What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by a series of unwanted thoughts and anxieties (obsessions) that cause you to engage in repetitive actions (compulsions).
Obsessions and compulsions create severe distress because they interfere with daily tasks. Ignoring or suppressing your obsessions can only make you feel worse. Finally, to relieve your stress, you feel compelled to engage in obsessive behavior.
Disturbing ideas or cravings persist despite efforts to ignore or eliminate them. The vicious circle of OCD results in increased ritualistic behavior.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
Obsessions, compulsions, or both may be present in people with OCD. These symptoms can disrupt many parts of one's life, including job, education, and personal relationships. Obsessions are anxiety-inducing ideas, desires, or mental imagery.
Symptoms that are common include:
Compulsions are habitual acts that an OCD sufferer feels compelled to perform in response to an obsessive thought. Compulsive behaviors include:
Compulsions do not exist in all rituals or habits. Everyone checks things twice now and then. But, in general, an OCD sufferer:
Although most adults with OCD are aware that what they are doing is abnormal, some adults and children may be unaware that their actions are abnormal. OCD symptoms in children are usually recognized by parents or teachers.
Obsessions, compulsions, or both may be present in people with OCD. These symptoms can disrupt many parts of one's life, including job, education, and personal relationships. Obsessions are anxiety-inducing ideas, desires, or mental imagery.
Symptoms that are common include:
- Fear of infection or germs
- Thoughts on sex, religion, or harm that are outlawed or taboo.
- Aggressive thoughts about others or about yourself
- Having everything in perfect symmetry or order
Compulsions are habitual acts that an OCD sufferer feels compelled to perform in response to an obsessive thought. Compulsive behaviors include:
- Handwashing and/or excessive cleaning
- Organizing and ordering things in a certain, precise manner
- Checking items repeatedly, such as checking to see if the door is closed or the oven is turned off
- Counting obsessively
Compulsions do not exist in all rituals or habits. Everyone checks things twice now and then. But, in general, an OCD sufferer:
- Can't control his or her ideas or activities, even when they're considered excessive. Spends at least one hour every day on these thoughts or behaviors.
- Doesn't enjoy the behaviors or rituals, but they may provide temporary reprieve from the distress the ideas generate.
- Has considerable difficulties in their daily lives as a result of these beliefs or behaviors
Although most adults with OCD are aware that what they are doing is abnormal, some adults and children may be unaware that their actions are abnormal. OCD symptoms in children are usually recognized by parents or teachers.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Related Disorders:
Some other disorders are similar to OCD. They include obsessions with topics such as:
Some other disorders are similar to OCD. They include obsessions with topics such as:
- Your appearance (body dysmorphic disorder)
- Putting things together, arranging, or ordering them (hoarding disorder)
- Pulling your hair out/eating it (trichotillomania)
- Choosing your skin (excoriation)
- Physical ailment (hypochondriasis)
- How you smell or your body odor (olfactory reference syndrome)
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Causes and Risk Factors:
The cause of OCD is unknown to doctors. Symptoms can be aggravated by stress. Women are more likely than men to have it. Teens and young adults are frequently affected. The following are some OCD risk factors:
The cause of OCD is unknown to doctors. Symptoms can be aggravated by stress. Women are more likely than men to have it. Teens and young adults are frequently affected. The following are some OCD risk factors:
- An OCD-afflicted parent, sibling, or child
- Some areas of your brain have physical distinctions.
- Tics, depression, and anxiety
- Trauma-related experience
- Abuse as a youngster, either physical or sexual
Diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):
To rule out the possibility that anything else is causing your symptoms, your doctor may do a physical examination and blood testing.
They will also discuss your feelings, thoughts, and habits with you.
To rule out the possibility that anything else is causing your symptoms, your doctor may do a physical examination and blood testing.
They will also discuss your feelings, thoughts, and habits with you.
Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has no known cure. However, medicine, therapy, or a combination of treatments may be able to help you manage how your symptoms affect your life. OCD treatment options include:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has no known cure. However, medicine, therapy, or a combination of treatments may be able to help you manage how your symptoms affect your life. OCD treatment options include:
- Medication:
Selected serotonin reuptake inhibitors are psychiatric medicines that assist many people to regulate their obsessions and compulsions. It could take them two to four months to start working. Citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine, paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline are some of the most common (Zoloft). If your symptoms persist, your doctor may prescribe antipsychotic medications such as aripiprazole (Abilify) or risperidone (Risperdal). - Psychotherapy:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you improve your thinking patterns. Your doctor will put you in an environment designed to cause anxiety or trigger compulsions, which is known as exposure and response prevention. You'll discover how to decrease, then eradicate, your OCD thoughts and behaviors. - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS):
TMS is a non-invasive device that induces a magnetic field above the head. It works by targeting a region of the brain that controls OCD symptoms. - Relaxation:
Meditation, yoga, and massage are all simple techniques that can help with stressful Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. - Neuromodulation:
When treatment and medicine aren't working, your doctor may suggest neuromodulation, which involves using devices to modulate the electrical activity in a specific area of your brain. The FDA has approved transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of OCD. Magnetic fields are used to excite nerve cells. Deep brain stimulation is a more difficult technique that involves electrodes implanted in your head.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder OCD Symptoms Causes and Treatment Medication Psychotherapy Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation TMS Relaxation Neuromodulation
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