Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder in which a person gets stuck in a cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsions. Obsessions are doubts that feel intrusive and unwanted and lead to a great deal of distress and anxiety. As a result of the anxiety and distress, a person might try to avoid anything that triggers their obsessions and/or start engaging in compulsions. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that an individual engages in an attempt to get rid of an obsession or reduce their distress. Although compulsions may provide short-term relief, in the long run compulsions lead to an increase in anxiety and intrusive thoughts and keep a person stuck in the OCD cycle. The OCD cycle causes tremendous suffering, and compulsions can become time-consuming and interfere with daily life.
Who Gets OCD?
OCD can start anytime between childhood and adulthood, but most people develop OCD in their late teens or early 20s. The disorder equally impacts men and women, and individuals of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds. OCD affects 2-3% of the adult population, or about 1 in every 40 people in the United States.
What Causes OCD?
Research suggests that a combination of genetics, differences in the brain, and environmental factors play a role in the development of OCD. Some people may be born with a predisposition to develop OCD, and stressors in their life and/or early learning experiences may trigger the disorder.
Common Obsessions in OCD
Contamination Obsessions – Intense anxiety, disgust or concerns about germs, bodily fluids, environmental contaminants, household chemicals or dirt
Responsibility Obsessions – Fear of being responsible for something terrible happening (for example fire, burglary, car accident), fear of making mistakes that would result in harm to other people
Violent Obsessions – Unwanted thoughts, images and intense fears of harming oneself or others
Sexual Obsessions – Unwanted thoughts, images, impulses, and intense fears related to forbidden or taboo sexual topics
Religious/Moral Obsessions (Scrupulosity) – Excessive concerns about morality, being right or wrong, offending God, blasphemy, and/or damnation
Order and Symmetry Obsessions – Excessive concerns about evenness or exactness. Obsessive concerns for things to be symmetrical or perfectly organized
Identity Obsessions – Excessive concern with one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. For example, someone might be afraid they might become a sexual orientation or gender identity that is not their own.
This is not a complete list of all obsessions, so don’t worry if an obsession you struggle with is not listed here. An individual can develop obsessions around almost anything.
Common Compulsions in OCD
Checking – Checking that you have not harmed anyone or yourself. Checking that you have not made a mistake or that nothing terrible will happen. Checking your body or your physical condition
Washing and Cleaning – Excessive handwashing, showering, bathing, grooming or toilet routines; cleaning excessively
Repeating – Repeating routine activities, rereading or rewriting, repeating body movements
Mental Rituals – self-reassurance, praying to prevent harm, repeating phrases or numbers, mental tracking, figuring out/analyzing, mental review of events
Reassurance Seeking – checking in with someone repeatedly to make sure everything is okay with respect to a particular worry or obsession
Other compulsions – avoidance, confessing, putting things in order or arranging things until it feels “right”
Remember a compulsion is anything a person is doing repetitively in an attempt to get rid of an obsession or reduce distress that is triggered by an obsession. Compulsions might provide short-term relief, but can end up becoming time-consuming. Additionally, an individual with OCD often feels compelled to engage in compulsions, even though they realize the physical or mental behavior is excessive.
There are effective treatment options for OCD. Stay tuned for my next blog post on treatment options.
