5 Ways an OCD and Anxiety Treatment Can Help

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders are two common mental health conditions that can severely impact a person’s quality of life. While they have some distinct features, OCD and anxiety are also frequently interlinked. Getting professional OCD and anxiety treatment tailored to your specific needs is crucial for managing these challenging mental health disorders.

What Is Anxiety?

We’ve all experienced moments of nervousness, especially in situations like public speaking or the first day of school. Those jitters are common and entirely normal. However, for some individuals, anxiety becomes a crippling condition that turns even the simplest tasks into daunting challenges. This heightened anxiety has the potential to drive individuals towards substance abuse, as they seek a means to cope with overwhelming feelings.

As defined by the American Psychological Association, anxiety is “characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” While anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, a disorder  leads to irrational and disproportionate levels of anxiety along with physical symptoms like rapid heart rate, sweating, tremors, and more.

Some of the most common disorders involving anxiety include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Social anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder
• Specific phobias
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

When Do People Experience Anxiety?

Anxiety disorders frequently emerge in childhood or adolescence and tend to be chronic conditions. Children as young as three can experience anxiety. Most people with a diagnosed anxiety disorder began feeling symptoms before they reached 21 years old. According to research from the National Alliance on Mental Health, more than 40 million people in the United States suffer from anxiety disorders. That’s nearly 20% of the total population. And while anxiety can affect anyone, research shows that it’s far more likely to impact women than men. In fact, from the teenage years through age 50, women are twice as likely to develop an anxiety disorder.

Doctors diagnose anxiety based on symptoms, duration of symptoms, and ruling out other potential causes. A combination of therapy and medications are typically used for treatment.

What Is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition involving recurrent and intrusive thoughts or images and repetitive behaviors. People with OCD experience exhausting, consistent symptoms called obsessions or compulsions. Common OCD symptoms include things like washing their hands or repeated checking of doors and lights. These symptoms can cause significant distress and interfere with daily life activities. People with this mental health disorder may also view their symptoms as embarrassing and distracting.

Some common obsessions and compulsions of OCD include:

• Excessive cleaning
• Excessive hand washing
• Checking locks and appliances
• Counting or arranging items in a particular way
• Hoarding items
• Repeating words or phrases in your head or out loud

It’s estimated that one in 100 adults — or between 2 to 3 million adults in the United States — currently have OCD. The cause of OCD isn’t known. Some evidence has suggested links between certain neurotransmitters like serotonin in the brain and OCD. Other research has suggested genetics may also play a role in developing this condition.

The disorder frequently starts in the teen years or young adulthood. Doctors diagnose OCD based on observing symptoms and assessing if obsessions and compulsions severely hinder functioning or cause significant distress.