What Causes OCD and How to Identify Possible Triggers

 OCD is characterised by a pattern of unpleasant thoughts and anxieties (obsessions) that cause you to engage in repetitive actions (compulsions). These compulsive thoughts and behaviours disrupt daily life and cause severe distress. You might make an effort to suppress or dismiss your obsessions, but doing so simply makes you feel more upset and anxious. In the end, you get compelled to engage in obsessive behaviours in an effort to reduce your stress. Despite attempts to suppress or ignore unwanted thoughts or urges, they persist. This feeds the OCD cycle, which results in more ritualistic behaviour. OCD frequently revolves around particular themes, such as an obsessive fear of contracting germs. You may wash your hands excessively until they are painful and chapped in an effort to allay your anxieties of infection.

Even though OCD can make you feel humiliated and embarrassed, there are effective treatments available.

Symptoms

Obsessions and compulsions are frequently present in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Yet, it's also possible to merely have obsessional or compulsive symptoms. Your obsessions and compulsions may or may not be severe or irrational, but they nonetheless consume a lot of time and prevent you from going about your everyday activities and functioning in social, academic, or professional settings.

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Obsession symptoms

Obsessions with OCD are intrusive, recurrent, unwelcome thoughts, desires, or visions that are distressing or anxious. You might try to avoid them or get rid of them by engaging in a ritual or compulsive habit. These obsessions typically intrude when you're trying to think of or do other things.

  • Obsessions frequently have underlying themes, such as:

  • aversion to dirt or contamination

  • Having doubts and finding it difficult to accept ambiguity

  • requiring symmetry and order in everything

  • ideas that are violent or horrifying about losing control and hurting oneself or others

  • unwanted ideas, such as those that are hostile or deal with sexual or religious issues

Signs and symptoms of obsessive examples include:

  • Fear of getting sick after handling stuff that other people have touched

  • Questions about whether you properly locked the door or turned off the stove

  • When things aren't in order or facing the right way, it causes a lot of stress.

  • Imaginations of ramming your automobile into a crowd

  • Unpleasant sexual imagery or ideas about acting badly in public or shouting obscenities

  • avoiding circumstances that can set off obsessions, like shaking hands

Compulsion symptoms

Compulsions are recurrent activities that you feel compelled to carry out if you have OCD. These recurrent actions, whether physical or mental, are intended to ease tension brought on by your obsessions or avert negative outcomes. Yet, engaging in the compulsions is unpleasant and may only provide momentary anxiety alleviation.

When you are experiencing obsessive thoughts, you can create rules or rituals that you must adhere to in order to manage your anxiety. These obsessions are excessive and frequently have no connection to the issue they are meant to solve.

  • Compulsions frequently have themes, similar to obsessions, such as:

  • cleaning and washing

  • Checking

  • Counting \sOrderliness

  • maintaining a rigorous schedule

  • requesting assurance

  • Compulsion symptoms and indicators examples include:

  • scrubbing your hands until they are raw

  • repeatedly ensuring that the doors are locked

  • repeatedly ensuring that the stove is off

  • using certain patterns to count

  • repeating a word, phrase, or a prayer out loud

  • putting all of your canned items in the same direction


Severity varies

Although it can start in childhood, OCD typically manifests in adolescence or young adulthood. The onset of symptoms is typically gradual, and their intensity tends to change with time. You may encounter different kinds of obsessions and compulsions over time. In general, symptoms get worse as stress levels rise. OCD, usually considered a lifelong disorder, can have mild to moderate symptoms or be so severe and time-consuming that it becomes disabling.

When to see a doctor

There is a distinction between having OCD and being a perfectionist, such as someone who demands faultless performance or outcomes. OCD thoughts go beyond excessive worry about actual issues in your life or a preference for order or cleanliness.

See a medical or mental health expert if your obsessions and compulsions are impacting your quality of life.


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