Drexal the Alien is worried he may become sick if he doesn’t keep things clean—and in this episode of Galaxy Brain, his fear of contamination becomes a compulsion to clean that consumes him, preventing him from his other tasks and making it hard to listen to those around him. Watch this episode of Galaxy Brain above.
In Galaxy Brain, Drexal is an alien living far away in the galaxy, but he has health fears like we do here on earth. He tries to keep his environment clean to stay safe from sickness, but his fixation on his cleaning routine becomes unhealthy. Luckily, Drexal’s trusted computer sidekick helps him express his feelings surrounding his anxiety and contamination OCD. His computer sidekick is always there for him to talk with about his anxieties.
Once Drexal opens up, he can start exploring his unhealthy thinking patterns in a safe space. He can ask for help from loved ones to challenge stress and his consuming thought patterns. Eventually, Drexal can work on exposure and analyzing his triggers with someone he trusts – we fight our fears by facing them. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone you trust or find a friend to talk to about your feelings, like Drexal the Alien does.
Getting Kids to Talk About Anxiety
Talk to kids about anxiety and keep the conversation going! Let children know that it’s okay to talk about their feelings, and create a sense of safety and non-judgment so they feel comfortable expressing themselves. Open up and discuss your own anxieties and fears so they know they’re not alone. Share our video series with people you know and see if any of them relate to Drexal. It’s a fun way to share and remind others that it’s essential to talk about how you feel.
► Do you feel a strong fear of things that might be dirty or a compulsion to clean?
► Do you experience worry about how your cleaning routine and germs/dirt could impact your health?
► Can you think of anyone else who may feel the same way you do?
► Who is someone you can share your feelings with?
For specific ideas on using two of our Caretoons episodes to talk to kids about health anxiety, see our blog.
In The Time Travelling Pizza, our other Caretoons series, Chris Crust experiences contamination OCD, too.
See all our Caretoons episodes featuring fun characters dealing with their anxieties here.
Start A Dialogue About Anxiety
Galaxy Brain is an animated series for pre-teens and teens on topics like social anxiety, health anxiety, contamination OCD, and more. With humour and heart, Galaxy Brain normalizes anxiety in an entertaining way and encourages youth to seek help from a trusted parent, teacher, or friend.
Anxiety Canada created Galaxy Brain to help parents, educators, young adults, and healthcare providers start a dialogue with youth and help them understand that they aren’t alone.
Many youths don’t realize that what they are feeling is anxiety. You can help them name their fears and feelings, recognize symptoms, and understand the impact anxious thoughts have on their lives.
More Resources
Help children and teens with anxiety using Anxiety Canada’s helpful links below. We offer useful articles for teens, parents, educators, and healthcare providers.
About Health Anxiety – Learn about health anxiety symptoms and how you can help.
Dealing with COVID Anxiety – What to do if you’re anxious or worried about coronavirus (COVID-19).
Health Anxiety Disorder for Educators – Recognize and help children with health anxiety in the classroom and beyond.
Caretoons, the animated series, was created with the support of British Columbia’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions by Point Blank Creative and Anxiety Canada. Voiced by acclaimed comedian and author, Charlie Demers.