Mackey added. “I learned that one in five children has a significant impairing mental disorder but less than half get the treatment they need. Also, half of all lifetime mental illness starts by age 14. I hope people know that they are not alone and it’s okay to ask for help. OCD can really disrupt someone’s life but with the right treatment, it can be manageable. So it makes me feel good that I can help bring awareness to that.”