How Common Is OCD Or Is It A Rare Disease?

Since the turn of the 20th century, the obsessive-compulsive disorder has been viewed as an independent syndrome. It is considered as a form of anxiety disorder.

More people suffer from OCD than bipolar depression. It is quite a common problem. Current estimates suggest that approximately one in every 50 adults living in the United States has OCD. Millions of people globally are affected by OCD, compulsions, and behaviors that can result from compulsive thoughts. It affects more than 2% of the population (about 2.3% to be precise) and 1 in 100 children suffer from the disease.⁽¹⁾

Sometimes behavioral problems can be temporary and resolve on their own. However, there are others more resistant, which require psychotherapy such as behavioral therapy, to be eradicated.

Such troubles should not be allowed to settle, because they seriously handicap not only your private life but also your social relationships.⁽²⁾

Symptoms And Complications

OCD develops slowly. It begins with a few obsessions which gradually become rituals or habits. People with OCD usually have a great concern for cleanliness and fear of contamination. Their repetitive behaviors, such as washing their hands, taking daily showers, cleaning, begin slowly but become difficult to control as they become more and more frequent, meticulous and prolonged occupations.⁽³⁾

Other common compulsions include:

A Compulsive Need For Constancy: to follow the same path every day to get to work, or to cross the street in exactly the same place every day

Counting: brushing your hair according to an established number of brush strokes, or touching the table a certain number of times before going around it

Fear Of Being Attacked: the doors are checked several times before going out or before going to bed

Fear Of Fire: electrical devices are constantly checked to make sure they are turned off

Fear Of Losing Control or becoming angry, intrusive sexual thoughts

The Need For Perfection: enormous time is devoted to perfecting the organization and content of the cabinets

Some rituals can have a place in everyday life, but the problems begin when they interfere with the quality of life. People with OCD are unable to skip a step in their ritual behaviors; otherwise, compulsive thoughts will haunt them until the ritual is performed exactly as they think it should be. They then feel relieved, but the relief is short-lived because of the obligation to start all over again very quickly.⁽⁴⁾

Generally, the disorder is diagnosed when repetitive thoughts or behaviors interfere with daily activities, take a long time, and cause psychological distress. It is sometimes difficult to make a diagnosis because the person affected performs his habits or compulsive gestures in secret. It also happens that he or she is aware that something is wrong, but dares not ask for help.

If an OCD is suspected, the doctor may start with a physical exam, and then inquire about the medical history to try to arrive at a diagnosis.⁽⁴⁾

OCD can be treated with psychological or medication measures, or a combination of the two.

The main psychological intervention is cognitive-behavioral therapy – exposure, or prevention of responses – whose success rate can be high in motivated people, with few cases of relapse. Treatment consists of deliberately exposing the person to his obsessions to force him to confront the behaviors that they trigger. But the therapist prevents the person from performing his ritual (prevention of responses).

Therapy should be repeated frequently, over a period of weeks, or even months, until you are able to repel the obsessive thoughts that drive the behavior. Behavioral therapy will only be effective if you are highly motivated and truly want to manage your situation.

Drug therapy can also be effective for OCD. Antidepressants that affect the path of serotonin in the brain are very helpful in controlling the symptoms of OCD. These drugs include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

The effect of these medications can take 4 to 6 weeks to be felt, so be patient and continue taking the medication as recommended by your doctor or pharmacist. Medications may work differently depending on the individual, and it may be necessary to change the medication or dosage before the right combination is found.

Drug therapy does not offer a quick fix: people with OCD should not stop taking their medication and should actively adhere to their treatment so as not to risk a relapse. With time and hard work, a strong desire to change your behavior and the support of family and doctor, you can successfully overcome OCD.^{(3) (4) (5)}

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Also Read:

• Treatment For Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD
• Do’s and Don’ts While Helping Someone with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD
• How Long Does OCD Last & Ways to Overcome it?
• Is OCD A Mood Disorder?
• Does OCD Gets Worse With Age & What Does It Do To A Person?
• What Is The Chemical Imbalance That Causes OCD & Can It Lead To Schizophrenia?
• Is Turmeric Good For OCD?
• What Are The Ways To Prevent OCD & Does It Reoccur?