Obsessive compulsive disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious anxiety-related condition. It is the fourth most common mental disorder and may affect as many as three in every 100 people – from young children to older adults – regardless of gender and social or cultural background.

What are the symptoms of OCD

Usually, OCD sufferers experience repetitive thoughts. These intrusive and unwelcome thoughts involve doubts, images and impulses that they find very hard to ignore. In most cases, the obsessive thoughts cause the sufferer to perform repetitive compulsions in a vain attempt to relieve themselves of the obsessions and neutralise the fear. In other words, the obsessions lead to compulsions.

However, some sufferers have the obsessions but not the physical compulsions. This type of OCD is often called ‘Pure-O’. The most common obsessions include worrying that contamination and germs will harm oneself or others; upsetting sexual, violent or blasphemous thoughts; ordering or arranging objects; and worrying about throwing things away.

The most common compulsions used by sufferers to fight their obsessive thoughts, are mental or physical rituals. These usually involve repeatedly performing actions such as washing, cleaning, checking, counting, hoarding or worrying. Avoidance of feared situations is also common, but this often results in a cycle of further worrying and preoccupation with the obsessive thoughts. Most sufferers know that their thoughts and behaviours are irrational and illogical, but feel incapable of stopping them. They often experience intense feelings of embarrassment, guilt and sometimes shame. This has a significant impact on their confidence and self-esteem, and damages their careers, relationships and lifestyles.

What are the causes of OCD

 There is no known specific cause for OCD, but it is generally agreed that both psychological and biological factors play a role. It is thought that an imbalance of the chemical serotonin in the brain may contribute to the development of OCD. And a specific chromosome/gene variation has been found to significantly increase the likelihood of a person developing OCD. Although people who have relatives with OCD are at a higher risk of developing the disorder, most people with the illness have no such family history.

When is it right to seek help

 Most individuals with OCD experience some symptoms of the disorder on a long-term basis. Sometimes their condition improves; but at other times it worsens.If someone close to you has OCD, learning as much about the illness as possible will enable you to understand, and perhaps help them. If you can be supportive, patient, positive and consistent with an OCD sufferer, they are more likely to relax and be open about their illness, anxieties and compulsions.

Most people with OCD are well aware that they have a problem. They may be doing everything they can to make progress, but it could be worth encouraging them (without putting them under pressure) to see a doctor. That is an important step towards coping better, and perhaps even conquering their illness. 

What treatments are available

Treatments include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), behavioural therapies, and medications. The prognosis is most favourable for OCD sufferers with relatively mild symptoms that last for short periods, and who have no other mental problems. But most sufferers can be helped to some extent in controlling their illness and coping better with it.

Behavioural therapies for OCD include ritual prevention and exposure therapy. Ritual prevention involves a mental-health professional helping the OCD sufferer to endure longer and longer periods of resisting the urge to engage in compulsive behaviours. Exposure therapy puts the sufferer in situations that tend to increase their urge to engage in compulsions, and then helps them to resist the urge.

Cognitive/behavioural therapy helps the patient to change the negative thought processes and behaviours that are often associated with the anxiety involved with obsessive-compulsive disorder.