Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-lasting disorder in which a person has no control over their actions. Repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors that the person feels compelled to perform repeatedly are the main features of this disorder.
Signs and symptoms:
A person with OCD may have symptoms of obsessions or compulsions that interfere with all aspects of a person’s life, including work, school, and social relationships. Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, compulsions, or images that cause distress and anxiety.
Some of the common types include: Fear of contamination with germs and microorganisms Unwanted thoughts and mental taboos related to sex, religion (obsessions of halal and haram), harm and damage, etc. Aggressive thoughts towards oneself and others Placing objects in a perfectly symmetrical or specific order Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a person with OCD feels compelled to perform in response to an obsessive thought.
Some common examples of these obsessions include: excessive washing or cleaning of surfaces, repeatedly checking objects, keeping doors closed, turning off the gas, etc. Compulsive counting (for example, involuntarily counting a few numbers before each task or doing the same task three times). Not all rituals and rituals are necessarily considered obsessions.
Everyone may double-check things sometimes, but a person with OCD: Cannot control themselves for repetitive thoughts or actions, even when those behaviors and excessive thoughts are recognized. Devotes at least an hour a day to these thoughts or actions. Never satisfied with doing these things, even after doing them repeatedly, but by doing them, they get rid of the excitement and anxiety that the obsessive thoughts cause them.
Every person with OCD experiences specific problems in daily life because of these thoughts and behaviors. Some people with OCD also have a tic disorder. Motor tics are usually sudden, brief, repetitive movements, such as involuntary grimacing, shrugging, or rapid head and shoulder movements. Common vocal tics include: repeatedly clearing the throat, snoring, or making a snoring sound. Symptoms may come and go or get worse over time.
People with OCD may help themselves by avoiding situations that trigger their obsessions, or they may use alcohol or drugs to control their anxiety. Although many people with OCD behave in an unusual and irrational manner, many adults and children do not understand this.
Teachers and parents usually notice this condition in children.
Risk factors for OCD
OCD is a common disorder that can affect adults, adolescents, and children. Most patients are diagnosed around the age of 19, and it often occurs in boys at a younger age than in girls. The causes of OCD are unknown, but risk factors include:
Genetics: First-degree relatives of a person with OCD have a higher risk of developing this disorder, and the younger the affected person is, the higher the risk of their first-degree relatives developing the disorder.
Brain function: Imaging studies have shown differences in the frontal lobes of people with OCD compared to those without. There also appear to be differences in other areas related to behavior and thinking, which are currently being investigated.
Environment: People who have experienced childhood abuse, such as sexual or physical abuse, or other trauma, are at risk for developing OCD. In some cases, children who have had a streptococcal infection have subsequently developed a neuropsychiatric disorder called PANDAS.
Treatments:
Obsessions are often treated with medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Although most patients improve with these treatments, many continue to suffer from the disorder.
Sometimes patients with OCD also suffer from other mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphic disorder (a disorder in which a person believes that a part of their body is deformed).
Knowing these forms of the disease is very important for making treatment decisions. The drugs that are considered for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder are often from the group of serotonin reuptake inhibitors, specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors. One of the drugs that has been very effective in this field is CLOMIPRAMIN, which is from the group of old drugs called tricyclic antidepressants. In general, higher doses of SSRI and SRI are required to treat patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and it takes about 12 to 18 weeks to respond to treatment.
Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy can be a very effective treatment for children and adults with OCD. Studies show that using cognitive-behavioral techniques, training to change habits, can be as helpful for some people as using medication. Studies show that exposure therapy is a very effective way to treat obsessions (compulsive behaviors).
Combination or additive therapies are also newer treatment methods for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Deep brain stimulation (NOVEL) is one of the newer methods that has been tested in these patients.
