Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Derek locks the door behind him and steps out onto his porch, ready to leave the house.  He checks the doorknob, sees that it is locked, and he begins to walk away.  But he worries that he didn’t check well enough, and maybe the door is actually unlocked, so he goes back to check again.  This happens several times before Derek is able to finally leave.
• Jen washes her hands twice in a row, every hour.  She worries that if she doesn’t perform this ritual, she will be dirty or contaminated.  If she doesn’t get to the sink in time, she feels extremely anxious and can’t think about anything but her hands and all the dirt and germs.
• Cara wakes up two hours before school starts, because her morning routine takes so long to complete.  She has to put each article of clothing on in the correct order, or she’ll have to start over.  She has to count the number of steps it takes to get to the kitchen, and if it’s a ‘bad’ number, she goes back to her room and starts over. Even though she knows it’s not rational, she fears that if she doesn’t perform these rituals, something bad will happen to her family.

Do you identify with any of these stories? They all describe people suffering from an anxiety disorder known as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  If you recognize your own thoughts and behaviors in these descriptions, it’s possible that you are experiencing OCD, as well.

Obsessions & Compulsions

People with OCD suffer from both obsessions (persistent, distressing thoughts) and compulsions (rituals/behaviors to get rid of the anxiety caused by these obsessions).   These thoughts and behaviors become so time-consuming, upsetting, and intrusive that the individual has difficulty functioning normally.  While people can experience all different types of obsessions and compulsions, here are some of the most common ones:

Obsessions

-       Fear of germs, contamination, dirtiness, diseases

-       Excessive concern about precision and order

-       Fear of harming self or others

-       Unwanted sexual thoughts or images

-       Constant doubting (ex – Did I turn off the stove? Have I set my alarm clock?)

-       Preoccupation with religious thoughts; fear of having sacrilegious thoughts

Compulsions

-       Excessive cleaning/showering/hand-washing

-       Constant checking (ex – stove, alarm clock, door lock)

-       Hoarding (keeping items you’ll probably never need)

-       Excessive counting, repeating words, tapping, & other mental and/or physical rituals

-       Excessive ordering or arranging of objects

Do I have OCD?

If you think you are suffering from OCD, you may wish to complete this survey.  Please keep in mind that it’s an informational guide.  For a proper diagnosis, you’ll need to consult a mental health professional.

Please circle “True” or “False,” depending on whether or not the statement generally describes you.

 

True / False -  I always check the cleanliness of seats (such as in a cab or movie theater) before I sit down.

True / False -  I sometimes find myself counting things for no real reason.

True / False -  I worry excessively about getting sick, going blind, getting hurt, etc.

True / False -  Sometimes I have to touch an item a certain number of times before I will use it.

True / False -  I know a lot of my fears and worries are irrational, but I can’t make them go away.

True / False – After I get in bed, I’ll get up again repeatedly to check that my alarm clock is set or that the stove is off.

True / False -  Sometimes I need to think about a word/number/image for so long that I can’t do anything else.

True / False -  I often worry that I’ve hurt or am going to hurt others, or that I want to hurt others.

True / False – I worry that I might be homosexual (if I’m actually heterosexual) or heterosexual (if I’m actually homosexual).

True / False -  My constant checking, ordering, rearranging, etc. takes up a significant amount of my time.

True / False -  It takes me a lot more time to do day-to-day things (such as getting dressed, cleaning the house) than it takes other people.

True / False -  When I drive, I check my rearview mirror often in fear that I might have hit someone and not realized.

True / False -  I have preoccupying thoughts about religion, and I fear that I’m going against my religion by having these thoughts I can’t control.

True / False -  I’m afraid to be around children sometimes because I worry that I might molest them even though I don’t want to.

True / False -  I have great difficulty throwing things away, even if other people consider them unnecessary, junky, etc.

Again, please bear in mind that this survey and list of symptoms are for informational purposes only.  These are not established diagnostic assessments.  However, the more true statements with which you identified, the more probable it is that you have OCD.

Reducing your OCD Symptoms on Your Own

• Learn more about OCD symptoms.  There are lots of books, websites, discussion forums online, etc.  The more you educate yourself, the greater your ability will be to recognize OCD thoughts & behaviors as part of the disorder, not part of your own identity.  This may help you to manage your symptoms.
• Work on accepting the reality of OCD.  Even though you don’t like it, it’s a part of your life.  Realize that on the path to improving your ability to manage your OCD symptoms, you will have good days and bad days.  Acceptance is crucial to recovery.  It’s not a form of surrendering; rather, it’s a way of freeing yourself of the negative feelings you may have as a result of having a mental illness (shame, resentment, anger, grief, etc.).  Self-acceptance gives you the freedom to use your energy in positive ways – developing ways to defeat your obsessive thoughts, taking risks to face your anxiety and fear without performing rituals, etc.  Denial of your OCD takes too much energy, while acceptance GIVES you more.
• Confide in trusted friends and family members.  Allowing others to know about the issues you’re facing will help you to maintain a positive network of people who care about your wellbeing.  Having people to call and talk to when you’re experiencing anxiety-provoking thoughts may help you to resist the urge to give in to these thoughts via compulsive behaviors.
• Join an OCD support group.  Going through this troubling experience with others who know first-hand what it’s like can be very helpful, because it reminds you that you’re not alone or crazy.  You’re dealing with a disorder that many others are experiencing, too, and having this support system can give you all more strength and confidence in your ability to pull through.
• Practice relaxation methods, such as meditation and deep-breathing.  These techniques are often effective in reducing anxiety.   If you learn to use them when you feel obsessive thoughts coming, you may be able to reduce your need to perform compulsions to get rid of the anxiety.

Seeking Professional Treatment

While the above suggestions may help in reducing some of the anxiety that comes with OCD, they are no substitute for seeking treatment from a mental health professional.  Qualified therapists are trained in psychotherapy techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, which can help you manage your obsessions and compulsions.  A psychotherapist can help you develop ways to keep obsessive thoughts from taking over your daily life and to resist the urge to reduce anxiety by performing rituals.

Your troubles with OCD might seem overwhelming and too big to beat, but you CAN overcome this.  Many people who once suffered terribly are now living free of obsessions and compulsions.  It does take great effort and personal strength, but it’s well worth it.  You deserve to take back control of your life! And you don’t have to go through this alone – there are experienced, well-trained therapists who are ready to help you conquer the disorder.

For more information, you can contact Mark Dworkin LCSW at (516) 731–7611.

 Print This Page