The Truth About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

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myths about ocd

OCD is not a personality flaw, nor can it usually be treated by standard psychotherapy or telling the patient to "stop" obsessing and that their thoughts are ridiculous. Most patients know that their thoughts are irrational, which further increases the torment of the disorder, yet they are unable to stop the obsessions from recurring.

Harmless but irksome habits like nail biting, teeth grinding, skin picking, a keen attention to personal grooming, are not considered to be OCD. Neither are excessive or impulsive behaviors such as gambling, alcoholism, or sex addiction — OCD does not give the patient pleasure.

Although linked to OCD, trichotillomania (the repeated urge to pull out scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, or other body hair) is not a form of the disorder, nor is Tourette's syndrome or other tic disorders.

People with OCD should not be confused with perfectionistic, rigid, "control freaks," or compulsive individuals who are performance-oriented and are very organized in their work, finicky about their appearance, and highly regimented in their recreational and personal lives. There is also a personality disorder called obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, but it is not the same disease.

when to seek treatment

Although most of us have experienced the occasional dark or disturbing "intrusive thoughts" or had an "ear worm" of a song looping in our heads, if distressing thoughts occur daily and interfere with your ability to enjoy life, it is best to visit your family doctor and discuss the issue. If you frequently experience thoughts that are intrusive, unpleasant, and produce a high degree of anxiety, and you find yourself engaging in avoidance or anxiety-reducing behaviors, it is best to seek help from a mental health professional.

types of treatment

Although once thought extraordinarily difficult to treat, pharmacological and behavioral treatments can benefit a person living with OCD and reduce obsessions and compulsions to a manageable level.


Drugs that affect the neurotransmitter serotonin can significantly decrease the symptoms of OCD in more than half of patients. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) specifically approved for the use in the treatment of OCD are: Clomipramine (Anafranil), Fluoxetine (Prozac), Fluvoxamine (Luvox), Paroxetine (Paxil), Sertraline (Zoloft), and Citalopram (Celexa.) These drugs typically take at least three weeks to become effective and include side effects such as weight gain, insomnia, dry mouth, or sexual dysfunction.

Behavior therapy

Behavior therapy emphasizes changing the OCD sufferer's beliefs and thinking patterns, either through a systematic exposure to or flooding of the thought or object the person fears (thereby minimizing its anxiety-provoking effects), or retraining the individual to mentally accept, or normalize intrusive thoughts. For example, a person with a fear of contamination from public restrooms may be encouraged to touch a toilet seat and refrain from handwashing for an hour. Usually, by that time, the anxiety will have subsided somewhat and the patient, over time, retrains his brain to not overreact to harmless situations or compulsive triggers.

The positive effects of behavior therapy endure once treatment is complete and can endure for decades. Relapse prevention programs assist in maintaining a healthy mental state for OCD sufferers.

jumping mental loops

The above information is not meant to scare you into believing that you have a mental disorder if you wash your hands 20 times after a weekend encounter with motor oil. Also, it is completely normal to have transient worries about the future, or to occasionally obsess about life during traumatic or stressful times. However, that being said, the hallmarks of OCD are frequency and irrationality. If disturbing thoughts preoccupy you for over two hours a day, for a period of at least two weeks, which you know are irrational and not readily explained by life circumstances, see your doctor.

Once treatment has been sought, most patients with OCD have a relatively good prognosis. If you or someone you love suffers from the disorder, seek advice from a mental health professional as soon as possible. There is no need to live with the debilitating mental torment that accompanies obsessive-compulsive disorder. Melvin started taking his medication and became a better man, and so can you.



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