Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Signs and Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder While it is normal, on occasion, to double check your locks or that you have not left the stove on, the obsessive thoughts and compulsions that affect OCD sufferers can impact with their daily life. While you may feel helpless in the face of obsessive compulsive disorder, the right treatment options can reduce your OCD symptoms and increase the quality of your daily life. What is OCDOCD affects over 2 million Americans (NIMH), with a typical age of onset at 20 years of age. People with obsessive compulsive disorder have either obtrusive thoughts (obsessions), repetitive behaviors (obsessions) to reduce their distress or avoid a feared situation, or both. Stress appears to exacerbate the condition, with these obsessions and compulsions can end up having an impact on the individual’s overall quality of their life. A video of Gale and her fear of contamination. Some of these thoughts may include thoughts of death of loved ones, violence and harm to others or thoughts that are against the religious beliefs of the individual. Performing these rituals is not pleasant, but it may provide people with obsessive compulsive disorder a brief respite from their anxiety-provoking thoughts. Common rituals include repeatedly checking things such as locks, counting things and doing things (or touching things) in a particular sequence. For example, an individual who is obsessed with germs may develop a ritual of hand washing. Another individual who has a persistent thought that she may be burgled could spend hours checking and rechecking her locks before going to bed. OCD symptoms and behaviorsMost people with obsessive compulsive disorder experience obsessive thoughts and compulsions. People with OCD tend to recognize that their obsessive thoughts and compulsions are unrealistic.Examples of common obsessions (recurring thoughts or images that cause anxiety and stress) include:
Roughly half of all OCD sufferers report multiple rituals. Examples of common rituals (repetitive behaviors to relieve anxiety or avoid fear situation) include:
Some of the emotions that a person with OCD may experience include:
Treatment for OCDThere are a number of effective treatments for OCD, which range from treatment with a therapist to medication. Most of the research that supports the effectiveness of treatment comes from cognitive behavior therapy. Cognitive behavior therapyCognitive behavior therapy emphasizes exposure and response prevention, while cognitive restructuring can be used to improve compliance and increase motivation. Exposure to the individual's obsessive thoughts helps to weaken the link between the thoughts and anxiety. The individual is also asked not to act out their compulsions - with the idea that people realize their anxiety associated with their thought can be reduced by not performing the compulsion. For example, in the video above, the compulsive hand washer was asked to touch things and then was prevented from washing her hands as Gale sat with her anxiety. Over time, the urge to act out the compulsion to rid yourself of the anxiety of contamination will be weakened, and eventually the individual will be able to give up the behavior. Cognitive therapy targets the obsessive thoughts and assumptions and helps the individual to realize that their thoughts can be effectively responded to without compulsive behavior. Individuals begin to see that their thoughts aren't dangerous and don't necessarily lead to action. MedicationMedication can be helpful in some cases and the options available to you should be discussed with your psychologist or psychiatrist. Relaxation exercisesSelf-help strategies such as relaxation exercises are helpful for reducing stress and overall anxiety levels. Relaxation exercises may include meditation, yoga, breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation.Relaxation training not only provides anxiety relief but also increases an individual's confidence to deal with anxiety. It is important that relaxation is not conducted during exposure - as this may become another ritual! Other optionsOther options for treatment may include support groups in which people with OCD can discuss their experience with others, journaling, exercise and learning as much about OCD as you can, to name a few. This site is for information purposes only, we recommend that you see your doctor or mental health professional for advice. References Ball, S. G., Baer, L., & Otto, M. W. (1996). Symptom subtypes of obsessive-compulsive disorder in behavioral treatment studies: a quantitative review. Behavior, Research and Thearpy, 34, 47-51. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
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