Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common yet often misunderstood mental health disorder. Characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, finding treatment for OCD is crucial to prevent the disorder from taking over your life.
Symptoms of OCD are broken down into obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts that a person cannot seem to overcome, while compulsions are repeated behaviours and activities.
For example, many people with OCD frequently think about possible contamination when touching objects or coming into contact with others. As for compulsions, these behaviours often include counting or obsessive cleaning. In some people with OCD, symptoms are mild to moderate. However, others may develop severe symptoms that greatly reduce quality of life.
Like many mental health and behavioural disorders, it is not fully clear why some people experience OCD. However, medical researchers believe the onset of the condition is due to a combination of factors, such as genetic and brain chemistry. There are also factors that increase a person’s chance of developing obsessions and compulsions:
OCD can seriously impact a person’s day-to-day functionality. Fortunately, many individuals can manage the effects of the disorder with the right treatment.
Like many other mental health conditions, OCD is often treated with a combination of medication and therapy. Antidepressants can alleviate the symptoms associated with obsessions and compulsions when prescribed in higher doses. Antipsychotic medications can also be beneficial.
When it comes to therapy, the goal is to develop new, healthy patterns of thinking. Therapists may also expose the patient to the subject of their fears and obsessions, which diminishes the fearful response over time.
Living with OCD can be challenging, but certain steps can help you maintain control over symptoms:
When combined with therapy and medication, these steps can greatly reduce the burden of obsessions and compulsions.