Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – Some Pertinent Facts

Many times he even had to open the door and get inside to check if the lights were switched off or not. He needed to ensure and re-check things again and again. Looking at his idiosyncrasies, with which he lived all these days, if you think he is possessed, then you’ve got it wrong. He is not even weird. He is a victim of a mental condition, called obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD.

What is OCD?

Renowned Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud – remembered as the father of psychoanalysis – while discussing OCD, once said: “This is a mad disease, surely I don't think the wildest psychiatric fantasy could have invented anything like it, and if we did not see it every day with our own eyes we could hardly bring ourselves to believe in it.”

Everyone crosschecks things at times, but somebody with OCD has to do it repeatedly and is almost obsessed with it. They experience frequent upsetting thoughts which come in their way of accomplishing daily chores. They are overwhelmed with these reoccurring thoughts and perform actions repeatedly. These obsessions and compulsions are beyond their control. For them treatment of OCD is the only solution.

There are several treatment centers in the country successfully treating people suffering from OCD. The obsessive compulsive disorder treatment centers in California are among the best. It has been observed that OCD usually starts during the teens and varies between mild and severe levels in intensity.

Why do people have OCD?

Some blame the disorder on genetics, while others see it as a dysfunction in some parts of the brain. Studies have revealed that there are certain parts in the brain that are responsible for obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior in people. It has not been completely ruled out in studies that even environment has a role to play in triggering OCD.

How can OCD be identified?

Always look for the following symptoms in a loved one whom you suspect to have OCD:

• People with OCD are particularly finicky about germs, dirt, intruders, being overtly tidy, acts of violence, sexual acts, and contradictory religious beliefs. They often have repeated thoughts about these which affect their daily routine life.

• If a loved one repeatedly washes hands, keeps locking and unlocking doors, repeating steps again and again, it is most likely OCD.

• Fidgeting with thoughts for a long period that give stress and enjoying it is a strong signal that one has OCD.

How to treat OCD?

Depending on the severity of the case in a person, treatment can be initiated to cure OCD. Treatment can primarily be classified into two types – psychotherapy and medication. However, a combination of these two can also be done depending on the seriousness of the case.

Psychotherapy for OCD, also called cognitive behavioral therapy, is widely practiced in OCD treatment in Los Angeles and other areas of the country. As part of the therapy, a patient is taught to look at things from a different perspective and manage disruptive thoughts.

Under the treatment, medication aims at sedating a patient and bring in tranquility. Medicines for OCD are mostly antidepressants and are prescribed for a longer period as it takes 10 to 12 weeks to actually start working. Patients may experience a few side effects of medication, like nausea, headache, sleep disruption, etc.

In some people a combination of the above two disciplines work best. They undergo sessions in therapy and take medicines at the same time.

So, whenever you or a loved one exhibits any of the above symptoms of the disorder, go for treatment at the earliest so that the delirium from OCD doesn’t go out of proportion and complicate the recovery.