A primer to OCD

Published on March 4, 2019

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a common mental health problem. It can be distressing and interfering with your daily activities.

An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.

A compulsion is a repetitive behavior or mental act that you feel you need to carry out to try to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings brought on by the obsessive thought.

OCD affects people differently, but usually causes a pattern of thoughts and behaviors. Some common obsessions that affect people with OCD are fear of harming yourself or others by mistake, fear of contamination, etc. Compulsions arise as a way of trying to reduce or prevent anxiety caused by the obsessive thought. Common types of compulsive behavior in people with OCD include: Cleaning and hand washing several times in a day, checking – such as checking doors are locked or that the gas is off, counting things or money several times, arranging things in a particular place and in an order, Hoarding unwanted items etc. Most people with OCD realize that such compulsive behavior is irrational and makes no logical sense, but they can’t stop acting on it and feel they need to do it “just in case”.

OCD is treatable. If these symptoms are observed, please consult a Psychiatrist. They will assess the extent of the disorder and plan treatment post assessment. Most of the times, OCD is treated by medications as well as by talking therapies.