Exposed to Unwanted Thoughts
Worrying about infections, or worrying and double-checking that the house keys, lights, and gas are turned off are common occurrences. However, for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), these thoughts and behaviors are very serious situations that can interfere with their daily lives.
OCD is
OCD is called obsessive thinking and is a mental condition that causes repetitive undesirable thoughts. This can lead to obsessive thoughts, as well as the urge to do things over and over again to cope with troublesome thoughts.
Many people with OCD fear germs and contamination and may be obsessive about things being "dirty". For some, they may also feel that things have to be symmetrical or not in perfect order. This can lead to fears of harm to oneself or others, and in some cases, these undesirable thoughts can be violent or anxiety-provoking.
Dr. Kate Fitzgerald, an OCD expert at the University of Michigan, explains
These intrusive thoughts tend to cause them a lot of anxiety.
People with OCD may self-develop "rituals" aimed at relieving anxiety from their thoughts. These rituals may include behaviors such as excessive hand washing and cleaning, placing things in a particular order, and compulsive counting.
The question is whether these "compulsive" behaviors and thoughts are making daily functioning difficult, and if you spend more than an hour a day on these thoughts and behaviors, you may have a problem.
Since OCD is a debilitating injury, it may not be possible to say that everything about excessive cleaning and organizing is "OCD".
OCD symptoms usually develop in children, or young adults, and most people seem to be diagnosed by about age 19; childhood onset of OCD often occurs at age 8 or 9.
Scientists are trying to understand
It is not known what causes OCD. There is also a genetic explanation, as people who have a parent, or a sibling with OCD, tend to have an increased risk of developing the disorder themselves.
OCD is usually treated with antidepressants and psychotherapy. one of the most common forms of psychotherapy for OCD involves listening to the triggers that cause the behavioral problems. The therapist then helps the person overcome the obsessive thoughts and behaviors, and this form of therapy is called exposure therapy or response prevention.
Psychotherapy is
the treatment of choice for many people with OCD, but it is not effective for everyone. Fitzgerald and her team want to investigate who is more likely to respond to psychotherapy, and her research suggests that people with certain patterns of brain activity are more likely to benefit. In the near future, brain scans and other tests may be able to help people with OCD choose the best treatment options.
Treatment-Specific Associations Between Brain Activation and Symptom Reduction in OCD Following CBT: A Randomized fMRI Trial.Norman LJ, Mannella KA, Yang H, Angstadt M, Abelson JL, Himle JA, Fitzgerald KD, Taylor SF. Am J Psychiatry. 2020 Aug 28:appiajp202019080886. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020. 19080886. online ahead of print. PMID:32854533.
Little Doubt That CBT Works for Pediatric OCD.Storch EA, Peris TS, De Nadai A, Piacentini J, Bloch M, Cervin M, McGuire J, Farrell LJ, McCracken JT, McKay D, Riemann BC, Wagner AP, Franklin M, Schneider SC, Walkup JT, Williams L, Abramowitz JS, Stewart SE, Fitzgerald KD, Goodman WK. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020 Jul;59(7):785-787. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.01.026. Epub 2020 Jun 25. PMID:32618273.
Summary
The boundaries of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder can be difficult to demarcate, but if you find yourself imposing your stereotypes on others and confusing them, you may have a tendency to do so.
The difference between OCD and OCPD is that these people are debilitating and therefore different from active, behavioral, self-imposed rules.
