An Overview of OCD

One of the most popular, yet misunderstood, mental illnesses is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It has made its way into pop culture, and calling someone "OCD" has become a common insult. But not a lot of people understand what this disorder actually is.

According to the NAMI website, obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental illness that affects about 2% of the population. That's one in every forty people. It's not known what exactly causes the disorder, but it might be caused by parts of the brain not responding normally to serotonin. These people are plagued with unwanted repetitive thoughts and irrational urges to perform specific actions. They can't stop, even when they know these thoughts and actions don't make sense. OCD usually develops during childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood, and males develop symptoms sooner than females do.

The OCD cycle is characterized by obsessions that cause anxiety, and compulsions that bring relief. Obsessions are the intrusive, irrational, repetitive thoughts or impulses that upset the afflicted. Examples of obsessions include thoughts of harming someone or having harmed someone, doubts about doing something right, unpleasant sexual images, or fears of saying or doing something inappropriate in public.

Compulsions are the repetitive acts that temporarily relieve the anxiety caused by the obsessions. These include washing hands, counting and recounting money, making sure the stove or light is off, or performing mental checks.

It's important to remember that while most people have occasional obsessions and compulsions, not everyone has OCD. The obsessions and compulsions associated with the disorder last for over and hour and interfere with daily life.

Treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder includes exposure and response therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, antidepressants, and even aerobic exercise. Click on this link for more information on the relatively new use of aerobic exercise for OCD treatment. NAMI also lists some things you can do to support yourself or someone you know with OCD. If you have obsessive compulsive disorder, you can join a support group, stay busy, focus on your goals, find healthy outlets, recognize your triggers, and learn more about the disorder (which you have hopefully done by reading this post, so kudos). If you know someone with OCD, you can also take some time to learn more about it, learn to communicate with the other person, and most importantly, be patient.

Because the term "OCD" is thrown around so often, the disorder has been stigmatized. By taking the time to read this and other information about it, you have contributed to de-stigmatizing a mental illness. Thank you! :)