OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder): Symptoms & Treatment

OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder): Symptoms & Treatment

A person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions. These obsessions lead the person to perform repetitive behaviours known as compulsions. These obsessions and compulsions interfere with the person’s daily activities and cause a lot of distress. 

In order to ease the stress, they feel like performing the compulsive tasks. They find that even if they try to ignore these bothersome thoughts, they eventually come back and lead you to perform the compulsive tasks. This is a vicious cycle and people with OCD are victims of this.

What is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition where a person has frequent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that cause them to perform repetitive behaviours (compulsions). These compulsions interfere with daily activity and the social interactions of the person.

All of us experience compulsions and obsessions at some point in life. For instance, we double-check if the gas is off or if we have locked the door or our car. We use the words “obsessed” and “obsessive” rather casually in everyday life. However, a person with OCD is often not simply obsessive for an instance. They end up performing the compulsive activity repeatedly and it could take up several hours of their time thus interfering with their daily activity. Essentially, people with OCD do not enjoy performing the compulsive behaviours. 

People with OCD are frustrated, ashamed and embarrassed about the condition. Unfortunately, OCD is a chronic life-long condition. However, treatment can be effective.

People with OCD experience symptoms from different categories, some of the most common being:

• Organization (are things in the right place or symmetrical)
• Contamination (repeated cleaning of items to avoid spreading perceived contamination)
• Intrusive thoughts (distressing, random ideas like hurting a loved one or harming a stranger)
• Ruminations (repetitive thoughts and conundrums that don’t go away easily. Not finding an answer can make the person feel empty)
• Checking (Constant checking of lights, gas, burners, locks, IDs and cash)

Symptoms of OCD

The symptoms of OCD are obsessions and compulsions which interfere with normal activities. A person with OCD may know that their symptoms are problematic but they are unable to stop them. These obsessions and compulsions take up a great deal of time and reduce the quality of life. The symptoms may come and go, ease up or worsen over time.

Obsession symptoms

These obsessions are unwanted thoughts that are intrusive. These mental images could cause people a huge amount of anxiety. People with OCD cannot control these thoughts although they may know that they are irrational or illogical. Obsessions have themes such as:

• Fear of contamination or dirt
• Fear of causing harm to yourself or others because you are acting on a violent impulse
• Need everything to be orderly and balanced
• Excessive concern over issues related to morality and what is right or wrong
• Doubt or disgust 
• Wanting perfection, order, symmetry, or neatness
• Unwanted thoughts like aggression, or related to sexual or religious subjects

Compulsion symptoms

Compulsions are repetitive behaviours that a person with OCD feels compelled to perform. These repetitive behaviours are meant to reduce and ease anxiety related to the obsessions and prevent something bad from happening. People with OCD do not get pleasure from these compulsive behaviours but they perform them to get rid of their anxiety. However, the obsessions come back and trigger the compulsions again.

Compulsions get in the way of daily life and usually have themes like:

• Bathing, cleaning, or washing your hands again and again
• Arranging things in a specific way that is probably symmetrical
• Repeatedly checking things like knobs. Locks, switches
• Collecting or hoarding things that have no apparent value either personally or financially
• Rituals such as counting numbers, doing a task a specific number of times
• Constantly checking if you have caused harm to somebody
• Constantly seeking reassurance

Impact of OCD

The impact of OCD can be profound. OCD can make it difficult for people to perform daily activities such as eating, drinking, shopping or reading that are normal for other people. People with OCD may become housebound. OCD also impacts interpersonal relationships and cause strain. People with OCD may avoid people, places or situations that trigger their symptoms. All this makes it difficult for them to work or go to school. People with OCD may involve family members to get involved with their rituals and assume certain daily responsibilities. Mental health is impacted and OCD can be compounded by depression and anxiety. It is possible that people with OCD may have suicidal thoughts.

Treatment Options

The most common treatment for OCD is psychotherapy and/or medication. 

Several forms of psychotherapy treatment can be used for OCD. These include:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): A trained therapist will help you to examine and understand your thoughts and emotions. Over a period of time, CBT can help you change the harmful thoughts and change negative behaviours replacing them with healthier options.
• Exposure and response prevention (ERP): ERP is a type of CBT and the therapist will expose you to a situation that you feared and help you resist the urge to perform your compulsive behaviour. When you see or experience a feared situation and understand that nothing negative has happened, you learn to differentiate between your anxious thoughts and reality.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): This form of therapy helps you accept your obsessive thoughts as just thoughts. Thus they become powerless thoughts and you can lead a more meaningful life.

In addition, you may be prescribed medications that will help you. In extreme cases, an outpatient or partial hospitalization maybe required. 

Coping Strategies

Apart from psychotherapy and medication, you can practice self-care to manage your symptoms. Some of the things that can help are exercising regularly, getting good sleep and eating a healthy diet. Additionally, practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or a massage. Spend time with your loved ones who understand your condition and are willing to help you. Joining a support group for people with OCD can also help you get perspectives from others and how they are coping with OCD.

Conclusion

OCD is a condition that can affect anyone. It usually begins in the teen or young adult years. Obsessions and compulsions can change over time. Your symptoms may worsen or reduce over time. If your obsessions and compulsions affect your daily life, it is important to see a doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.What is OCD?

It is a mental health disorder that can affect people of all ages. The person gets caught in a cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. These can often affect the daily life of such people.

2.Who gets OCD?

OCD equally affects men, women and children of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds. 

3. At what age does OCD appear?

OCD can occur at any age. However, it is noticed between the ages of 8 to 12, or early teen years or young adulthood.

4.How is OCD diagnosed?

A trained therapist can diagnose OCD. They will look for obsessions and compulsive behaviours.

5.When should I see a doctor if I believe I have OCD?

You should see a doctor for OCD if your obsessions and compulsions are impacting your life in a negative way, interfering with your normal life, causing you anxiety and giving you thoughts of suicide. If your thoughts are irrational and distressing and keeping you from enjoying things that you used to, see a doctor immediately.