What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
People with Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder (OCD) experience unwanted and intrusive obsessions and/or compulsions.
This involves experiencing thoughts and/or actions are not warranted (e.g. they
know their hands are not dirty) but still feeling compelled to perform an
action. This can be embarrassing for some people and they may go to great
lengths to hide their behaviours from family, friends and even doctors. There
may be significant interference to daily routines, relationships, and/or
occupational or educational functioning.
The symptoms of OCD: What are obsessions and compulsions?
Obsessions can
be thoughts, urges or mental images that are intrusive, repetitive, unwanted,
and difficult to control. For example, if you have obsessive thoughts about the
safety of your home, you may repeatedly check to make sure that the oven is
turned off.
Compulsions
are repetitive behaviours and rituals people use to reduce the discomfort
caused by obsessions. Some compulsions, like washing and cleaning, can be
observed. Other compulsions are hidden, like mentally checking a task has been
done or compulsive praying. Compulsions can take up more than an hour each day
and interfere significantly with a person’s life, disrupting daily routines,
family life, relationships, work and/or study.
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Common obsessions include:
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Common compulsions include:
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Fears about
contamination or germs (e.g. fear of public restrooms, the flu)
Thoughts of death
and physical violence (e.g. unwanted urge to harm a loved one)
Thoughts about
accidental harm (e.g. accidentally hitting someone with your car)
Fear of engaging in
socially unacceptable behaviour (e.g. singing at a friend's funeral)
A need for order and
symmetry (e.g. need to place things in a certain way)
Unwanted sexual
thoughts (e.g. thinking about a sexual act that you would find inappropriate
or against your beliefs)
Unwanted blasphemous
thoughts or religious doubts (e.g. thinking you've done something sinful that
will anger God)
Nonsense phrases,
images or sounds.
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Washing
Checking
Cleaning
Compulsive praying
Arranging and
performing daily tasks in a rigid fashion
Mentally checking
that something has been done
Counting things
(e.g. ceiling tiles, the number of cars driving by)
Needing to be
continually reassured (e.g. asking someone "Are you sure it's
okay?")
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Who
gets OCD?
Obsessions and compulsions usually
develop in a person’s teenage years. Each year, around 2 in 100 adults
experience OCD, and it affects men and women equally. Symptoms may develop due
to genetics, personality, as well as stressful life events.
Treatment
for OCD
There are effective treatments
available for OCD. For most, psychological treatments are effective. Family
involvement in therapy and education can also be helpful. Medications are also
available but should only be taken under guidance from a medical practitioner.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
combined with exposure and response prevention therapy (ERPT) is considered the
most effective treatment for people experiencing OCD.
CBT for OCD can reduce or eliminate
the obsessions and/or rituals associated with feared situations by teaching you
how to approach those situations without performing those mental and
behavioural actions.
CBT is considered much more
effective than medication in helping people manage and overcome OCD, and the
benefits are better maintained over the long term.
Where
can I receive treatment for OCD?
There are a number of ways you can
access psychological treatment for OCD and you can choose a way that works best
for you. This can be in-person with a mental health professional, or online
with the support of a program.
By registering, you can access Mental
Health Online’s free and comprehensive OCD assessment and treatment. You may
like to do this by yourself in our self-guided option, but you can also opt for
our free therapist-assisted program via email, chat, or video.
Explore
other treatment options
For further information about
treatment options and assistance:
Visit
your GP
Explore
other online therapies at Head to Health
Find a Psychologist through the Australian Psychological Society’s referral service
Contact
your local community health centre