What is OCD?
Published September 11th, 2023
6.5 min read
Signs, symptoms, and treatments for OCD.
Written by Simon Spichak, Camilla Eidelshtein, Mathieu Taddeo
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most common and misunderstood mental health conditions that affect one in every 40 people worldwide. While it is typically shown to be a condition where people are obsessed with cleanliness and organization — there is a chasm of difference between being extra neat and having OCD. Additionally, there are forms of OCD that lead primarily to recurrent intrusive thoughts and beliefs.
There are two main components to OCD — obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts and desires, while compulsions are repetitive behaviors. As a student, OCD can be incredibly distressing as it can derail relationships, make it harder to organize time, and make it challenging to stay focused in class. In general, OCD is a lifetime condition.
Fortunately, many people get their symptoms under control with a combination of personal and professional support and medication.
Symptoms of OCD
OCD causes fears and anxieties that are better understood as obsessions and compulsions. While some of these thoughts and ritualistic behaviours might be distressing, they are quite common among people with OCD.
Common obsessions
Obsessions are thoughts that are best described as unreasonable worries or anxieties. Reasoning with these obsessions doesn’t actually make them go away. Some common examples include:
Fears of contamination. A belief that your environment or other people will contaminate or dirty a space.
Disturbing sexual thoughts or images. These kinds of obsessions can cause a lot of shame and embarrassment and often feature taboo targets.
Religious, blasphemous thoughts and fears. One example is the idea that you are going to hell, so you need to pray repeatedly for forgiveness before going to bed or doing other activities.
Worrying that something isn’t done right or complete. This can manifest in obsessive checking during a test to ensure you’ve bubbled in your name correctly on the scantron.
Common compulsions
Compulsions are actions or thought patterns that alleviate the anxiety, fears, or stress caused by obsessions. Some common types of compulsions include:
Repetitive cleaning. This could manifest as washing hands until they’re raw or cleaning surfaces or other objects in the environment.
Compulsive checking. This might mean checking that you locked the door when you left, checking that you sent a message to a friend, or that you’ve called your family to ensure they’re okay. Compulsive checking may cause you to be late and make it time-consuming to get out the door.
Counting or touching. This involves performing an action repeatedly, such as counting to ten while touching a door or tapping your foot. Many people with OCD incorporate repetitive numbers into their compulsions and rituals.
Mental compulsions. This can involve trying to reason with obsessions, such as constantly replying to an obsessive voice that keeps telling you that you’re not smart by remembering all the times you succeeded in school.
What Causes OCD?
While scientists aren’t sure exactly what causes OCD, they believe the disorder has a genetic component.
In addition, other factors, including the inability to cope with stress, could predispose some individuals to develop this condition. Some researchers believe an infection causing an exaggerated immune response in childhood could also cause some cases.
When do symptoms start?
On average, people develop their first symptoms around 19 to 20. Males may develop OCD earlier, but the condition affects females much more overall.
Being a perfectionist is not the same as having OCD
Have you ever heard someone say they are “totally OCD when it comes to organizing?”
In popular culture, OCD has become common in describing someone as neat, organized, or a perfectionist. This has caused some stigma and misunderstanding for people who actually have OCD.
One of the biggest differences between people who have OCD and those who don’t is the distress and impact of the symptoms on daily life. Some people enjoy having all their pencils lined up neatly but don’t encounter obsessive thoughts or compulsions if they aren’t organized.
Treatments for OCD
OCD is treated using a combination of medications and therapy to manage symptoms.
Medications for OCD
Although we aren’t sure why, the same drugs used to treat depression and anxiety often help with OCD. Many of these drugs belong to a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. They affect the flux of chemical signals within the brain.
The following medications are the first-line treatment when managing OCD:
Anafranil (Clomipramine)
Prozac (Fluoxetine)
Luvox (Fluvoxamine)
Paxil, Pexeva (Paroxetine)
Zoloft (Sertraline)
Many of these medications come with side effects that are most intense during the first few weeks of treatment. Please speak with your doctor if you experience unpleasant side effects because you might respond better to another treatment.
Some of these side effects include:
Dry mouth
Sexual difficulties or low sex drive
Dizziness
Irritability
Blurred vision
Decrease in appetite
Indigestion
Therapy for OCD
A form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) called exposure and response prevention is used to help people with OCD to manage their symptoms.
The therapist will expose you to your distorted thoughts and beliefs and help you healthily work through them. CBT lets patients let go of the shame, fear, and anxiety associated with obsessive thoughts. They may also help you figure out distractions and other strategies that can help you cope with these thoughts.
Peer support groups
Regular peer support sessions can help you find others with the same condition. It builds community and camaraderie by letting you know you’re not alone. Resolve has a weekly peer support group for people living with OCD that Alexandra Reynolds, an advocate with the International OCD Foundation, runs.
To learn more, you can join the mailing list for the OCD peer support group here.
How we can help
At Resolvve, we provide quick and easy access to therapists who can help you manage and control your symptoms. With our partnership with Psychotherapy Matters, Resolvve can also work with you to find the right psychiatrist who will work with your psychotherapist to provide the care you need.
If you want to explore additional OCD support and resources, many can be found online through the International OCD Foundation, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and BeyondOCD.org.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
