Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common and chronic form of mental illness in which an individual suffers from obsessions, compulsions, or both. It affects millions of adults and children throughout the United States (with prevalence rates shown to be similar internationally). While symptoms can be mild, most often OCD can seem to take on a life of its own, and become very severe, negatively impacting all aspects of regular daily life — often preventing children from performing well in school or attending school at all, as well as causing adults dysfunction in the workplace and within social relationships.
Obsessions are defined as recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images. They are unwanted and often intrusive. When someone experiences an obsession, the likely outcome is significant anxiety and overall distress. Often times these thoughts focus on something bad or harmful happening (to the individual themselves, family and friends, or even strangers), and often there is a deep sense of responsibility to prevent the harmful or bad thing from happening.
Although there may seem to be a limitless amount of specific obsessions, the content of these thoughts often falls in one or more categories, which include but are not limited to:
- Contamination Obsessions (dirt, germs, chemicals, etc.)
- Sexual Obsession (“inappropriate” sexual thoughts, or fear of being homosexual/heterosexual)
- Aggressive or Harm Obsessions (violent or horrific images, harm coming to one’s self or others)
- Religious Obsessions/Scrupulosity
- Need for Symmetry or Exactness
Compulsions are defined as repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress, or preventing something bad from happening.
Compulsions usually fall into one or more categories, including:
- Cleaning/Washing (excessive or ritualized hand washing, showering, etc.)
- Checking (door locks, stove, etc.)
- Repeating Rituals (rereading, rewriting, etc)
- Counting
- Ordering/Arranging
- Miscellaneous (mental rituals, superstitious behaviors, etc.)
Most people with OCD suffer in silence. There are many reasons for this, but one major reason is because the vast majority of people with OCD are intelligent and logical people, who understand that intellectually what they are doing compulsively and what they fear obsessively doesn’t make logical sense…yet they continue to do it. OCD doesn’t respond to logic as does other problems and puzzles in life, so when someone tries what they think should logically work without success, they assume there is no hope.
However, there is hope. You simply need to learn what to do and how to do it with someone who is trained properly to help you. Please don’t suffer in silence - it’s not necessary.