Myths, Facts, and Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD for short, is more than having a few quirky behaviors. People who have OCD struggle to overcome the anxious and worrisome feelings and thoughts that pervade their minds. Although they know the symptoms originate in their minds, they can’t simply turn off their OCD thoughts and behaviors. Overall, obsessive-compulsive disorder can significantly stunt someone’s life trajectory if it is not treated. Let’s go over some of the common misconceptions about OCD to explore what the disorder actually entails.

What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a behavioral mental health disorder that affects one in 40 people—2.3 percent of the population. The condition is characterized as having repeated obsessions and compulsions, which are intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable behaviors based on the thoughts. Because these patterns repeat themselves, individuals get stuck in the need to follow through with their compulsions, no matter the time or place. This can lead them to miss out on social interactions or intentionally skip them. Notably, OCD is often a long-term condition. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is not enjoyable and can have debilitating results.

What Are Obsessions?

Obsessions are intruding thoughts, images, or urges that recur frequently and feel inescapable. Although the individual doesn’t want to believe these thoughts, they feel a strong sense of dread or distress from their obsessions. People with OCD often understand the illogic of their obsessions, but they still feel a strong desire to resolve them by acting out compulsions.

What Are Compulsions?

Compulsions are the outcome of obsessions. The person’s mind convinces them they must do something particular to prevent their obsession from happening. Markedly, individuals understand their compulsion is a temporary fix, and often, they get caught in the trap of completing the action over and over again. Undeniably, fulfilling a compulsion can be a frustrating but paralyzing experience. People may cancel social plans because their to-do list includes too many compulsions they must act on.

Facts About OCD

While there are many misconceptions about OCD, there are also proven facts about the disorder. When determining whether you or someone you love might have OCD, consider these factors.

OCD Can Manifest in Different Ways

Although OCD has a distinct structure of obsessions leading to compulsions, there are countless types of OCD. The way one person experiences OCD can vary drastically from another person. There tend to be some common categories of obsessions and compulsions that differentiate how OCD manifests in an individual. For example, contamination OCD has an excessive root fear of germs and disease, while scrupulosity OCD has obsessive concerns centering around religion and morals.

OCD Affects People from All Walks of Life

Although OCD seems to have a genetic link, people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities develop the disorder. Men and women can have OCD, though women are 1.6 times more likely and usually have symptoms for longer. Because OCD has a neurological basis, anyone can be affected. So, is OCD genetic? Genetic factors do play a role, but there’s no one gene that is connected to the onset of the disorder.

OCD Is Often Linked with Other Mental Health Disorders

OCD can be tricky to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to many other behavioral and mental health disorders. For instance, hoarding disorder, body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB), and Tourette syndrome have overlapping symptoms with OCD. Further, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), schizophrenia, and disorders of the autism spectrum may be linked to OCD.