Written by: Emily Singh
Edited by: Maggie Wang
Obsessive compulsive disorder, commonly known as OCD, is a mental health condition consisting of obsessions and compulsive rituals. A key factor to these obsessive thoughts is they are not reflective of the person’s actual wants or feelings, but are intrusive. These obsessions and rituals are unwarranted and cannot be easily stopped. The weight of these uncontrollable thoughts can be difficult to bear for many, especially without support. It is no surprise that OCD is often comorbid with anxiety and depression. This is why OCD typically correlates with anxiety and depression, as the weight of these uncontrollable thoughts can be difficult to bear for many, especially without support.
Obsessive thoughts are repeated and cannot easily be ignored. Examples of common obsessions include feeling like one is forgetting something, such as leaving irons or ovens on. However, other thoughts are much more intrusive and anxiety inducing, such as aggressive thoughts like self-harm or harming others or taboo sex (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). Rituals can provide relief, but it is only temporary and usually very short lived (Office on Women’s Health, n.d.). Common rituals include washing hands, rearranging things, praying or checking to ensure things are locked or turned off. (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.) Due to the short lived nature of rituals, they are ineffective in providing relief in the long run for those living with OCD. The stigma surrounding OCD can make these obsessive thoughts seem silly or dramatic to people unfamiliar with [OCD], but in reality, the thoughts feel rational to the person they’re affecting. This can make personal relationships difficult to manage, as a common feeling of OCD is feeling like guilt for having intrusive thoughts.
As the case for many mental health conditions, OCD presents itself differently in women and men, and has different impacts on social lives. Men’s obsessive thoughts correlate more with sex, and their compulsions typically have to do with perfectionism while women are more likely to have obsessive thoughts about germs and compulsions about organization. In testimony, a woman working through her OCD said “I’d scrub my body until I fainted in the shower, clean my bedroom until I had repetitive strain injuries...I used boiling water and bleach products on my bare hands, so they were covered in ghastly rashes and blisters that I hid from friends and family” (Rethink Mental Illness, 2023). In correlation with their OCD, men are more likely to struggle with substance abuse, while women are more likely to struggle with anxiety, mood and eating disorders (NOCD, n.d.). A study conducted regarding men and women with OCD discovered that men are more likely to be single and unemployed. While there are no conclusive results on why this is, there is speculation regarding the way intrusive thoughts vary based on gender. Aggressive thoughts may make keeping a job more difficult than thoughts about germs. Women are more likely to seek mental health help for their OCD, allowing them more reprieve (NOCD, n.d.).This could be due to stigma or the difference in the ways OCD can manifest in individuals.
To help with OCD, Exposure and response prevention therapy (ERT) is commonly used due to its effectiveness. ERT focuses on confronting obsessive thoughts in an environment where one feels safe. This allows them to explore the fear deeper and work through it. After they experience the obsessive thought during ERT, they are not able to complete their ritual, which helps people break their compulsive habits (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). Medication can be prescribed alongside ERT to ease the initial anxiety that comes with facing fears.
Regardless of gender, OCD is a condition that is both time and energy consuming. The stigma that these thoughts are controllable and that those with OCD can easily end their rituals is harmful as it defers people from being open about their struggle. With a strong support system and ERT, OCD is definitely manageable!
References
Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Symptoms and causes. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20354432
Office on Women’s Health. (n.d.). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd
NOCD. (n.d.). Is OCD more common in men or women? Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://www.treatmyocd.com/what-is-ocd/info/ocd-stats-and-science/is-ocd-more-common-in-men-or-women
Rethink Mental Illness. (2023, May). From OCD crisis to a joyful life: Georgina's story. Retrieved from https://www.rethink.org/news-and-stories/blogs/2023/05/from-ocd-crisis-to-a-joyful-life-georginas-story/
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