How to overcome Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or how to overcome repeated thoughts and uncontrollable behaviors?

Meaning

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.

It is a mental disorder where people get certain thoughts repeatedly ("I hate myself", "I will kill my spouse", " I will hurt my children", "I am useless") .

They get strong cravings to check things repeatedly(checking whether they turned off the TV, Computer, water heater ,lock of the door) and perform certain rituals repeatedly (brushing teeth, using restroom, combing hair, bathing, cleaning hands and feet).

                                  

In the last stage the person may feel he/she is a slave for such thoughts and activities as, even though they are unwanted he/she cannot escape from them. Hence he may  commit suicide to prevent any damage that individual might cause to his/her beloved ones.

Signs and Symptoms

People with OCD may have symptoms of obsessions, compulsions, or both. These symptoms can interfere with all aspects of life, such as profession, education, and relationships with family and friends.

Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, cravings, or mental images that cause anxiety. Common symptoms include:

·         Fear of getting dirty

·         Fear of germs spreading on their body

·         Unwanted forbidden or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, and hurting someone or self

·         Aggressive thoughts to damage others or self

·         Having things symmetrical or in a perfect order

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a patient with OCD try  to do because of obsessive thought. Common compulsions include:

·         Excessive cleaning of objects

·         Excessive washing of hands or feet

·         Repeated bathing

·         Arranging things in a particular or precise way

·         Repeatedly checking on things, such as repeatedly checking to see if the door is locked or that the water heater is off

Not all rituals or habits are compulsions. Everyone double checks things sometimes. But a person with OCD generally:

·         Cannot control his or her thoughts or behaviors, even though  they  are too much

·         They are not happy when performing the rituals, but they do it for short term relief and it reinforces the fear. This makes the obsession strong and it leads to anxiety. So to get relief they repetitively end up in rituals(compulsions). Like this OCD cycle becomes strong and self sustaining.   

OCD CYCLE

·         They experience plenty of problems in day to day life due to these thoughts or behaviors

Treatments and Therapies

OCD is generally treated with medicines, psychotherapy or a combination of the both

Medication

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used in the treatment of  OCD. Examples of medications that have been proven effective in both adults and children with OCD include clomipramine , which is a member of an older class of “tricyclic” antidepressants.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can be an effective treatment for adults and children with OCD. Research has shown that certain types of psychotherapies, including cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and other related therapies (e.g., habit reversal training) can be as effective as medication for many individuals.

Research also shows that a type of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention (EX/RP) is effective in reducing compulsive behaviors in OCD, even in people who did not respond well to SRI medication. For many patients EX/RP is the add-on treatment of choice when SRIs or SSRIs medication does not effectively treat OCD symptoms.

ECT

In some severe cases, Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been found to have worked effectively. It helps them relieve anxiety and breaks the OCD cycle.

Surgery

Surgery may be used as last option if patients do not improve with other treatments. In this procedure, a surgical lesion is made in an area of the brain (the cingulate cortex). Deep-brain  and vagus nerve stimulation are also possible surgical options and it does not deteriorate the Anatomy and physiology of brain tissue.

Exercise

Some aerobic exercise for 20 minutes every day or whenever they feel troubled by thoughts, they can take a brisk walk for ten minutes. This will give them a new place to observe and thereby they will be motivated to have new positive thought.

Emotional healing

Love and care by family can reduce symptoms so people with OCD can stay in touch with family and beloved ones. If they are frequently communicating with somebody then their attention on repetitive thoughts and rituals will be broken and there by they can be free from such thoughts and behaviors.

Children

Similar to the treatment of adults with OCD, CBT is the most effective technique for OCD in children. CBT is the first technique employed on children. Family should also involve, by providing behavioral observations and reports. It is a key component to the success of such treatments. Parental interventions also provide positive reinforcement for a child who exhibits appropriate behaviors as alternatives to compulsive responses.