It’s possible that you have heard someone use the term “OCD” in a casual or humorous manner, perhaps in reference to their habits. For example, they may say that they’re “OCD” about cleaning or ensuring that a door is locked. This colloquial use of the abbreviation “OCD” is often used, popularly, to describe the mind’s preoccupation with a particular behavior or thought process.
And to an extent, they’re using OCD correctly. But when someone gets diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder — or OCD — these thoughts and behaviors that ensue do a lot more than just weigh on the mind from time to time. OCD gets in the way of the person’s quality of life, impairing their daily satisfaction and well-being. It’s important to distinguish that OCD is a complex mental health disorder that can have a profound impact on a person’s daily functioning and overall quality of life — including impacts on the lives of their loved ones, as well.
To help bring a little more clarity around this particular diagnosis, let’s talk more about this mental health condition.
OCD 101
As its name suggests, obsessive-compulsive disorder can come with two distinct components: obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions
These are unwelcome intrusive thoughts. They often take the form of fears.
Plenty of people have unwanted thoughts and fears, but in OCD, these obsessions are persistent. A key part of diagnosing OCD comes from the role these obsessions play. If they take up a lot of your time and get in the way of activities you enjoy, you could be living with this condition.
Some of the more common obsessions include:
- Fear that harm will come to you or your loved ones
- Fear of getting contaminated with germs, dirt, or other substances
- Worry that you didn’t do something you needed to (like turning off the oven or curling iron)
- Fixation on having items “just-so” (facing a certain way, for example)
- Intrusive thoughts about doing something that would harm yourself or others
- Fear of losing an important object
These intrusive thoughts can also have religious or sexual themes. It is important to highlight that these common obsessions are persistent, and this list only highlights common ones. When you live with OCD, you might realize that your obsessions aren’t logical or maybe even that they won’t really happen. But that doesn’t stop your brain from fixating again and again on the subject matter.
Compulsions
As a result of the obsessive thoughts, people with OCD feel a strong, almost undeniable urge to take certain actions. In fact, they often feel that not taking that action will lead to dire consequences, like them or someone they care about getting hurt.
These actions could be physical or mental. You might feel a compulsion to:
- Wash your hands, brush your teeth, shower, etc.
- Check the locks, oven, windows, etc.
- Count
- Clean
- Organize and rearrange items
You might also persistently seek out reassurance from others that everything’s okay.
Your compulsions can make it hard to go about a normal daily routine; in fact, they often become a shaping force in your routine. Not only can this make day-to-day life challenging, but it can also prevent you from traveling, participating in sporadic plans with friends, and more.
Treating OCD
If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s well worth talking to a mental health professional. The cycle of obsessions leading to compulsions is breakable.
A lot of people living with obsessive-compulsive disorder get relief from their symptoms with therapy paired with medication. Our team can also help you develop self-care protocols — from relaxation techniques to improved sleep schedules and getting you connected with the right referrals — to help you gain more control over your symptoms. OCD doesn’t have to shape your life. To talk to someone about how to get additional support with these symptoms, contact us.
