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NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\nNEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n
In 2022, Rhiannon was officially diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder<\/p>\n
Over the course of two decades, the 29-year-old from Chattanooga, Tenn., has compiled a running list of words she cannot write, read, hear or say aloud without triggering a physical reaction<\/p>\n
In a recent TikTok video, Rhiannon bravely \u201cconfronted” her OCD by recording herself saying the \u201ctrigger\u201d words she fears most<\/p>\n
At just 8 years old, one woman knew something wasn\u2019t right when she realized she couldn\u2019t say certain words out loud.<\/p>\n
Terms labeled \u201cinappropriate\u201d for children \u2013 especially those related to the body or bathroom \u2013 felt completely off-limits.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy avoidance was so intense that in second grade I had an accident because I couldn\u2019t bring myself to say the word \u2018bathroom\u2019 or ask to go,\u201d the woman, who goes by Rhiannon online, tells PEOPLE exclusively.<\/p>\n
For some time, she believed anxiety was to blame, but it wasn\u2019t until four years ago that she was finally diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder\u00a0(OCD) \u2013 putting a name to the symptoms that had shaped her life since childhood.<\/p>\n
Since then, Rhiannon\u2019s list of forbidden words has expanded and includes several \u201cnonsensical\u201d ones that trigger physical reactions whenever she writes, reads, hears or says them.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently, it’s impossible for me to say the names of condiments: mayo, ketchup, mustard,\u201d she reveals, adding that even typing the words makes her feel \u201cuncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old’s aversion has nothing to do with the meaning of the words, but more with the way that they sound.<\/p>\n
Just hearing the word \u201cmayonnaise\u201d makes her twitch and elicits a tight feeling in her jaw, while actually saying it herself is \u201cequally as awful,” causing her to sweat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I’ve done something disgusting by saying them,\u201d she admits. To get around using words like \u201cmayonnaise\u201d in public, Rhiannon pretends to forget them completely.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’ll ask, \u2018Oh, what’s that thing… the red sauce you eat with fries? That, please!\u2019\u201d she explains. \u201cOr my close friends know them by \u2018the M word\u2019…and will answer any questions for me so I don’t have to say them.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Rhiannon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/d5c50366186d79655f99bfbb211daf42.jpeg\"\/)
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In addition to condiments, Rhiannon also has a strong aversion to the many names people use for their grandparents, including \u201cNana,\u201d \u201cPapaw,\u201d and similar variations.<\/p>\n
Recently, Rhiannon \u201cconfronted” her OCD by recording herself saying some of the words she hates the most, later posting it to TikTok, garnering over 580,000 views.<\/p>\n
Before sharing the viral video, she hadn\u2019t noticed any link between the sounds of the words and her aversion \u2013 but viewers pointed out they mostly shared the short \u201ca\u201d sound.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely prefer the sound of long vowels, which is why I can say some of these problem words with no issues in Japanese,\u201d she shares.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Rhiannon has gone to great lengths to avoid her \u201ctrigger\u201d words \u2013 and has managed to do so successfully for years without feeling pressured to \u201cfix\u201d or “manage” her aversions.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy main focus is to continue managing my OCD in a way that supports my overall quality of life,\u201d she explains. \u201cIn therapy, that means staying focused on the symptoms that most directly affect my mental health, relationships, and day-to-day functioning.\u201d<\/p>\n
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