What is OCD?
OCD stands for obsessive- compulsive disorder. It’s a mental disorder that deals with unwanted obsessions, thoughts and fears. This might affect people’s lives and state of living. OCD might affect people’s lives, cause distress and mental harm to the affected.
Obsessions of a person suffering from OCD and the acts they do to avoid them are called “compulsions.“ Patients feel the need to do acts that are unnecessary. They can’t get rid of these thoughts as they will keep coming back.
OCD centers on contamination by germs. People affected with OCD often wash theirs hands 50-100 times per day because of their fear of germs contaminating their hands.
*Note: Anxiety and OCD are different disorders. Anxiety deals with feeling fear, dread or uneasiness while OCD involves Obsessions and Compulsions*
Symptoms:
It’s important to note that people might experience various symptoms. These symptoms can be grouped in 2 main categories. Both, Obsessive and Compulsive symptoms or either.
Obsessive Symptoms:
Obsessive symptoms are thought, images or urges that cause anxiety and distress. No matter, how much you ignore them, they come back. These symptoms usually occur when your busy doing something. Themes of Obsession are:
- Fear of Dirt
- Finding it difficult dealing with uncertainty
- Wanting/Needing everything to be in order
- Harmful thoughts about harming themselves or others
- Unwanted thoughts including aggression, Sexuality, Religion, etc.
Examples:
- Fear of getting dirty
- Second guessing if you fed the dog or switched off the lights
- Intense stress when things are out of order
- Etc.
Compulsion Symptoms:
Compulsions are behaviors or mental acts aimed to reduce the anxiety of the affected. They are acts that reduce anxiety related to the obsessions. But these acts only reduce your anxiety for a limited time or aren’t able to fix their anxiety of the intended issue at all (useless). Compulsion Themes are:
- Washing/Cleaning
- Counting
- Checking
- Demanding
- Having a strict routine
- Needing/Ordering reassurance
Examples:
- Washing hands until they are raw
- Counting in certain patterns
- Arranging your food cans to all face the same directions
- Etc.
Affected Population:
OCD is more prevalent in Adulthood (1 in 100) but children are also able to suffer from this disorder. 1.62% of the Chinese are affected by OCD. China has the greatest number of people with OCD.
1.3-1.8% of the world suffers from OCD. More woman suffer from OCD than men.
Awareness:
How you treat people with mental disorders is important. Know that they are people with problems like you. Showing anger or disapproval of someone’s healthy mentally or physically can only cause them to break down even more. If your experiencing any of these symptoms please consult your doctor as this is not a diagnosis or prescription.
