You’ve probably heard about OCD or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It’s a psychiatric disorder that many people do not know whether they have it or not. Observable symptoms include doing something repeatedly because it doesn’t register that you’ve done it already. It could be washing your hands, locking the door, turning off the gas, those kinds of things. This article will give you more information about OCD so you can check yourself to see if you have it or not.
Getting to know OCD
As mentioned, obsessive-compulsive disorder is a type of psychiatric disorder. Patients have a pattern of thoughts, fears, worries or insecurities about something. They attempt to fix the situation by doing that thing over and over without being able to stop and think what they’re doing.
Causes of OCD
Although the exact cause or causes of OCD are still unknown, there are many factors in common.
1. Genetic factors – The likelihood of developing this disorder is higher in families where members of the immediate family have it. Moreover, twins born from the same egg have a higher chance of getting OCD than twins born from different eggs.
2. Factors related to neurotransmitters or brain chemicals – Imbalance of these substances is believed to be related to OCD.
3. Brain anatomy factors – A study found that the brains of patients with this disorder show changes in the Orbitofrontal Cortex, Caudate, and Thalamus parts of the brain.
4. Cognitive and behavioral factors – Those with OCD tend to overestimate the negative effects of their thoughts and are unable to endure anxiety. This results in inappropriate changes of feelings.
5. Factors related to the theory of psychological development such as growing up under strict parenting. This may affect the mind. Natural mechanisms make patients worry and try to compromise with their mind, leading to the expression of OCD symptoms.
Symptoms
The vast majority of patients with OCD experience a combination of obsessive and compulsive symptoms. In some cases, one or other symptoms are present. Obsessions are the results of thoughts, feelings, drives, images or imaginings that arise repeatedly such as fear of dirt, fear of germs, concern for safety, feeling discomfort when things are arranged out of order, and so on.
Compulsion is a behavior that occurs in response to obsessive thoughts. The behavior alleviates anxiety and brings peace of mind. Examples include frequent hand washing, checking the gas stove, repeatedly locking the door before leaving the house, and arranging things in order or in a predetermined direction, and on.
Treatment
There are two methods of treating OCD, as follows:
1. Pharmacotherapy
Drugs used to treat this condition act on the serotonin system. They include clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, and escitalopram. These medications should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The treatment for OCD, known as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is to train the patients to face situations that cause fear or anxiety while trying to avoid the usual repetitive behavior. Practice will help gradually reduce the anxiety until they get used to the situation. When the patient is less anxious, they won’t repeat the action, giving them confidence to resist the urge to repeat.
If you’re wondering if you or someone close to you has OCD, it’s best to have a doctor check. Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers can check their mental health online for free. For more information, please visit https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/MindHealth.
References
· Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
https://bit.ly/3UkvaBd
· Manarom Hospital
https://www.manarom.com/blog/OCD_obsessivez_compulsive_disorder.html
· King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital: The Thai Red Cross Society
https://bit.ly/3ERJ8VI
· Pobpad website
https://bit.ly/3ubbXrj
