Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a condition that paralyzes the sufferer because he or she gets stuck in repetitive patterns of thought and behavior. This disorder is characterized by the appearance of obsessions (thought disorders that cause severe uncontrollable anxiety and attachment to things) and compulsions (rituals, regularities, and repetitive habits as manifestations of obsessions that interfere with daily life). You don't necessarily have OCD if you have a neat and orderly lifestyle. However, you may develop OCD if your attachment to something has taken over your daily life. Examples of OCD disorders could be the habit of repeatedly checking whether the door is locked before going to bed at night or the belief that there will be danger to others if you do not perform certain rituals.
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Method 1 of 2: Recognizing OCD Symptoms
Step 1. Identify obsessions that are a hallmark of OCD
People with OCD are usually caught in a cycle of anxiety and obsessive thoughts that focus on themselves and make them helpless. This thought pattern can appear in the form of images of anxiety, fear, attachment, or sadness that are difficult to control. A person is said to have OCD if these thoughts arise at any time, dominate the mind, and cause a sense of helplessness because they feel that something is wrong. Obsessions usually appear in the form of:
- “A strong physiological desire for order, symmetry, or truth.” Your mind will be greatly disturbed if the cutlery isn't perfectly arranged on the table, if little things don't go according to plan, or if one of your sleeves is longer.
- "Fear of being dirty or exposed to germs." You don't want to touch trash cans, dirty objects on the side of the road, or even shake hands with other people. This disorder usually appears in unnatural obsessive behaviors such as washing hands and maintaining excessive hygiene. In addition, this disorder also appears in the behavior of hypochondria, which is a feeling of worry that small things will pose a more severe threat.
- “Excessive anxiety and need for constant reassurance; fear of making mistakes, embarrassing acts, or behavior that is not acceptable to society”. You will feel so paralyzed that you get used to doing nothing, constantly thinking about worries and anxieties, putting off what you have to do for fear of something going wrong.
- “Fear of thinking evil or sinful thoughts; thinking aggressively or horribly about hurting yourself or others.” You'll be embarrassed by the horrible obsessive thoughts that terrorize you when you realize that you can't stop thinking about hurting yourself or others, even if you know these thoughts are wrong. You can also think about dire possibilities about everyday events, such as imagining your best friend getting hit by a bus as the two of you cross the street.
Step 2. Recognize that compulsive disorders usually co-occur with obsessions
Compulsions are rituals, rules, and habits that make you feel compelled to do them over and over and are usually done to overcome an obsession. However, the obsessive thoughts will usually come back and get stronger. Compulsive behavior usually causes anxiety because the sufferer becomes more demanding and likes to spend time. Compulsive behavior for example:
- “Bathing in the shower/under the shower or washing hands repeatedly; refuse to shake hands or hold doorknobs; repeatedly checking something, for example a lock or a stove”. You will wash your hands five, ten, twenty times until they feel completely clean. You will check the lock, open and lock it again many times before you can sleep peacefully at night.
- “Continue to count, either by thinking or by sound, while performing routine tasks; eat in a certain order; always arrange things in a certain way”. You have to arrange things on the table well in order to think. You cannot eat if there is still food touching each other on the plate.
- “Continuing to remember certain words, pictures, or thoughts that cannot be lost and are usually very disturbing, even to the point of falling asleep.” You often imagine dying from horrific violence. You can't stop imagining worst-case scenarios and your mind is constantly tied up in ways that lead to mistakes.
- “Repeating certain words, phrases, or prayers; must repeat the work a certain number of times. You'll be repeating "sorry" and apologizing for feeling bad for some reason. You will close the car door ten times to feel ready to drive safely.
- “Gathering or piling up worthless things.” You like to collect things you don't need or don't use until they fall from your car, garage, yard, or bedroom. You will feel strongly attached to certain items irrationally, even though you know that these items only collect dust.
Step 3. Know the general categories of OCD
Obsessions and compulsions are usually related to certain themes and situations. You may fall into any of the following categories, but you may not, as this is just a way of identifying triggers for compulsive behavior. In general, people with OCD can be divided into categories: washers, examiners, worryers and sinners, counters and administrators, and hoarders.
- “Launchers” are people who are afraid of being contaminated. Compulsive behavior usually occurs with hand washing or cleaning. You will wash your hands with soap and water up to five times after taking out the trash; cleaned the room with a vacuum cleaner many times because it looks still dirty.
- "Investigators" like to check things that are associated with harm or danger. You will check ten times if the door is locked in order to sleep; feeling compelled to leave the table to check if the stove is off, even if you remember turning it off; keep checking to make sure that the book you borrow from the library is indeed the one you want. There is an urge to check dozens of times to be sure.
- “Worries and sinners” fear that if everything is not perfect or not done right because they will be punished. This fear appears in the form of an obsession with cleanliness, being busy with the truth, or paralyzed so that you can't do anything. You will constantly observe your thoughts and actions because they think they are not perfect.
- “Counters and stylists” are usually obsessed with order and symmetry. You will be swayed by divination using numbers, colors, or scheduling, and feel very guilty if things go wrong.
- “Hoarders” don't want to throw things away. You will continue to hoard stuff you don't need or use; very attached to certain items irrationally, even though you know that these items just collect dust.
Step 4. Know how severe the disturbance is
OCD symptoms usually appear slowly with varying degrees of severity. This disorder can appear in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. OCD symptoms will get worse if you are under stress and in some cases, the disorder becomes so severe and time-consuming that it causes disability. If you recognize that you have obsessions, compulsions, a common category of OCD disorder, and that you spend most of your life tied to them, consult a doctor for a professional diagnosis.
Method 2 of 2: Diagnosing and Curing OCD
Step 1. Consult a doctor or therapist
Don't self-diagnose because you may be anxious or obsessed, hoarding things, or wanting to avoid germs, but OCD is very widespread and the presence of these symptoms doesn't necessarily mean you need treatment. OCD disorders can only be confirmed after getting a diagnosis from a mental health professional.
- The diagnosis of OCD does not require laboratory tests. Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, including finding out how long you usually perform ritual behaviors.
- If you've been diagnosed with OCD, don't worry. There may not be a cure for this disorder, but there are medications and behavioral therapies that can reduce and control the symptoms. Learn to live with obsessions, but don't let obsessions control your life.
Step 2. Ask your doctor about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The goal of this therapy, which is also known as “exposure therapy” or “exposure and response prevention therapy,” is to expose people with OCD to fear and reduce anxiety without re-enacting ritual behaviors. This therapy also aims to reduce exaggerating or cluttered thoughts that are often experienced by people with OCD.
Come to a psychologist's clinic to start CBT therapy. Ask for a referral from a family doctor or therapist so you can consult the right mental health professional. Although difficult, you need to follow CBT therapy at the nearest clinic in order to be committed to controlling attachment
Step 3. Ask your doctor about treatment with medication
Antidepressants commonly used to treat OCD are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft. Other drugs that have been used for a long time, namely tricyclic antidepressants such as Anafranil can also help. Drugs to treat psychological disorders and relieve OCD symptoms are Risperdal or Abilify which can be used with or without SSRIs.
- Be careful if you want to combine drugs. Learn about the side effects before taking the drug. Ask your doctor if it's safe to combine a new medication with a medication you're currently taking.
- Antidepressants can relieve OCD symptoms, but they are not a cure and are not a trial and error. Research conducted by mental health institutions in the US has shown that 50% of the people studied were free of OCD symptoms after taking antidepressants, even after trying two different medications.
