OCD

What is OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a condition where the person is having intrusive thoughts that cause them to obsess on thoughts, fears, or misperceived needs to the extent that they are in a state of mental distress because of them. Compulsions are the repetitive behaviors that result from these obsessions, and poor choices are often made in relation to behaviors undertaken based on these thoughts. Daily life can be interfered with quite significantly when a person has OCD.

It is often the case with sufferers that they are aware their thoughts are illogical and behaviors not warranted, but they feel unable to avoid giving in to them. They struggle to disengage from their thoughts or refrain from the compulsive behaviors that result from them. Repeating the same action over and over despite no need for it is one of the most common types of compulsive behavior that occurs with people who have obsessive compulsive disorder.

What Causes OCD?

Changes to the brain involving the frontal cortex and subcortical structures of it are believed to be what causes OCD in people. There is research into other neurological conditions like Parkinson’s, Tourette’s, and epilepsy that bears out this belief, and there is a similar consensus that some people may become obsessive-compulsive because of PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder with strep infection) when they were a child and had strep throat or scarlet fever.

There is a genetic component to OCD too, and so if a parent is obsessive-compulsive then there is an increased chance their child will develop it too. Some studies have shown a connection between childhood trauma and OCD, and in some instances a person may become obsessive-compulsive when they are in withdrawal because of abstaining from substance use when addicted.

OCD Symptoms

It is hard to miss the signs when a person is struggling with OCD, and there will be different OCD symptoms based on whether they are resulting from obsessions or compulsions. OCD obsession symptoms will involve unreasonable and constant thoughts around:

           
• Fears of causing harm to yourself
           
• Fear of coming into contact with contaminated substances
           
• Uncomfortable sexuality
           
• Fear of making mistakes
           
• Feeling of doubt or disgust
           
• Concern about sexual orientation or gender identity
           
• Need for perfection
           
• Need for constant reassurance
       

For OCD compulsion symptoms the person may be:

           
• Constantly rearranging items in the home or workplace for no real reason
           
• Cleaning body parts repeatedly despite no need for it
           
• Collecting or hoarding items
           
• Repeatedly checking on items to confirm their statuses, like checking to see if doors are locked while being aware they are locked.
           
• Constantly seeking reassurance
           
• Ritualistic counting or preferring / avoiding certain numbers
           
• Repeating phrases to themselves while completing the same task
       

Many OCD compulsions will have specific triggers that cause them to rise up suddenly for people when the trigger is experienced.

OCD Treatment

The most conventional approach to OCD treatment is to have the person start on medications like Anafranil or Luvox. These are tricyclic or SSRi antidepressant medications that rebalance brain neurotransmitters so that OCD is not as severe for sufferers. Psychotherapy is almost always also needed when treating OCD, and this may be with CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), ERP (exposure and response prevention), and ACT (acceptance and commitment) therapy.

For severe cases a doctor may recommend the patient try TMS therapy for OCD. This is transcranial magnetic stimulation, and it involves stimulating nerve cells in the brain with magnetic impulses sent through an electromagnetic coil placed against the scalp. Medication and TMS therapy together may be what’s needed for treating severe OCD in men and women.