{"id":51064,"date":"2021-08-24T23:21:53","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T23:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freedomfrommedom.com\/wp3\/?page_id=51064"},"modified":"2021-08-24T23:29:47","modified_gmt":"2021-08-24T23:29:47","slug":"obsessive-compulsive-disorders","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomfrommedom.com\/wp3\/obsessive-compulsive-disorders","title":{"rendered":"Obsessive Compulsive Disorders"},"content":{"rendered":"

The information on this page was obtained with permission by<\/span> D’Amore Mental Health<\/a>. To link to D’Amore Mental Health’s sources, click<\/span> HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that consists of a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. OCD can be time-consuming, debilitating, and can hinder day-to-day functioning for those who live with it. OCD is not about germaphobia or perfectionism, nor is it a choice.<\/p>\n

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Obsessions <\/span>are intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that create uncomfortable and distressing feelings.<\/p>\n

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Compulsions <\/span>are behaviors that the person exhibits in order to eliminate or decrease those obsessive thoughts and feelings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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OCD is a disorder that can significantly impact ones\u2019 quality of life and sense of well-being. OCD is one of those terms that get thrown around a lot in every day conversations. Language is important when it comes to mental health disorders, and a true diagnosis of OCD only occurs in about 2% of the US population.\u00a01<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

Checking to make sure that you\u2019ve turned off the stove 2 or 3 times is not OCD. Rearranging your bookshelf twice in one week is not OCD. Organizing your closets so that all of your shirts are facing the same direction is not OCD.<\/p>\n

Using \u201cOCD\u201d as a way to describe these occasional bouts of perfectionism can be potentially damaging to those who experience real OCD. It minimizes the severity and disruptiveness of the disorder and can make those who live with it feel like OCD is being diminished, or laughed off.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Signs and Symptoms of OCD<\/span><\/h2>\n

OCD presents with symptoms of obsessions, compulsions, or both. These symptoms can interfere with all aspects of life, including school, work, social life, and relationships.\u00a02<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

In order to receive a diagnosis of OCD these symptoms must be time-consuming (at least an hour a day), cause significant distress, and impair work or social functioning.<\/p>\n

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Obsessions<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Obsessions are repetitive and persistent thoughts that cause distressing emotions, such as anxiety, anger, or disgust.<\/p>\n

A person with OCD may understand cognitively that these obsessions are irrational and unreasonable, but OCD cannot be controlled or diminished through reasoning and logic. Most people try to ignore the obsessive thoughts, distract themselves with other activities, or ease them with compulsions.<\/p>\n

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Common Obsessions in OCD<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    • <\/i>Fear of contamination by the environment or other people<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/i>Fear of losing valuables, or accidentally discarding something important<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/i>Intrusive thoughts of sounds, images, words, or numbers<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/i>Extreme focus on order, symmetry, or precision<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/i>Fear of blurting out obscenities or insults<\/span><\/li>\n
    • <\/i>Disturbing sexual thoughts or images<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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      Compulsions<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that the person with OCD uses in hopes of neutralizing their obsessions. Acting out these compulsions offer only temporary relief; they are a coping mechanism for relieving some of the anxiety that stems from the obsessive thoughts.<\/p>\n

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      Common Compulsions in OCD<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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        • <\/i>Excessive cleaning or handwashing<\/span><\/li>\n
        • <\/i>Ordering and arranging things in a precise way (over and over)<\/span><\/li>\n
        • <\/i>Compulsive counting<\/span><\/li>\n
        • <\/i>Repeatedly checking to see that the door is locked, the oven is turned off, or the window is closed<\/span><\/li>\n
        • <\/i>Repeatedly cleaning household items (despite having just cleaned them)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          These behaviors are a reaction to obsessive thoughts, and take up a lot of time and energy. We\u2019ve all double-checked our locks and ovens, but a person with OCD will spend so much time doing these things that it becomes nearly impossible to maintain a normal routine. It\u2019s disruptive, potentially debilitating, and can lead to depression, and even suicidal thoughts.<\/p>\n

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          A Person With OCD Typically<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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          • <\/i>Experiences significant problems in their daily lives as a result of these obsessions and compulsions<\/span><\/li>\n
          • <\/i>Can\u2019t control the thoughts or behaviors despite knowing they are excessive and unhelpful<\/span><\/li>\n
          • <\/i>Spends a minimum of one hour a day with these thoughts and behaviors<\/span><\/li>\n
          • <\/i>Doesn\u2019t experience any pleasure when performing these behaviors, but merely temporary relief from the anxiety of the obsessive thoughts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Most people experience obsessive thoughts occasionally, and sometimes compulsions as well. Take the onset of Covid-19. We\u2019ve all been washing our hands with more frequency than usual, wearing masks in public places, and have been extra careful about not touching our faces.<\/p>\n

            Does this mean we\u2019ve all developed temporary OCD? Absolutely not. There is a rational reason for all that hand-washing, and it\u2019s potentially beneficial to our health. For a person living with OCD, excessive hand-washing isn\u2019t necessarily for health reasons, but an attempt to relieve anxiety as a result of obsessive thoughts that may have nothing to do with actual cleanliness or hygiene.<\/p>\n

