By Jennifer Vear Hoy, MS/MS – Specialist in Anger Management/Psychotherapist
Compulsive hand washing, intrusive thoughts; rituals:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can manifest itself in various ways. OCD is a behavioral disorder in which an individual feels the need to perform certain behaviors repeatedly. The OCD patient turns regular actions into rituals to try and relieve the anxiety rooted in the unconscious – the OCD Cycle.
Obsessions are uncomfortable and unwanted thoughts or urges that result in the OCD patient feeling anxiety, disgust, or shame. Fear of contamination, physically or spiritually, is one such example. Cleaning door knobs repeatedly due to fear of germs contamination is a common OCD trait, while another manifestation involves suffering from unwanted blasphemous thoughts. Sexual obsessions can trouble some OCD patients; others will steer clear of the sexual realm; yet others may have a hyperactive libido. Obsessions concerning the fear of harming oneself or others are also common ways in which OCD-based anxiety plays out.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors which occur in response to obsessions to (ideally) reduce anxiety. Checking, counting, double-checking are actions undertaken in search of reassurance. Usually, the ideal of reduced anxiety is not met, and the OCD behavior continues.
Disorders are based on clinical diagnostic scales – such as the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsion Scale – to determine severity. OCD causes are not fully understood; the exact cause of OCD is unknown, so both genetic and environmental factors may be involved. Childhood trauma, abnormalities in brain structure and/or neurotransmitter malfunctions, genetic predispositions, evolution, or other conditions may be involved in the causation of OCD.
Diagnosis of OCD occurs when a patient demonstrates obsessions, compulsions, or both, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). DSM states that there are multiple characteristics that can turn obsession and compulsion from normal into clinically significant. Recurring ruminations or compulsive actions/rituals that include day-to-day functionality of patients, couples with significant anxiety, may result in an OCD diagnosis by a skilled professional. Like other mental health and behavioral disorders, OCD cannot be diagnosed by mental exams, nor are there any medical tests which can detect development of or a pre-disposition to OCD.
The OCD Cycle is an ongoing ritual that traps the brain in a loop, doing the same thing over and over again. The repetitive cycle is a doomed effect to seek relief from anxiety. If one lives with OCD, one knows the cycle. An intrusive, ugly, and uncomfortable thought shows up. Sexual? Violent? Even blasphemous? A person finds it disturbing and seeks to get rid of it. One tries to force it out, push it away, render it history, without success, as the anxiety increases. Something feels dangerous off – but what can make this uncomfortable feeling go away? So, the person does something – anything!!! – to make that feeling go away. For a moment it does, until the next time. the OCD Cycle is endless, whether it is contamination, checking, symmetry/order. How can an intelligent brain be trapped in the vicious OCD Cycle? It stems from insecurity, and the nervous system goes into overdrive. What if one is wrong? Everyone is wrong sometimes. One has been wrong before. When the body perceives and believes there is a false emergency, that is when compulsions start. The OCD brain is screaming: Do something – anything!!! To reduce the danger NOW. Logic goes out the window, as doubt is deemed dangerous and the cycle is renewed and repeated.
But how? OCD does not make sense! Remember the OCD brain does not feel safe anywhere. Chances are one may also have the harsh OCD inner critic spewing chaos. The inner critic uses an individual’s goals to be good specifically to attack from the inside. As OCD is already a biproduct of uncertainty and distress, the harsh verdict of the inner critic is perpetually negative. The nonstop inner critic turns ordinary discomfort into deep shame and dysfunction.
If the gentle reader is an OCD patient or a potential OCD patient, please note that The OCD Workbook by Alex J. Carter is a helpful resource. Many of the ideas and suggestions in this article can be further explored in his book which is available on Amazon. This book offers a practical and compassionate approach to OCD self-healing.
Conclusion – OCD is chronic, with symptoms that fluctuate. Both psychological and pharmacological treatment can help to reduce OCD symptoms. However, complete OCD symptom-free periods are uncommon. As a result, the OCD patient may face a host of social and personal challenges. Professional treatment can often improve daily functionality of OCD patients and enable them to live their best lives.
Jennifer Vear Hoy
Jennifer Vear Hoy is a psychotherapist and the owner of Peaceful Summit Counseling. She holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling and a Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior. She holds a deep belief in ongoing education as well as community involvement.
Jennifer spent over 20 years in business as a corporate strategist, operating her own consulting firm in Chicago. Following the death of her husband in 2006, she realized firsthand the need for professional, caring counseling. She returned to school and earned her second master’s degree as a clinical mental health counselor.
“It is my passion to help others live the life they were meant to live.” -Jennifer Vear Hoy
1048 Goodlette Road, North, Suite 201,
Naples, Florida 34102
239-307-4708
PeacefulSummitNaples.com
Specializing in grief/loss, anxiety, anger management, addiction, depression, eating disorders and relationship counseling.