OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER
Counting number of steps, checking the door knobs again and again, getting intrusive thoughts, etc- are some things heard by all and we often relate it to an anxiety disorder called OCD ie. Obsessive compulsive disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to compulsive behaviors.
OCD is not about habits like biting your nails or thinking negative thoughts. Infact it is pretty normal to get such thoughts or having bad habits, as these are a part of a person's life, the problem occurs when these negative thoughts get into ones day-to-day chores and make it difficult for him/her to carry on their work peacefully.
These thoughts are recurrent and hinders his/her work. These intrusive thoughts, leads to compulsions ‘compulsions’. Compulsions are behaviors or actions which are unnecessary are believed to reduce the anxiety created by the intrusive thoughts. The part that is more painful is that the person knows that the idea he/she has or the notion or belief he or she holds is irrelevant and is not practical at all, but they feel helpless and cannot do anything but to give in to those compulsions and practice them, these compulsions gives a sense of satisfaction and is believed that it undoes any negative idea built by those intrusive thoughts and eases the tension.
An obsessive thought might be that certain numbers or colors are “good” or “bad.” A compulsive habit might be to wash your hands seven times after touching something that could be dirty. Although one may not want to think or do these things, but they feel powerless to stop.
OCD comes in many forms, but most cases fall into at least one of the four general categories:
1. Checking- such as locks, alarm systems, ovens, light switches, or thinking you have a medical condition like pregnancy or schizophrenia.
2. Contamination- A fear that things might be dirty and a compulsion to clean.
3. Symmetry and ordering- the need to have things lined up in a certain way and feeling uncomfortable otherwise.
4. Ruminations and intrusive thoughts- an obsession with a line of thought. Some of these thoughts might be violent or disturbing.
Anyone can have negative thoughts and it does not mean that he/she has OCD. As human beings tend to have these negative thoughts at times. Negative thoughts can be differentiated with that of OCD, as people with OCD have thoughts or actions that-
-Take up at least an hour a day.
-Are beyond one's control.
-Are not enjoyable.
-Interfere with work, social life or any other part of their life.
However, the term ‘OCD’ is often misused in social media- on various platforms, in various internet memes, quizzes, etc-. This often misleads the audience and creates a sense of confusion.
First of all Obsessive and compulsive traits on their own are not a mental illness — we all have things that perhaps we obsess over, for eg- constantly thinking over a recent job interview, re-writing the same paragraph over and over again to make sure that it fits right, reading an e-mail again and again in order to make sure it does not consist of any error, etc-. But a person with OCD can’t “snap out of it.” It becomes very difficult and are not able to get over that thought. Researches have shown that the brain of a person with OCD functions differently, as they in these kind of situation get stuck on that thought.
These thoughts are linked with intense anxiety driving the individual with OCD to engage in compulsive behavior which results or they believe to result in, an ease to the tension and decrease the anxiety.
Unlike many people think a person with OCD doesn’t obsessively clean their kitchen just because they like it to be clean, instead a person with OCD is overwhelmed with anxiety and fear about repercussions of not cleaning their kitchen properly. It is about being so consumed- about something that one cannot indulge in other activities without getting a proper relief from the fear and anxiety caused by that thought.
Talking about OCD a case of Ethan Smith comes up in mind. Smith’s earliest memory of OCD is of when he was 4 year old, when he became convinced that his head would explode if he swallowed a bug. “I would try to close every hole in my face to make sure a fly didn’t get in there,”-he said.
In his early adulthood, Smith dropped out of college because of his issues. OCD still had a grip on him and hence he continued his compulsive temperature- felling apart at the thought of getting sick. In 2009, Smith decided to stop taking the medications to see how it would turn out. Shortly afterward, he had some personal family crisis due to which he was totally drained out and was no longer able to function. Fearing Smith was suicidal doctor asked him whether he thought that he was a danger to himself. He then became obsessed with the thought that he might be able to harm himself, even though he didn’t want to. He became afraid of his own hands, believing that somehow they would take a life on their own. He was tied in this thought to such an extent that he wrapped his own hands and used to lay on his arms all day long in order to protect himself. Desperate to help their son Smith’s parents took him to Neurobehavioral institute, where he was given ERP therapy.
An ERP therapy is a type of therapy,- where people with OCD are opened to experience their obsessions but are stopped from performing their compulsions, so that they are able to gain confidence that the intrusive thought is irrational and not performing compulsions would not have any negative impact. Smith’s obsessive thoughts kept him like a prisoner in bed for six days, realizing that he would die if he didn’t get up and go eat something, he decided to walk to the store for some food.
That was the Eureka moment for his therapists as they realized that Smith had to be stripped of everything for him to not indulge in OCD. Smith got better with time and recovered himself. He is presently 32 years old and shared his story in the International OCD Foundation, where he says that- “Today I’m unbelievably happy, and life is amazing, If you’ve been locked in a cage for 32 years and suddenly the door is open and the world lies at your feet, it’s always a good day."
OCD and many other mental disorders play with the mind of a person and restricts their freedom and happiness and even makes their day-to-day life difficult. Many people suffering from any type of mental disorder do not come in light and open up just because the fear of the stigma built around it. Which makes it even difficult for that person as there is no one they can share their problem with, there is no one who can listen to them and understand them. It is high time now that we break from the unnecessary stigma built around mental health issues and embrace those who want us. It is time to take things seriously and give mental health equal importance as we give to physical health. And treat mental disorders like we treat other diseases, give the same value to a counselor/psychologist as we give to the doctors and help many people come out and seek help. Fight stigma.
REFERENCES-
www.ocd.uk.org
www.healthline.com
www.everydayhealth.com
www.nimh.nih.gov
www.nextstep.doctor.com
Comments
Post a Comment