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OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions. These obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions. These obsessions and compulsions

get in the way of daily activities and cause a lot of distress.

If you're experiencing intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, you may be struggling with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD can manifest in many different ways, including excessive hand-washing, repeatedly checking the stove, fixating on symmetry and order, fear of harming others, or disturbing thoughts about relationships, sexuality, or religion.

At Mission Psychiatry, our professionals treat the core symptoms of OCD using an approach that may include psychotherapy and pharmaceutical-grade supplements, in addition to FDA approved medications. Let's work together to find the relief, peace, and happiness you deserve.

What is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions). To get rid of the thoughts, they feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing/cleaning, checking on things, and mental acts like (counting) or other activities, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions.

Many people without OCD have distressing thoughts or repetitive behaviors. However, these do not typically disrupt daily life. For people with OCD, thoughts are persistent and intrusive, and behaviors are rigid. Not performing the behaviors commonly causes great distress, often attached to a specific fear of dire consequences (to self or loved ones) if the behaviors are not completed. Many people with OCD know or suspect their obsessional thoughts are not realistic; others may think they could be true. Even if they know their intrusive thoughts are not realistic, people with OCD have difficulty disengaging from the obsessive thoughts or stopping the compulsive actions.

A diagnosis of OCD requires the presence of obsessional thoughts and/or compulsions that are time-consuming (more than one hour a day), cause significant distress, and impair work or social functioning. OCD affects 2-3% of people in the United States, and among adults, slightly more women than men are affected. OCD often begins in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Some people may have some symptoms of OCD but not meet full criteria for this disorder.

What are Symptoms of OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder usually includes both obsessions and compulsions. But it's also possible to have only obsession symptoms or only compulsion symptoms. You may or may not know that your obsessions and compulsions are beyond reason. But they take up a great deal of time, reduce your quality of life, and get in the way of your daily routines and responsibilities.

Obsession Symptoms
OCD obsessions are lasting and unwanted thoughts that keep coming back or urges or images that are intrusive and cause distress or anxiety. You might try to ignore them or get rid of them by acting based on ritual. These obsessions usually intrude when you're trying to think of or do other things.

Obsessions often have themes, such as:

  • Fear of contamination or dirt

  • Doubting and having a hard time dealing with uncertainty

  • Needing things to be orderly and balanced

  • Aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others

  • Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects

 

Examples of obsession symptoms include:

  • Fear of being contaminated by touching objects others have touched

  • Doubts that you've locked the door or turned off the stove

  • Intense stress when objects aren't orderly or facing a certain way

  • Images of driving your car into a crowd of people

  • Thoughts about shouting obscenities or not acting the right way in public

  • Unpleasant sexual images

  • Staying away from situations that can cause obsessions, such as shaking hands

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Compulsion Symptoms

OCD compulsions are repetitive behaviors that you feel driven to do. These repetitive behaviors or mental acts are meant to reduce anxiety related to your obsessions or prevent something bad from happening. But taking part in the compulsions brings no pleasure and may offer only limited relief from anxiety.

 

You may make up rules or rituals to follow that help control your anxiety when you're having obsessive thoughts. These compulsions are beyond reason and often don't relate to the issue they're intended to fix.

 

As with obsessions, compulsions usually have themes, such as:

  • Washing and cleaning

  • Checking

  • Counting

  • Ordering

  • Following a strict routine

  • Demanding reassurance


Examples of compulsion symptoms include:

  • Hand-washing until your skin becomes raw

  • Checking doors over and over again to make sure they're locked

  • Checking the stove over and over again to make sure it's off

  • Counting in certain patterns

  • Silently repeating a prayer, word or phrase

  • Trying to replace a bad thought with a good thought

  • Arranging your canned goods to face the same way

How is OCD Treated?

Patients with OCD who receive appropriate treatment commonly experience increased quality of life and improved functioning. Treatment may improve an individual's ability to function at school and work, develop and enjoy relationships, and pursue leisure activities. One effective treatment is a class of medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), typically used to treat depression, can also be effective in the treatment of OCD. Another effective treatment is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) known as exposure and response prevention (ERP).

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