Is There Hope for People with OCD?

Do you find yourself being bothered by certain things that seem out of order in your lives? Do check over and over if the pictures are straight, or the fringe on the rug is combed out? Do you have to check again and again that the stove is turned off or that the door is locked? Do you count things uncontrollably? These are just a very few of the symptoms of OCD also known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. If these types of things are happening in your life, you may have this disorder.

These behaviors can be extremely persistent to the point of upsetting your life and routine. It can range from very mild that really doesn't bother you or anyone else to quite severe, that you are unable to function due to the distractions and it is very noticeable to others.

OCD is frequently associated with anxiety. Anxious people can develop OCD and OCD people are usually anxious. People with OCD are sometimes thought of as eccentric or quaint. Really, everyone has some form of obsessive compulsive disorder on some level, maybe you have a ritual of how you apply your makeup or brush your teeth, or put on your clothes. It is all the same. The difference is that a person with a more severe form of OCD actually becomes upset or loses functioning ability when those rituals are interrupted and they are not allowed to complete them.

A famous example of someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is the TV Detective Monk. That character is depicted as lovable and charming but highly affected by his disorder. That is a severe case indeed.

Obviously this disorder has two components, obsession and compulsion. The obsession is the desire to accomplish or the fear of being unable to accomplish such as fear of germs. The compulsion is the behavior that results from what they are obsessing over, frequently repetitive such as incessant hand washing.

Another example of obsession is someone who is fearful of not being loved by someone. The compulsive behavior might be they have to count things or clean things and they actually fear that if do not do this ritual, whatever it is, they will not be loved by this individual. It is an overwhelming and irresistible feeling that they can no cope with on an intellectual level. It is very emotional and controlling for them and extremely anxiety producing.

We laugh at the antics of the TV character, Monk. But OCD is a very serious matter not to be taken lightly. People with sever forms of this disease are sometimes completely incapacitated. They are not able to live normal lives. They sometimes can not hold jobs, finish school or even live alone. Sometimes these people will isolate themselves from
"normal" life since they cannot cope with it. Sometimes they can not even go out in public and deal with "normal" people.

Some people with OCD are aware they have the problem. But others are so affected by it that they are not aware that they are performing the rituals that have become the controlling factors of their lives. Even when told of their behavior by others, they deny it or have no idea what the person is talking about. Less severe forms of Obsessive compulsive disorder may allow people with the disorder to be aware they acting irrationally, but they really can't help themselves, they continue anyway.

While many used to think it was caused by environmental circumstances of children, it is now reported to be probably caused by a specific neurological problem. It is not psychological or a mental disorder. More than a single factor is involved. There are treatments for OCD, mostly palliative. There are no known cures.

Getting help for OCD is recommended. But if you have a severe form of the disease where you are being hindered from living a normal productive live, seeking treatment is imperative. With medication to control anxiety and severe symptoms, and behavioral therapy most patients with OCD can be helped and learn to control the disorder and their anxiety and lead happy healthy lives.

As we said this disease can be difficult and consuming, but don't despair, with hard work and diligence you can overcome OCD.