Qandeel Raza
Nowadays we often hear the term OCD, that person who cleans house or washes hands repetitively has OCD. Mostly terms in our society are mistakenly used and OCD is one of them. We often look at our symptoms on google and give self diagnosis not realizing that the specialist of the specialized fields are available for consultation.
As per Oxford dictionary the definition of OCD is “mental disorder in which somebody feels they have to repeat certain actions or activities to get rid of fears or unpleasant thoughts”.
This is a definition that creates misunderstanding of the term OCD in society. On the contrary if we look it from the perspective of a psychologist we might understand that there is so much more to just repetitively doing things out of fear. Now let’s come and understand what OCD really is. OCD stands for Obsessive compulsive disorder.
It is OCD is a change or disturbance in thought patterns that results in negative emotions and affects a person’s ability to behave normally. In particular, OCD is characterized by:
” uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts, beliefs, and ideas
” negative emotions like guilt and anxiety
” repetitive and ritualistic behaviors or actions
Our brain is constantly receiving data, if I use the example of super computer so it will not be wrong.
To handle different type of date specialized parts of brain are responsible for performing different responses. For example, one area of the brain might manage incoming sensory data, another might sort and prioritize your thoughts, and a third might convert your thoughts into emotional responses. They all interact with one another to control the flow of information throughout the brain. When all of the parts work together properly, you are able to quickly and accurately process information about the world around you.
So where the problem occurs? Sometimes the communication system between the different parts of the brain breaks down. When this happens, information isn’t processed correctly and the brain starts to make mistakes when it tries to sort new data or tell the body how to respond. OCD is linked to communication problems between parts of the brain that translate information into thoughts and actions, including the orbitofrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, cingulate gyrus, and the basal ganglia. When these parts of the brain malfunction, inappropriate information is passed through the system and the person becomes overwhelmed by their thoughts and actions.
What are the symptoms that might help us as it is not any other medical problem for which we go for blood tests or X-rays and get the disease diagnosed. It is very important to diagnose properly because sometimes a person not suffering from OCD might be misdiagnosed due to the person’s habit of being meticulous or perfectionist. What are the symptoms that should be there for OCD? Individuals who have been diagnosed with OCD experience two main symptoms- obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions are intrusive and recurring thoughts, ideas, mental images, and beliefs that are often disturbing and cause significant emotional distress or dysfunction. As the person tries to work or go to school, their obsessive thoughts pop up and interfere with their ability to focus. Most of us can let go of an upsetting thought or belief that is bothering us, but a person with OCD is unable to control their obsessions. Some common obsessions include:
” fear of contamination, germs, or dirt
” fear of forgetting something (like turning
off the stove)
” fear of hurting yourself or others
” unwanted thoughts about aggressive or sexual
behaviors
” excessive beliefs about the importance of
perfection or symmetry
” excessive beliefs about morality or religion
” excessive superstitious beliefs (like the belief
that stepping on a sidewalk crack will harm your
smother)
Compulsions are behaviors or rituals that a person feels driven to do. Compulsions are often performed in an effort to reduce the anxiety and distress caused by obsessions. For example, an obsessive fear of germs often results in compulsive, repetitive hand washing. Compulsions can involve mental behaviors like repeating a word ten times in your head, or physical behaviors like tapping a desk ten times. They are usually irrational and have no connection or effect on the person’s problem or fears. Some common compulsions include:
” counting, repeating words, or tapping
” double-checking things like stove knobs, door
locks, and light switches
” cleaning or washing excessively
” repeatedly contacting family and friends to con
firm their safety and health
” arranging items in a specific way or putting
things in a certain order
” following a specific routine or ritual
Many people with OCD have good insight; they recognize that their obsessions and compulsions are unreasonable or unhelpful, but they still aren’t able to control their thoughts or behaviors. Obsessions and compulsions are especially distressing as they become more complex – some people develop rituals that take up hours of their day, every day. When this happens, the symptoms are considered severe because they have the power to affect most aspects of the person’s life and often interfere with relationships, work, and school.
Most of the time OCD can’t be attributed to a single cause. Instead, they are the result of the interplay between several different risk factors like Genetics, Psychological factors, Illnesses during childhood, other illnesses or injuries.
Sad part is whether we realize it or not OCD is most common mental disorder in any society and even in Pakistan many people suffers from this problem not realizing that it is a medical situation and that needs to be rectified with the help of psychologist. A person who is concerned a Taboo in Pakistani society because of another misconception that only abnormal people visit “Psychologist”. It is another long topic that needs to be address. Coming back to our Original topic OCD, so like many diseases is Obsessive compulsive disorder preventable, so the answer is “NO”, it is unpreventable. But on the other hand if a person is diagnosed with OCD it is surely controllable again with the help of the specialist.
