When you feel like you don’t have control, it can be hard to find true joy in your world. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a disorder that can make life extremely difficult due to uncontrollable urges. If you struggle with OCD, you may be wondering how you ever developed this disorder. With the right knowledge and healing methods, you can learn to overcome this disorder and transform your whole reality.
What Exactly Is OCD?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), OCD is a “common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (‘obsessions’) and/or behaviors (‘compulsions’) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.” The NIMH says that obsessions are “repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety.” Compulsions can be “repetitive behaviors that a person with OCD feels the urge to do in response to an obsessive thought.”
Signs and Symptoms
According to the NIMH, approximately one percent of the population may experience OCD, which can include any kind of obsessive or compulsive ritual or habitual action.
The NIMH notes that not all habits are compulsions. If you’re struggling with OCD, you can experience:
- Loss of control over thoughts and behaviors, even when they’re recognized as excessive
- Spending at least one hour each day on these thoughts and behaviors
- Significant problems in life because of these thoughts and behaviors
Common habitual behaviors involved in this disorder include:
- Excessive hand washing or fear of germs
- Counting money repeatedly
- Policing unwanted or aggressive thoughts
- Needing everything to be in perfect or symmetrical order
- Repeatedly checking on things, like locked doors or turned-off ovens
How Does OCD Develop?
According to “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder” by Hannah Brock and Manassa Hany, the exact cause of OCD “remains unknown, but it is likely multifactorial.” One of these factors may be a genetic predisposition to OCD. They state that 45 to 65% of OCD variance is attributed to genetic factors. If it runs in your family, there is a better chance that you can develop it. The book also notes that a mutated NMDA receptor may also cause the disorder, along with a “general inability to cope with uncertainty, an increased sense of responsibility as well as magical thinking.”
Healing OCD
Even though healing OCD may feel impossible, it can be done. Once it’s identified, there are many different methods of treatment, including psychotherapy and medication. Behavioral therapy and trauma-based therapy can also be effective in healing.
Treatment starts with the choice to seek help instead of trying to do it on your own. With the right healing therapies, you can overcome this disorder and live a life where you feel safe, loved, and supported.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can make your life feel frightening, unstable, and out of control. It doesn’t have to stay this way, though. At The Guest House, we understand how much mental health disorders and underlying conditions can affect your life. We offer a large variety of therapeutic modalities to help treat OCD, including behavioral therapy, psychiatric support, and medication management. We also offer holistic therapies to help bolster your confidence and find joy in life once again. For more information, call us today at (855) 483-7800.