How obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) affects people
As its name implies, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) incorporates two important aspects: obsessions and compulsions with the former leading to the latter. The way they interrelate is important but, although the link is obvious when it is explained, it is often hard for outsiders to understand the cause of the symptoms because those symptoms are so dominant.
In our earlier post we explained that we all experience some aspects of OCD to a degree. We all have intrusive thoughts but fleetingly and dismissively. They become a problem, and this is when OCD is diagnosed, when they:
- take up an unusual and unreasonable amount of time
- cause a high level of anxiety or distress
- interfere with daily life.
There are four principal ways in which OCD is expressed:
- checking
- contamination (which might be physical or mental)
- hoarding
- thoughts
We hope this chart helps explain what many people with OCD experience (and we are grateful to OCD UK for providing the core information).
|
Obsessive fears or worries (which you might want to avoid or be reassured about) |
Compulsive behaviours (can be overt or covert) |
|
Someone, something or somewhere will be contaminated
|
Repeatedly, or ritually, washing your hands or body to prevent passing on the contamination |
|
Catching an illness, usually high profile, because you think you have come into contact with germs |
Excessive cleaning (not only of rooms) to remove the perceived contaminants |
|
Something bad might happen (to you or someone important to you) if things (often inconsequential) are not arranged symmetrically/in order/at angles |
Checking, constantly adjusting, realigning objects until they feel they are right (as opposed to looking right) to prevent something bad happening |
|
Causing physical harm to someone or yourself; causing sexual harm to someone or yourself; behaving inappropriately towards children |
Avoiding situations or locations which trigger the thoughts; repeatedly asking partners or significant others if you did/said something wrong |
|
A disaster (flood, gas leak, break-in, fire) might happen |
Checking taps, switches, locks constantly and perhaps for a specified (by you) number of times |
|
Writing something offensive or inappropriate in a letter or card |
Repeatedly (perhaps hundreds of times) re-opening and re-sealing a letter or card to check |
|
Harming someone with a knife or other dangerous implement |
Locking everyday kitchen knives in a drawer so you don’t come into contact with them |
|
Something bad might happen to you or someone important to you |
Repeatedly saying (out loud or silently) a word or phrase, or counting up to a fixed (by you) number, believing it will prevent the occurrence |
The focus should not, however, only be on the obsessions and compulsions. Just as important are the feelings of people with OCD, including: depression, embarrassment, exasperated, exhaustion, frustration, hopelessness, secretive, ashamed. And they feel these feelings unusually intensely.
These lists are not exhaustive; some people will experience OCD differently and if you, or someone you know, has other fears/worries or behaviours that you think might be evidence of OCD and want advice and/or treatment, do get in touch. We usually recommend cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as it is the most effective treatment for OCD.
And keep an eye out for articles about OCD during the first-ever OCD Awareness Week (it runs from 10th to 16th October this year).
24/09/2011 | Posted in CBT,
What is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)?
Everyone has intrusive thoughts. They arise involuntarily and out of the blue and can be upsetting, worrying, offensive, bizarre or violent. For most of us, these thoughts are fleeting and, even if they make us stop for a second to wonder why we had them, they are easy to dismiss and we dismiss them.
Some people find it impossible to ignore their intrusive thoughts. They dwell on them and this, in turn, makes the thoughts occur more frequently, and become increasingly distressing, causing great anxiety. The thoughts might then become obsessive or compulsive and, if the person can’t distinguish between them and the sort of intrusive thoughts we all have, they can lead into obsessive or compulsive urges which, if they are not controlled, turn into obsessive or compulsive behaviour.
So, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety-related condition. It affects about 12 people in every 1,000 which, in the UK, means about a quarter of a million people, half of whom will have a severe form of the illness. It is indiscriminate, affecting people of any age, gender and socio-economic group though it most often emerges in men during their adolescence and women in their early twenties. David Beckham, Cameron Diaz and Megan Fox are understood to suffer from OCD.
A common misunderstanding of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is that it manifests itself as compulsive or repetitive hand washing or checking about locking up or turning off lights. That is how it affects some people but, for many, it can be more complicated.
The obsessive or intrusive thoughts – which can be about themselves or someone significant to them – can themselves be seriously debilitating, overwhelming people’s minds and preventing them from getting on with their lives. Although it is usual for people with OCD to be aware of their obsessive thoughts, and know that they are not rational, they believe there is only one way to relieve the anxiety they cause and that is by performing rituals. Those rituals might be physical or mental but they seldom bring anything other than very short-term relief; usually they reinforce the obsession or compulsion making it worse. Nor do these rituals solve the perceived problem – whatever is at the heart of their obsessive or compulsive thought – which can add to their anxiety.
Most people with OCD will usually be able to continue functioning in other respects. They continue to perform at work, at home and socially – though their OCD is likely to increase in intensity at times of greater stress or anxiety. A minority will, however, find that it takes over their lives.
The good news is that it is eminently treatable and it is highly likely that someone with OCD will recover fully; at worst, treatment will enable them to manage their illness and its symptoms so they can get on with their daily lives.
The most effective treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT); some people might benefit from CBT and medication, depending on the severity of their OCD. CBT is the most effective of the talking therapies because it involves the person to look at themselves as they are now, helping them think differently (that’s the cognitive aspect) while challenging their beliefs by working through behavioural exercises. CBT relies on the person being fully engaged in the process which also contributes to them focussing less on their obsessive or compulsive thoughts and behaviour.
If you or someone you know seems to be affected by OCD and would like to find out more about it, do look at the OCD UK website. If you or they would like to explore treatment by CBT counselling in London or Twickenham, do get in touch.
OCD is likely to be in the news over the next few weeks in the run up to the first-ever OCD Awareness Week which runs from 10th to 16th October 2011 so, in our next blog, we will continue with them by outlining the ways in which OCD expresses itself.
07/09/2011 | Posted in CBT,
CBT for OCD
Later this month, many health professionals and members of the public who have been or are affected by OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) will meet at the Imperial College London for the 2008 OCD Conference. This annual meeting, organised by OCD Action, a UK charity, helps to inspire and educate its attendees and give an opportunity for people to realise that they are not alone.
An estimated 1.8 million people in the UK are affected by OCD and public awareness has increased recently when public figures such as Justin Timberlake and David Beckham discussed its effects on their personal lives. OCD is just one of the areas where CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) can help. CBT can help to control OCD and help people to face their fears and help them to understand their anxiety. Many people have found they can cope with obsessive compulsive disorder using medication and/or CBT.
OCD Conference 2008: Saturday 22nd November; 09.30 - 17.00; Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ Fee: £75 (health professionals), £30 (public), £20 (members of OCD Action and supporting charities) To register: visit http://www.ocdconference.org.uk or telephone 0870 360 6232
12/11/2008 | Posted in CBT,
