Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

 

Finally, the time has arrived where we all can openly talk about mental illnesses, what are your thoughts about it? it's time where we should stop letting others judge or define the person by popular fictional characters or publically ill criminals.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental illness that causes repeated unwanted thoughts or sensations or the urge to do something over and over again.

Ocd isn't about habits like bitings your nails or thinking about negative thoughts, it is something where the mind keeps pushing yourself to do something over and over again like washing your hands seven times after touching something that could be dirty or unhealthy or flipping a light switch.

People suffering from OCD have a constant state of anxiety, they need schedules and order. They need control. People with OCD have thoughts and obsessions like :

·         Checking: constant checking whether their alarm didn't go off or they have set the time right or wrong, keeps checking the oven, ac, light switches.

·         Medical: They think they are suffering from medical conditions like pregnancy or schizophrenia.

·         Contamination: there is a constant fear where they keep thinking that the things they have accidentally touched are dirty or maybe contaminated which will make them ill.

·          Ordering: There is always an urge to keep things symmetrically.

·         Constant thoughts: An obsession with having thought, some of these thoughts may be violent or disturbing.

·         Aren't enjoyable: they consider themselves as a boring person.

·         Interfere: they interfere with work, your social life, or another part of life.

A person suffering from suspect their obsessions are not realistic; others may think they could be true (known as limited insight). Even if they know their obsessions are not realistic, people with OCD have difficulty disengaging from the obsessive thoughts or stopping the compulsive actions.

Reasons for having OCD:

While many people don't know about the exact cause of OCD, research suggests that differences in the brain and genes of those affected may play a role.

Is OCD a brain disorder or inherited?

·         It involves problems in communications between the front part of the brain and deeper structures of the brain. These brain structures use a neurotransmitter (basically, a chemical messenger) called serotonin.

·         OCD does run in families, and that genes likely play a role in the development of the disorder. Genes appear to be only partly responsible for causing the disorder, though. No one knows what other factors might be involved, perhaps an illness or even ordinary life stresses that may induce the activity of genes associated with the symptoms of OCD.

·         Some experts think that OCD that begins in childhood may be different from the OCD that begins in adults. For example, a recent review of twin studies [1] has shown that genes play a larger role when OCD starts in childhood (45-65%) compared to when it starts in adulthood (27-47%).

Treatments include:

There’s no cure for OCD. But you may be able to manage how your symptoms affect your life through medicine, therapy, or a combination of treatments.

·         Psychotherapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help change your thinking patterns. In a form called exposure and response prevention, your doctor will put you in a situation designed to create anxiety or set off compulsions. You’ll learn to lessen and then stop your OCD thoughts or actions.

·         Relaxation. Simple things like meditation, yoga, and massage can help with stressful OCD symptoms.

·         Medication. Psychiatric drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to help many people control obsessions and compulsions. They might take 2 to 4 months to start working.

·         OCD treatment can be difficult, and requires a lot of courage and determination. Having a support network to talk to during treatment can make all the difference.  Consider accessing a support group in your area.

Diagnosis:

Your doctor may do a physical exam and blood tests to make sure something else isn’t causing your symptoms. They will also talk with you about your feelings, thoughts, and habits.

Conclusion:

Try spreading awareness and knowledge of OCD to those living with it,  friends and family of those living with it, and to those who may be struggling with OCD but have no idea they have the disorder. I hope this content helps destroy the stigma that surrounds this often debilitating and isolating illness so that it is easier for people with the condition to talk openly about it and feel confident enough to seek help.