OCD
OCD, which stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, has become a common diagnosis I’m treating lately.
There are a lot of misconceptions about OCD, so let’s talk about it.
Contrary to popular belief, OCD isn’t typically things like “I have to flip this lightswitch 3 times or my family will die!” or “If I don’t wash my hands, the world will end!” While it’s true, there is often some sort of magical thinking involved, it’s not usually as direct as that. The most common subtypes of OCD I typically see are contamination (which can mean soooo many things, it’s not just about germs!) and ‘just right’ feelings. Another thing most people don’t realize is how many different presentations of OCD there truly can be. Actually, there are many people who don’t even realize they or their child have OCD because it can look so different than what people assume. One amazing thing is people are speaking up more about having OCD! Seriously, look up the list of celebrities with OCD, you might be surprised to see some you or your child look up to on there. This normalization is so important, to decrease stigma, increase seeking support, and making more people aware of what OCD actually is.
According to the International OCD Foundation, about 1 in 40 adults have or will develop OCD at some point in their life, and 1 in 100 kids and teens are estimated to have OCD as well. It’s not uncommon through my conversations in sessions to realize symptoms have been present longer than anyone realized. Sometimes that is because the person was younger and didn’t know how to articulate what was happening, sometimes its because the compulsions are rituals that occur when no one else is around, so no one would know. Think about it - if someone has no context for what other people are doing or not doing, how would they know it’s not ‘normal’? They wouldn’t!
We hear the term OCD getting thrown around often, when really what people are likely referring to instead are perfectionistic traits or even just preferences or personal quirks. There is certainly some overlap, but technically liking the house clean isn’t automatically OCD. A true diagnosis of OCD occurs because the obsessions (intrusive thoughts that you feel you can’t stop thinking about) and/or compulsions are taking of a significant amount of time (i.e. more than an hour per day) and significantly impacting day to day life by causing extreme distress and taking away time and energy from activities, things, and people you love.
One other misconception about OCD is what exactly compulsions are. Compulsions aren’t always just things the individual feels they have to do, it can also be the avoidance of tasks, places, people, etc. Compulsions can even show up in relationships with loved ones - these are referred to as accommodations. Accommodations are essentially rituals a person’s OCD gets other people to carry out for them. These could look like touching things for the person, doing things for them, helping them avoidance situations, places, people, etc.
So how do you treat OCD? Well, according to the IOCDF, the first line of evidenced base therapeutic treatment recommended is an approach called ERP, Exposure and Response Prevention. This approach “helps individuals extinguish fears and eliminate compulsive behaviors in a structured, supportive environment.” In addition, the gold standard recommendation is a combination of medication support AND ERP. This combination has been found to be the most effective, especially if there are other struggles or diagnoses present in addition to the OCD.
I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here, so I’m going to direct you to the experts at https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/ to learn more about OCD. In addition, I want to share some of my favorite resources related to OCD!
Natasha Daniels - naturally I have to start with her website. Natasha is such an amazing resource! She has a podcast, a membership community, youtube videos, courses, and so much more! And I can’t forget about her workbook, I use it with all of my OCD clients.
The Self Compassion Workbook for OCD - I recently learned about this one and so far have liked the approach! Great for adults. Self compassion is something we definitely don’t talk about enough overall, let alone with something that can feel as shameful and defeating as OCD.
NOCD - can’t find a therapist near you that has availability? https://www.treatmyocd.com/ is a great option for virtual support! I know virtual isn’t for everyone, but it can be a good option even while you’re waiting to get in with someone in person.
IOCDF - While I’ve already linked this website multiple times in this post, I’ll also link the resources page specifically for books and media resources that you may find helpful https://iocdf.org/books/
I hope you found some part of this helpful and informative! My goal is always to increase awareness and access to services and support. If you or a loved one is struggling with OCD symptoms, please check out the resources above!