Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment
It’s common for people with a few quirks or odd behaviors to say that they have “some OCD”, but a real diagnosis of OCD can mean that the individual has been living with notable disruption in their lives for some time. OCD is a legitimate diagnosis, and while some people claim to have OCD, those who actually live with it day in and day out are struggling to make it through the day with as little anxiety as possible.
We’re going to dig into exactly what OCD is and what the various obsessions and compulsions might look like. Then we’ll take a look at whether OCD can be treated, and if so, what those treatments might include and what types of therapy may be most helpful. In the end, we’ll look at what qualities you should look for in OCD treatment centers in Orange County, and where you can turn for leading OCD expertise.
What Is OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD, is a mental health diagnosis that can occur in patients of all ages and races. It is characterized as being caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions that begin to have a significant effect on the individual’s daily life.
Obsessions are intrusive thoughts or feelings that create considerable distress and anxiety in an individual. Compulsions, on the other hand, are behaviors that the individual feels compelled to engage in, in an attempt to reduce or eliminate the distress or anxiety caused by the obsessions.
Most people that have obsessive or intrusive thoughts, or compulsive behaviors at one or more points in their lives are not suffering from OCD, and those thoughts or feelings are common from time to time in everyone. For an official diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder to be reached by a licensed clinician, the cycle of obsession and compulsion needs to be severe enough that it not only takes a significant portion of the individual’s time but that it causes intense distress that disrupts or prevents important activities of daily life.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder will often involve both obsessions and compulsions at the same time, but this is not a requirement for diagnosis, and it is possible to experience only one or the other and still be diagnosed with OCD. Individuals with OCD often feel that their obsessions or compulsions aren’t as severe or disruptive as they are, but if they take up enough time in the individual’s day, they can have a considerable effect on school, work, and home functionality.
What Are Obsessions & Compulsions?
To better understand OCD, you’ll need to have a clearer view of what obsessions and compulsions are, and how they can affect an individual.
Obsessions
Obsessions are thoughts, feelings, or even mental images that are intrusive, and happen over and over. Individuals dealing with obsessions often feel that the ability to control their thoughts and feelings is beyond them, and they often find them disturbing or intensely troubling. Not only are they disturbing but they are frequently illogical or preposterous, and it is incredibly common for the individual suffering from these obsessions to understand this, and still be unable to control them.
Obsessions are commonly combined with feelings of fear, doubt, disgust, or a feeling that things must be highly controlled or arranged precisely to avoid negative consequences. When dealing with OCD, obsessions are a highly time-consuming aspect, and they are commonly responsible for delaying or completely getting in the way of normal or important activities in their daily life. In fact, that is one of the most important things to keep in mind when trying to determine if you or someone you know has OCD and not just some quirky behavior. The obsessions will disrupt or prevent things that they enjoy or like to do.
Even though it’s common for people to say they are obsessed with something, this casual use undermines the severity of the actual obsessions that individuals with OCD experience. This often gives the impression that someone is merely preoccupied with something, like a new meme or catchy jingle, whereas actual obsessions are far more intense and disruptive.
Common Obsessions
Some obsessions deal with countless subjects or situations, but some of the most common include:
- Contamination Obsessions consist of an intense fear of coming into contact with contaminants such as bodily fluids, germs, asbestos, radiation, acids, and dirt.
- Sexual Obsessions include fears of acting on sexual impulses, fears about sexually harming others, or being sexually aggressive toward others.
- Perfectionism Obsessions will have the individual obsessing about evenness or exactness, symmetry, urges to remember or know things, fear of forgetting urges to do things perfectly every time, and fear of mistakes.
Many other obsessions deal with responsibility, identity, and miscellaneous concerns.
Compulsions
Compulsions are behaviors or thoughts that are repeated or strictly adhered to, with the goal of minimizing or countering the obsessions they experience. Individuals with OCD understand that even while their behaviors don’t fix anything, they do offer a temporary respite from their obsessions and the intrusive thoughts they bring. Compulsions don’t have to be specific thoughts or behaviors either, they can consist of intense avoidance of certain situations that may end up triggering them.
Just like all intrusive thoughts aren’t necessarily obsessions, all repetitive thoughts and behaviors aren’t compulsions. It will depend on the exact context of the behavior, and the function that it is supposed to perform. Things like religious habits or bedtime routines aren’t compulsions. Just like spending all day counting isn’t harmful, if you’re a math teacher. Context is very important when discussing OCD.
The most important thing to remember is that people with OCD do not get satisfaction from their compulsions, and most feel forced to engage in the behaviors and would feel much better, even relieved if they didn’t feel compelled to perform those acts.
Common Compulsions
Here are some common compulsion categories:
Cleaning
- Hand-washing
- Excessive showering
- Over-grooming
Checking
- Checking on your body
- Checking that you haven’t harmed others
- Checking that you haven’t harmed yourself
- Checking that nothing terrible has happened
Mental
- Praying to prevent harm
- Counting during tasks, to end on a “safe” number
- Feeling the need to undo or cancel certain things with others
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What Are Common Treatments For OCD?
There are many effective treatments for OCD. Individuals have found success with psychotherapy treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure and response prevention. There are also a number of medications that have been approved for patients.
What To Look For In OCD Treatment Centers In Orange County
The most important things to look for in OCD treatment centers in Orange County are going to be the treatment programs offered, the types of treatments, and whether the treatment center has ongoing treatment options to ensure long-term success.
Casa Recovery Provides Leading OCD Treatment In Orange County
If you or someone you know may be living with OCD, it can seem like it’s manageable until it begins taking up more and more of the day. If you feel like you may be living with OCD, reach out to Casa Recovery today to speak to an experienced mental health counselor in a confidential environment. You can start creating your personal treatment plan and begin your journey to overcoming OCD.