Key points
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness affecting approximately 2-3 million adults across the US
- OCD is different from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), primarily featuring obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors
- OCD reduces your quality of life and your capacity to hold down a job and have meaningful relationships
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder responds well to treatment, especially when using a combination of psychotherapy and medication
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Overview
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder, in which frequent intrusive thoughts lead to obsessive behaviors that you perform repeatedly and have little control over. OCD usually recurs around the same issue, such as a fear of germs or cleanliness, an obsession with neatness, an obsessive concern for safety or unwanted sexual thoughts or preoccupations.
Risk factors
The exact cause of OCD remains unclear, but research has linked certain conditions to an increased likelihood of developing obsessive compulsive disorder. Having a family history of OCD puts you at higher predisposition to developing the condition, especially if a parent or sibling was diagnosed with OCD before age 18. Environmental factors that are thought to contribute towards the onset of OCD include severe or long-term childhood trauma, as well as OCD that develops in childhood following streptococcal infection, medically referred to as Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS).
OCD more frequently occurs where structural changes affect the brain’s neurological processing of information. Patients with epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease and Tourette’s Syndrome are at increased risk of developing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, although more research is needed to understand exactly how brain structure and OCD are connected.
Diagnosis
A medical diagnosis of OCD can be made by a qualified mental health professional, after completing a thorough psychological evaluation, and considering the extent and effect of your obsessions and/or compulsive behaviors, and their effect on your life. As part of this evaluation, your mental health provider will consider whether your behaviors are caused by another physical or underlying mental health condition and may make referral or recommendations for treatment based on the symptoms you present.
Treatment
The most commonly accepted treatment protocol for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder involves psychotherapy and medication, under the supervision of a suitably qualified professional. Psychotherapy encompasses several modalities of talk therapy, with proven effectiveness to help you change your thinking and behaviors which enables you to feel more in control of your life. Exposure therapy is another form of therapy, in which your therapist gently helps you break free from limiting fears by empowering you to gradually increase exposure to the object of your fear in a safe and controlled environment. Several other forms of therapy are also available to treat OCD.
A qualified professional experienced in treating OCD can discuss with you which treatment options are recommended for your circumstances. If you suffer from OCD, it’s important that you get help as soon as possible. Under the right medical supervision, you can quite quickly start noticing tangible improvements in your symptoms, and a drastically improved quality of life. Without adequate treatment, symptoms usually only get worse with time.
Neurofeedback for OCD
Neurofeedback is an effective technique for treating OCD by directly addressing the underlying neural mechanisms involved in the disorder. Through neurofeedback training, individuals with OCD can learn to regulate their brainwave patterns. By receiving real-time feedback on their brain activity and practicing techniques to modify these patterns, patients can experience a reduction in the frequency and intensity of their OCD symptoms. This personalized approach fosters greater self-awareness and empowers individuals to gain control over their thoughts and actions.
Related mental health challenges
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can co-occur with physical health conditions, neurological disorders, and other mental health conditions. For example, OCD frequently manifests alongside depression, anxiety, or personality disorders. OCD presents slightly differently when the OCD is a primary diagnosis, such as caused by neurological structural features, or where the OCD is a secondary outcome, where the recommended treatment might be somewhat different in approach. A qualified professional can ascertain whether your OCD forms part of a habit-spectrum disorder or a psychotic-spectrum disorder, which will guide their recommendations for your recovery.
References and further reading
Başkaya, E., Özgüç, S., & Tanrıverdi, D. (2021). Examination of the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Issues in Mental Health Nursing.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd
Szechtman, H., Harvey, B., Woody, E., & Hoffman, K. (2020). The Psychopharmacology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Preclinical Roadmap. Pharmacological Reviews.
Tjelle, K., Opstad, H., Solem, S., Launes, G., Hansen, B., Kvale, G., & Hagen, K. (2021). Treatment Adherence as Predictor of Outcome in Concentrated Exposure Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry.
