OCD

1.     What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental disorder where the patient suffers from obsessions and repetitive thoughts that cause extreme distress. To relieve the distress, the disorder will ask the patient to do some rituals, compulsions, which can provide temporary relief, and in which the patient will think that this is the only solution against the feelings of distress and the only malady for the obsessions suffered. 

Someone who has OCD would think that he needs to think persistently about a certain issue that is usually related to catastrophic consequences. He/she might that that by constant unproductive thinking, he is preventing something bad from happening through expecting the worst. What he fails to notice is that this "Catastrophic End" is very unlikely to happen.

OCD seems to be a very complicated disorder. Causes of this disorder are still not known no matter what science suggests, yet, OCD is a treatable disorder.

It is important though to understand the disorder to gain full control over it.

OCD rises from a certain erroneous belief, and the obsessions aim to feed this belief, while the rituals (If present) aim to answer the obsessions.

During the course of healing, it is important to address all the components of the illness in order to achieve the best results in a reasonable time.

OCD components can come as follows: 

1. Erroneous belief:

- If I do not wash well, I would carry germs, get ill, and die.
- Things should be put in a certain order or else something bad will happen.
- Someone would steel my house if I do not close the door well.
- I might kill my kids with the knife.

2. Constant Worrying: 

Someone who has OCD would have repetitive unproductive thoughts that are related mainly to catastrophic consequences that might happen. Though the chance of such consequences is not likely to happen at all, the mind of an OCD patient will be focused on the worst ending.  

3. Seeking Certainty: 

Seeking certainty appears to be the only solution available to relieve the distress caused by constant worrying, and to escape the imagined or expected danger.

2.     Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

OCD can cause symptoms of Anxiety and Panic. As a result of how our lives turned out to be, we might suffer from deep depression.

However, we would know that we have OCD through having a deep look at our thoughts and behaviors. Usually most of the below can apply to someone who has OCD.

Obsessions: 

1. Persistent thinking of disastrous consequences: 

The base of the obsession roots to disastrous consequences. Usually someone who has an OCD would be thinking constantly of catastrophic consequences in which he becomes obsessed about.

2. Resistance of obsessions and compulsions makes them stronger and more dominant: 

This can be a rule in all anxiety disorders as well as in all mental disorders. Resistance of negative thoughts, worries, and mainly obsessions just makes them stronger. Someone who has OCD would try to resist his/her thoughts, but sadly this makes them stronger and more controlling over us. This would result feelings of extreme disappointment, sadness, and sorrow for ourselves, and one would feel more stuck and confused. This is a key thing to understand mainly in the process of healing. Resistance has no role but increasing our fears and worries as well as the feelings of distress.

 3. Recognizing irrational fears: 

Even if this is not the case at many times, yet, someone who has an OCD would sometimes recognize that his obsessions are irrational. An OCD patient would know at sometimes that his thoughts are not realistic, and exaggerated. He might think bad about himself, and criticize himself on the way he was thinking. Such awakening typically comes in periods were stress is minimal and while one is relaxed or busy with something, and when situations that provoke fear and obsessions are not close. The patient will forget this awareness and get beck to his old state as soon as the worry is provoked, and as soon as he is reminded with the disastrous consequences.

Compulsions: 

1. Compulsions seem to be the only thing that relieves you: 

To someone who has OCD, compulsions appear to be the only solution against obsession. One would practice the compulsions to relieve the distress. This distress will soon come again whenever provoked, and the compulsions will have to take place again.

2. Unexplained compulsions: 

Some people who have OCD practice compulsions without knowing why, and whiteout finding a reason for what they are doing. In fact, even if someone might think that there is no reason for these compulsions, yet, there should be a reason that lies years behind. It is certain worries that forced certain compulsions that turned to be a habit that make someone feel relieved while practicing them without knowing why. The cause of worry may have disappeared, or might not be applicable anymore with age or setting; yet, the patient is still used to do the compulsions. Treatment can start from this phase.

3. Resistance of compulsions: 

Compulsions are annoying, and can be time consuming. Someone who has OCD would like to avoid compulsions, and resist them. In fact, they return stronger than before. In some cases, you might think of additional rituals to recap for the time wasted when you did not practice the compulsions.

4. Seeking help in practicing compulsions: 

The compulsion game can turn into something funny. In certain cases, someone who has OCD would ask help of friends or family members to practice the rituals to be assured.

3.     Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

In order to download the guide that will help you in treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, click here.