by Forest Grene

Created on: August 30, 2008

OCD is a complex form of anxiety with many difficult to treat symptoms.
One may have obsessive thinking patterns. They will not be able to turn the chatterbox in their head off. This often leads to compulsive, habitual and ritualistic behaviours that are beyond what we would determine to be typical.The purpose of the behaviours is to dull or distract from the overwhelming and often negative thinking. It is as if the compulsion is used to erase the obsession. However, it may decrease the anxiety momentarily but then the obsession comes back even stronger.Obsessive thoughts could be anything from thinking one has had an affair,thinking one has upset someone, thinking one has made a poor decision, thinking one has forgotten, or missed something, or made a mistake, to even being worried about wetting oneself in public.The point is, to a typical person, it rarely makes sense but of course there is always the slight possibility that it could happen.

Once someone has such a thought(and understand there are hundreds of obsessions day for people with OCD), the anxiety heightens due to the perceived threat.Then, to undo the anxiety or dampen it, the person chooses a compulsive behaviour.These can include, checking behaviours, rituals, verbal or physical controlling behaviours, seeking constant reassurance both verbally and physically, compulsive handwashing or teeth brushing if there is a germ phobia etc.I know someone who has to compulsively chew gum.You may have heard of people who believe they have run over someone and keep on checking behind them. This also applies to people who believe they have left something behind and keep checking around themselves. Some wear gloves no matter what the season. Some shop compulsively, then compulsively return the items.Self doubt goes hand in hand with anxiety and decision making is very hard.

Treatment: the most researched treatment protocols suggest both SSRI medications such as Paxil, Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft etc or possibly Clomipramine as well as therapy. Sometimes antipsychotics are used to slow the thinking patterns and help with sleep. Always, in combination with the meds, Cognitve Behavioural Therapy is needed. This challenges the thinking and provides small goals to work on to not let the OCD win.The purpose is to accept the anxiety and obsessive thinking while decreasing the compulsive behaviour.

My suggestion to those who struggel wiht this very chemically based disorder, is to see your doctor and pick up a copy of "The OCD Workbook" and work through it with a counsellor.

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