Do you ever find yourself setting your alarm, checking to see if you set it, and then checking over and over again because you’re not sure it’s set? Do you wash your hands repeatedly because you think they’re still not clean enough? If this sounds familiar, you may have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and the truth is you’re definitely not alone.
What is OCD?
The International OCD Foundation estimates that one out of 100 American adults – around 2 to 3 million — lives with OCD. Most are diagnosed before age 19, but not everyone receives an official diagnosis. Risk factors for OCD include:
- Genetics: Studies of twins demonstrate that having a first-degree relative with OCD increases your risk, especially if that relative showed signs in childhood or adolescence
- Brain structure and function: differences in certain brain structures are still being researched
- Environment: there is a potential association with childhood trauma, as well as certain types of childhood streptococcal infection
According to the Mayo Clinic, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)“features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.” In fact, for some sufferers of OCD, life can at times become unmanageable due to the time and energy that such intrusive thoughts and behaviors use up.
Certain “themes” are usually central to the obsessions of each OCD sufferer. For one individual, it may be contamination with germs. For another, it may be managing devices like refrigerators and stoves.
Let’s Talk Obsessions and Compulsions
You may be familiar with these types of thoughts and actions, whether as a minor annoyance or something more distressing, obsessive thoughts are pervasive and won’t easily go away. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines obsessions as “repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety,” including “fear of germs or contamination; unwanted forbidden or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm; aggressive thoughts towards others or self; and having things symmetrical or in a perfect order.”