            As the vaccine rolls out, we are collectively feeling a little less anxious, wearing our masks less often, and don\u2019t feel panic every time we unwittingly scratch our noses. For the person with OCD, no amount of hand washing will truly relieve their symptoms of anxiety.<\/p>\n

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            What Causes OCD?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Experts are still studying the exact causes of OCD, but there are several working theories. Genetic, neurological, behavioral, and environmental factors are all thought to contribute to the onset of OCD.<\/p>\n

            Genetics<\/span> may be a factor, since OCD tends to run in families. Imaging studies show that people with OCD do have characteristic differences in their brain activity. Genetics play a role in how the brain responds to certain neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which may be a factor in causing the disorder.<\/p>\n

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            Autoimmune-related causes<\/span> may also play a part in OCD, since symptoms sometimes appear in children after certain infections such as strep throat, Lyme Disease, and the H1N1 flu virus.<\/p>\n

            This is sometimes referred to as PANS, or Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. With PANS, the symptoms will start suddenly, reach full intensity in 24-72 hours, then disappear, sometimes returning at a later date.<\/p>\n

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            Behavioral causes<\/span> of OCD may result from a period of intense stress, or a traumatic event. A car wreck for example, may lead to someone avoiding driving in cars, or performing certain rituals before getting into a car in order to reduce the perceived risk.<\/p>\n

            This avoidance, or ritualization of getting into a car may evolve to include other characteristics of OCD. This is likely more common in people who already have a genetic predisposition towards OCD.<\/p>\n

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            Cognitive causes<\/span> may be an issue when people misinterpret their own thoughts. We all have annoying or intrusive thoughts once in a while, but for a person with OCD these thoughts aren\u2019t fleeting, and they become extreme.<\/p>\n

            Taking care of a baby for example; you may experience an unwelcome thought or two of accidentally hurting the baby, but a person with OCD will put heavy significance on those thoughts, and then take excessive, continual, unwarranted actions in order to prevent this threat of danger.<\/p>\n

            Environmental causes<\/span> may trigger OCD, such as complication during childbirth, serious illness, a traumatic brain injury, or a severe conflict with a colleague or family member.<\/p>\n

            Stressful life events can trigger OCD in people with a predisposition towards OCD, genetic or otherwise. OCD may also develop alongside post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.<\/p>\n

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            Like many other mental and psychological illnesses, OCD is complicated and presents in different people for different reasons. There\u2019s no exact science as to whether or not a person will develop OCD in their lifetime. In general, people are diagnosed by age 19, but some are diagnosed much earlier or much later.<\/p>\n

            Living With OCD<\/span><\/h2>\n
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            OCD is an anxiety disorder, and people who live with it are constantly haunted by fear. Fear of death, fear of illness, fear of fire, fear of people, fear of not being good enough, smart enough, capable enough. These fears become obsessions because they\u2019re relentless. They can\u2019t be brushed off.\u00a0 Awareness of the fact that the obsessions are irrational doesn\u2019t make them less scary, and it doesn\u2019t make them go away.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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            When you hear \u201cOCD\u201d you may picture someone repeatedly washing their hands, or switching a light on and off dozens of times. This may be the case for some people, but really, these are stereotypical assumptions we make about what OCD looks like.<\/p>\n

            Many people with OCD only struggle internally. This can make it very difficult to seek out help or treatment, because all of the symptoms are hidden. There can be shame and embarrassment in admitting to having thoughts and fears you know don\u2019t make any logical sense.<\/p>\n

            We all occasionally have intrusive thoughts about something that causes fear, such as being in a plane crash. Most of us can talk ourselves out of that fear well enough to get on the plane and get to where we need to go. We may even laugh about it later.<\/p>\n

            For people with OCD, trying not to think about the plane crash is next to impossible. The more they try not to think about it, the more they feel \u201cstuck\u201d thinking about it.<\/p>\n

            This becomes distressing, and that\u2019s where the compulsions come in. Sometimes the compulsions are an attempt to stop the thoughts, and sometimes it\u2019s about preventing the feared event from occurring.<\/p>\n

            \u201cThe plane might crash\u201d becomes an obsession \u2013 a person with OCD can\u2019t simply dismiss the idea and move onto something else. It becomes unbearable, so they decide \u201cIf I walk up and down the stairs 18 times the plane won\u2019t crash\u201d. This is irrational, but that\u2019s the nature of the disorder. This is how the cycle goes.<\/p>\n

            OCD takes up a lot of time and energy. It is disruptive to daily life, and can be extremely isolating and frustrating. Knowing that the fears are unlikely to come true doesn\u2019t help. Knowing that the compulsions aren\u2019t likely to change the course of anything doesn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n

            Treatment for OCD<\/span><\/h2>\n
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            Many of us experience occasional obsessive thoughts and compulsions, but it may be time to reach out for help if your symptoms of OCD:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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