Obsessive compulsive disorder treatment: It’s time for a better life

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a long-term disorder in which people suffer from repetitive, uncontrollable thoughts, obsessions, repetitive behaviors, or compulsive actions that people with OCD suffer from. Unfortunately, the symptoms of OCD take a long time and can cause people great pain and major problems, especially They greatly interfere with daily life.

Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder

People with OCD suffer from obsessions, compulsive actions, or both. Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, stimuli, or intrusive, unwanted mental images that make the sufferer feel anxious. These obsessions are different and vary between:

* Fear of germs or contamination.

* Fear of forgetting, losing, or misplacing something. 

* Fear of losing control of behavior.

* Sometimes they are aggressive thoughts towards others or towards oneself. 

* Or unwanted or prohibited thoughts, such as thoughts related to religion, sex, or violence. 

* Also the desire for things to be symmetrical or arranged in some way and to be perfect.

There are also compulsive actions, which are repetitive behaviors in which an individual feels forced to do something, These behaviors come as a response to an obsession within him. These behaviors include:

1- Excessive cleaning.

2- Frequent hand washing.

3- Arranging elements in a specific way.

4- Check something more than once, such as making sure the door is closed or the oven is off.

5- Compulsive counting.

6- Humming or speaking without a sound.

We cannot consider all repetitive thoughts to be obsessions, and not all repetitive behaviors are compulsive habits, because people who suffer from OCD in general:

* They cannot control obsessions or compulsions even if they know they are excessive.

* They may spend more than 30 minutes doing these compulsions every day.

* They cannot enjoy the compulsive actions they do, but it helps them feel temporary relief because it calms the anxiety.

* They often experience major problems in life because of those thoughts and behaviors.

Some people with OCD also suffer from tic disorder, which involves making repetitive movements and sounds, and of course these tics include sudden, short, and repetitive movements, such as eye blinking and other eye movements, facial grimacing, shoulder shaking, or twitching of the head or shoulder. Vocal tics also include sounds such as repetitive throat sounds, sniffling, or snoring, and it is very common for people with OCD to suffer from mood disorders and anxiety disorders.

Diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Although symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder may begin at any time, they usually begin between late childhood and early adulthood, and the final diagnosis is made in youth.

Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder may begin slowly, may disappear for periods of time, or may worsen over time, especially during times of stress, and when symptoms worsen, obsessions and compulsions change.

Some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder are anxious about situations that trigger their symptoms, and they may resort to using drugs or alcohol in order to overcome the symptoms they feel.

Many adult sufferers realize that their compulsive behaviors are meaningless, but unfortunately children do not realize that their behaviors are out of the ordinary. They often fear that something terrible will happen if they do not stop their compulsive behaviors, and parents and teachers often identify children with this disorder.

If you think that you or your child may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, you must go to your health care provider and adhere to the medications he prescribes for you, so that the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder do not become worse, especially if they interfere with daily life.

What are the risk factors associated with OCD?

Although there is no definitive answer that can tell us the exact causes of OCD, various risk factors increase the chance of developing OCD.

* First: Genetics: Studies have shown that having a first-degree relative, a father or mother, with OCD increases the likelihood of children developing OCD. However, despite this, scientists have not been able to identify a specific gene or group of genes that can conclusively lead to OCD, but However, there is a relationship between genetics and infection.

* Second: Nature: Brain imaging studies have confirmed that people with OCD often have differences in the frontal cortex and subcortical structures of the brain, which are areas of the brain that affect a person’s ability to control behavior and emotional responses. There is also a number of research that has proven that those with In OCD, many brain regions, brain networks, and biological processes play a major role in obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior, and associated fear and anxiety.
There is current research trying to better understand the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and parts of the brain, and this research can help researchers develop forms and types of treatment that target specific locations in the brain.

* Third: Mood: There is research that has confirmed that people who display more conservative behaviors, suffer from negative emotions, and show symptoms of anxiety and depression in children are more susceptible to developing obsessive-compulsive disorder.

* Fourth: Childhood traumas: There are studies that have linked childhood trauma to obsessive-compulsive symptoms, but this still needs further study.

There are children who suddenly develop obsessive-compulsive symptoms or experience exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms after streptococcal infection, which are diagnosed as neuropsychiatric autoimmune disorders.

Obsessive compulsive disorder treatment

Even individuals experiencing the most severe symptoms can find relief through the expertise of mental health therapists and specialists. They may recommend medication as a means to address this disorder, or alternatively, therapy sessions, either on an individual basis or within a group setting. The specific course of treatment is determined by the doctor or therapist’s professional judgment.

Therefore, it is important for the patient to follow his own Obsessive compulsive disorder treatment for a better life plan, but at the same time he must be aware that psychological treatment and drugs take some time in order to have a positive effect, and help the patient to control the symptoms and live a full, normal life. Psychological treatment is one of the effective things that Its effectiveness increases with medical drugs.

There is also cognitive behavioral therapy, which is talk therapy and is one of the most important methods that helps to get rid of harmful and incorrect thoughts, so that the affected person can see difficult situations and respond to them more clearly. Cognitive behavioral therapy also helps to learn to question negative thoughts. And determine how it affects their feelings and actions, thus changing the pattern of self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.

You must realize that you can still control the symptoms of your disease, and manage your life away from disturbing obsessions, thoughts, and even behaviors. You just have to go to a specialist and adhere to his plan for you so that you can live a normal life full of movement, activity, and openness to everything new.