Ethan Smith has had OCD for as long as he can remember. At first, the obsessive thoughts were relatively benign—limited to minor behaviors like tapping his pencil a certain number of times or repeatedly taking his temperature—but as he grew older, OCD began to take over his life, leaving him with a crippling fear of hurting himself. After years of unsuccessful therapy and multiple misdiagnoses, his parents and counselors made a painful decision, one he credits with saving his life.