Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD : Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

What is Obsessive Compulsion Disorder?

Obsessive Compulsion Disorder (OCD) is are invasive anxiety leading to thoughts called obsessions, which create an irresistible urge to behave or do something in a certain way called compulsions.

The obsession to do activities in a certain way or behave in a certain way creates anxiety and stress and compulsions are actions done to reduce it.

This course of obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions creates a cycle.

Symptoms

Generally, OCD comprises both obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions but in some cases, it is possible to have either only obsessive thoughts or compulsive actions.

You may not be able to notice the symptoms but they take up most of your time and affect daily life.

Obsessive Symptoms: Repetitive unwanted thoughts and the urge to action repeat certain actions is called obsession.

These can include various symptoms:

• Stressing about cleanliness, dirt, and germs.
• Fear of self-harm or others, afraid of saying “wrong things”.
• Urge things in order, in sequence, or in a specific way.
• Invasive words, repetitive thoughts, or images.

Compulsive Symptoms: Compulsions are actions done to reduce anxiety induced by obsessions.

These includes:

• repeatedly washing your hands/body or cleaning obsessively
• arranging things in order or a certain way
• repeated speech, touching something too many times
• asking others for assurance
• mentally going over actions again and again

Treatment

Counseling or therapy is the first basic step toward the betterment of your condition. Your doctor may prescribe certain medications. Generally, treatment includes both medication and therapy.

Medication

Doctor prescribed medication may help with OCD symptoms. These may include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine in rare cases
• Antipsychotics like aripiprazole or risperidone
• Memantine

Medications may take 2-4 months to show effective results.

Therapy

Therapy is effective in learning to know about your OCD symptoms better and working with a therapist or doctor to come up with ways to tackle them.

• You can learn to cope with symptoms better and reduce obsessions and compulsions
• Techniques to reduce anxiety and emotional stress.
• Sometimes you are placed in situations that can induce OCD symptoms to help and understand the symptoms and ways to tackle them

Brain stimulations

• Electric signals delivered to an area of the brain affected can help with severe cases as this requires surgery.
• Similarly, magnetic signals can also be used but this does not require surgery and can be used alongside medications and therapy.

Prevention

Although there is no exact way to prevent Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is not something one can control.

But getting treatment as soon as possible can help in making your life easy. With professional help, one can find out techniques or strategies to cope with symptoms and manage them.

Some of these techniques include:

• Breathing or counting exercises
• Meditating to calm yourself
• Taking care of yourself more

Talking with loved or close ones about your symptoms and getting their support will help you encourage get better. Talking with people with similar conditions, knowing their experiences and sharing yours may help you get to improve.