What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and
who does it affect?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as counting, sorting hording, washing, checking, or cleaning are often performed in a ritualistic fashion with the hope of temporarily relieving anxiety, preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these rituals, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.
OCD affects about 2.2 million American adults, and can be accompanied by eating disorders, other anxiety disorders, or depression. It affects men and women in roughly equal numbers. OCD usually appears in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. One-third of adults with OCD develop symptoms as children, and according to research OCD may run in families.
Types of OCD and their signs and symptoms
People
who are obsessed with germs or dirt, may develop a compulsion to wash their hands over and over
again, or perpetually clean and reclean themselves, homes, even their dirt road. If they develop an obsession with intruders, they may lock and relock their doors many times before going to bed.
Fear of embarrassment may prompt people with OCD to comb their hair compulsively in front of a
mirror, they sometimes get “caught” in the mirror and cannot move away from it. Performing such rituals is not
pleasurable, and at best produces temporary relief from the anxiety created by obsessive thoughts.
Other common rituals include a need to repeatedly check things, count things, or
touch things (especially in a particular sequence). Common obsessions include having frequent thoughts of violence and harming loved ones, persistently thinking about performing sexual acts
which the person dislikes, or having thoughts that are prohibited by religious
beliefs or cultural morays. People with OCD can also be preoccupied with order and symmetry,
may have difficulty throwing things out (so they accumulate), or hoard unneeded
items (to the point they can scarcely use some rooms in their house or
automobile.
Healthy people also have rituals, such as checking to see if the stove is off several times before leaving the house. The difference is that people with OCD perform their rituals even though doing so interferes with daily life and they find the repetition distressing. Although most adults with OCD recognize that what they are doing is senseless, some adults and most children may not realize that their behavior is
beyond the norm.
Treatment
of OCD
According to the
National Institute of Mental Health, the practitioners who are most helpful with anxiety disorders are those who have training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral therapy, and who are open to using medication if it is needed.
At Behavioral Health and Addiction Services, we follow this treatment strategy.
Making Treatment More Effective
Joining
a self-help or support group and sharing problems and accomplishments with
others is often helpful. This includes Internet chat rooms, however advice
received over the Internet should be taken with a double helping of caution;
especially be leery of anyone who may have a hidden agenda such as "this
brand name medication is the answer accept no substitute". Talking with
trusted friends, family, or member of the clergy can also provide support, but
is no substitute for care from a mental health professional.
Stress management techniques such as: meditation, progressive muscle relaxation,
autogenic relaxation, guided imagery, hypnosis, and biofeedback can be very helpful.
to calm and may enhance the effects of therapy. There is evidence that aerobic exercise may have a calming effect.
About the Author: Donald W. Ahrens Jr, PMH-NP, A.R.N.P. is a
psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who provides full spectrum psychiatric service
(both psychotherapy and medication therapy) to the people of Wichita and the
surrounding metropolitan area.
The family unit can be very important in the recovery process of patients with
any anxiety disorder. Ideally, family should be supportive, but not help perpetuate
the symptoms. Family members should never trivialize the disorder, or expect improvement without treatment.
Finally the compulsion should NEVER BE DENIED TO THE INDIVIDUAL AS IT ONLY MAKES
THE ANXIETY WORSE.