The Truth About OCD

OCD is NOT Obsessive Cleaning Disorder.

OCD is NOT Obsessive Christmas Disorder.

OCD is NOT a choice.

OCD is not a cute little quirk.

You're not a little bit OCD because you like to organize (Ahem, Khloe Kardashian)

OCD is a debilitating mental health condition that is often trivialized in modern media. It's seen as a quirk, that some anal retentive person who likes to keep their books organized is fighting their "inner OCD". Celebrities show off their perfectly organized cabinets and giggle as they call themselves a little bit OCD.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a very literal name as the disorder deals with obsessions and compulsions. What exactly does this mean? Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, urges or images that come into your mind. They happen repeatedly and are annoyingly invasive. Obsessions are difficult to control and demand center stage in your mind. They need the spotlight. These obsessions can lead to distress, isolation, depression and more. Compulsions are either mental and/or physical actions that you do regularly & repeatedly to relieve the stress from obsessions. They are also called compulsive behaviors or rituals. For example, someone with OCD may excessively check the stove to make sure the gas is turned off, as they are deeply afraid of a horrific accident occurring. Someone may need to repeat certain words, phrases or noises in order to avoid something else happening. Another obsession that is common in people with OCD is contamination fears, including food contamination, bodily fluids, dirt or poison. This can mean being very selective about eating and what is safe, as well is where is safe to touch, sit or even just stand. Others may fear that something they did could cause harm to someone they know. For example, someone with OCD may be afraid of hazards in their home and may check power outlets or wires and fear that if they don't, someone they love could be hurt. Or if you drop something and don't pick it up, someone you love could trip and fall.

These unwanted thoughts of OCD can include things considered taboo. Someone with OCD might have intrusive sexual thoughts that do not reflect anything they actually would do. They might have violent intrusive thoughts or thoughts of death that they cannot stop thinking of. They may perform rituals in order to distract from these thoughts, or in some cases they may thing the rituals or compulsions can stop these things from actually happening.

There is even a subtype of OCD dealing with religion. A person with religious obsessions and compulsions may fear punishment from a deity and act accordingly. They may constantly question their motives and if they are being moral and fear disappointing who they are devoted to. For example, a christian person dealing with OCD may be obsessive about sin and constantly question their moral behaviors, they might feel deep regret for watching or listening to something they deem immoral and could fear punishment from God. They may then perform a compulsion to secure nothing will happen, be it praying a certain amount of times and starting over if not. These practices may interfere with daily life and cause severe anxiety, which is where they differ from average religious practices.

Not all people with OCD share the same subtypes, but they can, and many people with OCD can have several obsessions & compulsions, other may have just a few. People with OCD know do often know their fear is irrational, but it can still be very difficult to rationalize. The OCD mind is always struggling with what is rational and what is irrational, and can cause severe anxiety and isolation from others. It is often very hard to talk about OCD thoughts because of fear of judgement and misunderstanding.

People with OCD can benefit from a few types of therapy. Medicinal therapy is one, where you can uses prescriptions to help relieve symptoms. There is also Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This is a technique where a therapist helps you change your thought patterns. There is also Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). In ERP, you expose your obsessions in a safe environment and working through how you respond. It's hard, but reaching out to loved ones and being open and honest about your intrusive thoughts is the first step. Building a support group is important to conquering your OCD and not letting it hold you hostage anymore.

Treat My OCD is an excellent resource for OCD help, from therapy, to informative articles and even an app to help you relieve anxiety and help with compulsions & obsessions.

You can watch the above video for more on my own personal experience with OCD.