OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
OCD is described as an anxiety disorder. The disorder has two main parts, obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, images, urges, doubts that repeat in your mind.
Compulsions are repetitive activities that you feel you have to do.
OCD has a cycle: Obsessive thought, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, temporary relief and then it starts again.
Common Obsessions
- A fear of failing to prevent harm – like leaving the cooker on or the door unlocked.
- Imagining you will do harm – like pushing someone in front of a bus.
- Intrusive sexual thoughts – that you will hurt someone
- Religious or blasphemous thoughts that are against your religion.
- Fear of contamination – from dirt or germs
- An excessive concern with order or symmetry – worrying if objects are not in order or matching.
- Illness or physical symptoms – believing you have an illness when you have no symptoms.
Common Compulsions
- Repeating actions – touching every light switch when you walk in the house and leave.
- Touching – having to touch things with both hands.
- Focussing on number – doing things certain number of times.
- Washing or cleaning – having to wash or clean frequently to feel clean.
- Checking – doors are locked or reading emails before you send them.
- Ordering and arranging – by colour, date, size whatever as long as they are in the order you want them in.
- Repeating – words or phrases in order to prevent something bad happening or until you believe it.
Causes
- Dysfunctional beliefs – one theory suggests that you over estimate the responsibility you have for something.
- Personal experience – another theory suggests that you may have developed obsessions and compulsions to deal with trauma or anxiety from something that happened to you.
- Biological factors – there are some theories that link it to serotonin in the brain but it doesn’t explain how people develop different obsessions and compulsions.
How to help
The NHS follow the NICE guidelines that have different options for mild, moderate and severe symptoms. Speak to your GP about what is best suited for you.
We have a number of podcasts that have talked to people who have dealt and are dealing with OCD – You can listen below