Understanding OCD From One of the Top OCD Treatment Centers in Florida

OCD is a mental health disorder marked by the performance of compulsive behaviors to alleviate intense anxiety or irrational fears that devastating consequences will occur if particular actions are not completed. 

Symptoms of OCD

There are two main characteristics of OCD noted in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DCM-5): obsessions and compulsions. 

Continued obsessions trigger the need to engage in compulsive behaviors.

OCD compulsions can include checking, double-checking, and triple-checking to ensure lights have been turned off or doors have been locked. While such behaviors are frequently seen as harmless or eccentric, OCD can trigger actions that can cause physical discomfort or injury when performed compulsively. 

Constant vigorous hand washing, for example, can cause broken and raw skin. More severe OCD might involve hair pulling, skin picking, or other forms of self-harm.

Obsessive Signs and Symptoms

Obsessive disorders frequently involve the following:

• Fear of germs, infection, or contamination
• Inability to cope with a perceived lack of orderliness
• Experiencing repeated thoughts about harming others or being harmed
• Experiencing intrusive and unwanted thoughts about sensitive or disturbing subjects, like religion, sex, or violence
• Fear of risk
• Need to plan or manage every aspect of an activity
• Avoiding circumstances that might cause obsessive thoughts

It can be challenging to identify obsessive signs and symptoms in others. However, the most easily identifiable indications of an obsessive disorder include the following behaviors:

• Being unable to touch objects that others have touched
• Continually second-guessing that actions were performed
• Exhibiting intense anxiety or stress when possessions aren’t in a specific order or facing a particular direction

Compulsion Signs and Symptoms

Performing compulsive behaviors is not pleasurable for people with OCD. They perform repetitive actions to relieve stress or fear or to stop intrusive thoughts. Compulsion symptoms involve the following behaviors:

• Repeatedly performing tasks like washing hands, turning light switches on and off, or checking to see if doors are locked
• Repeatedly muttering a word or phrase
• Neglecting urgent tasks in favor of performing compulsive actions

While OCD includes obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, it is possible to primarily experience either obsession or compulsion symptoms.

Causes of OCD

The exact causes of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) aren’t fully understood. However, it’s believed to be a combination of genetic, neurological, environmental, and behavioral factors. 

People with a family history of OCD are at higher risk for developing the condition than the rest of the population. 

OCD is more likely to manifest after experiencing abuse, assaults, or other significant trauma. 

Types of OCD

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can manifest in various ways, resulting in different types of obsessions and compulsions. 

Some common types include:

• Contamination Obsessions and Cleaning/Washing Compulsions: Fear of germs, dirt, or contamination leading to excessive cleaning, hand-washing, or avoiding specific objects or situations.

• Checking: Persistent doubts about potential harm or danger, leading to repeated checking behaviors such as ensuring doors are locked, appliances are turned off, or things are in order.

• Symmetry and Order Obsessions: Need for things to be arranged symmetrically or in a specific order, leading to repetitive arranging, organizing, or aligning items.

• Intrusive Thoughts and Mental Rituals: Distressing, intrusive thoughts or mental images, often related to harming oneself or others, followed by mental rituals or repetitive behaviors to reduce anxiety.

• Hoarding: Persistent difficulty discarding possessions regardless of value leads to accumulating items that can clutter living spaces.

• Religious or Moral Obsessions: Excessive concerns about morality, ethics, or religious ideas, leading to repetitive behaviors or mental rituals related to these themes.

These types are not exclusive, and individuals may experience a combination of these obsessions and compulsions. The severity and specific manifestations can vary widely among people with OCD.