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The Facts About OCD: Understanding the Causes

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder in which a person suffers from recurrent compulsive or obsessive thoughts or acts. With OCD, someone can't resist his or her compulsion to do something, even though (s)he is fully aware that his or her behavior is irrational and illogical. Although it was once thought to be a rare condition, OCD is more common than both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  While there is no cure for OCD, treatments can help control it.

OCD and Depression
OCD, especially when it comes in the form of obsessive thoughts, is closely linked to depression. When someone suffers from both mental disorders, the symptoms of each disorders are more severe, as they feed off of each other.

For example, if someone has OCD, his compulsion to do something might make him start to feel neurotic, self-conscious and abnormal. As he finds that he can't stop, he is likely to start feeling depressed. Given that he is already disposed to obsessive thoughts, his depression with be a new source of obsession, creating a self-destructive cycle of thought.

OCD, equally common for women and men, can begin in childhood or early adult life. For a positive diagnosis, obsessional and/or compulsive symptoms must be present for minimum of two weeks on most days and cause stress or interfere with activities.

Signs for OCD
Understanding what causes OCD requires an awareness of its compulsive and obsessive symptoms. A compulsion is a behavior you must repeat to fight your obsessions even though you know it is irrational. Some of the common forms of OCD include: 

• checking over and over whether doors are locked or appliances are still on 
• continuously counting to the same number 
• excessively washing your hands
• obsessively putting things in a precise order
• touching certain things a precise number of times.

Obsessions are senseless thoughts of or impulses towards unwanted ideas that are persistent and recurrent, preventing you from performing daily activities. Examples include:

• fear of dirt or contamination
• concern with exactness, order and symmetry
• always thinking of certain numbers, images, words or sounds.
• fear of hurting someone you know
• fear of thinking bad thoughts.

People who suffer from OCD generally have type A personalities, meaning that they are perfectionists who are disappointed when they don't meet their own high standards.

Understanding Causes of OCD
Although the exact causes of OCD are unknown, experts have several theories as to how it arises. The debate on the causes of OCD revolves around whether it's a genetic, in born condition or a learned, developed behavior. Researchers are still conducting studies to find the sources of this condition.

One thing that medical experts do know is that OCD, like depression, is associated with low levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that produces feelings of happiness and contentment. However, whether low serotonin levels cause OCD or levels drop as OCD traits cause symptoms of depression remains to be discovered.

Treatments for OCD
OCD treatment revolves around some combination of medications, behavioral therapy or cognitive therapy. Psychotherapy has also been known to help in some cases. The type of treatment combination varies according to the individual and the specifics of his or her disorder. Any noted case of OCD should be treated by a professional.

Often, treatment for OCD employs a technique known as Exposure and Response Prevention. In this technique used in both behavioral and cognitive therapy, the patient with OCD is slowly exposed to his feared object and taught other ways, outside of his compulsive tendencies, to cope with it. Most people respond well to this type of therapy.

Antidepressant medication is often part of treatment plans due to the OCD person's tendency towards depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's) are another common prescription. SSRI's enhance the brain's use of serotonin in order to promote good moods.  

Following your treatment regimen is key to minimizing the debilitating effects of the condition. Another step crucial to the success of treatment is to try to involve as many people around you in the process as you can. Creating a support system of people you love and respect can help you not only carry through the entire course of the treatment but also give them an understanding of your behavior, strengthening your relationships with them.

Living with Someone Who Has OCD
If you are living with a person who suffers from OCD, you are likely to get frustrated, finding that the compulsion upsets stuff getting done. As a result, (s)he needs to develop his or her own coping skills. One of the first things to do is to get several types of literature to understand the symptoms and thought processes associated with OCD.

Understanding that the person with OCD knows about his condition and can't avoid his compulsions can help you build patience. When dealing with OCD, make big deals about small goals to encourage progress. Don't under any circumstances help them in their rituals, as this could make it worse. Above all, supporting them is crucial, even if they back slide.