OMG I’m So OCD!
by Emily Roberts, M.A., LPC-I, Neurogistics Practitioner

Everyday, without fail, I hear someone saying sarcastically, “Oh my gosh, I am so OCD.”

If you’re suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, this isn’t something you announce to others or laugh off as a quirky personality trait—it’s a mental disorder that deeply affects your life. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that are severe enough to be time consuming or cause significant impairment and marked distress.

Megan checks the locks every night before bed. She has a pattern: front door, balcony, bedroom, bedroom window, repeat. She unlocks each and then locks it again to makes sure it’s secure. She completes this routine six times in a row. Megan inherently believes she has to “or something bad is going to happen.” Sometimes when she is at work her mind tells her to do something out of the ordinary, such as: “Restart your computer 5 times in a row or something bad will happen.”

These thoughts ebb and flow as the day continues, and on particularly stressful days they increase to the point of constant chatter in her head. Megan hates these intrusions, these irrational thoughts, but she is too afraid to ignore them, because, “Who knows? Something bad really may happen.”

She’s not alone, as many as one out of fifty adults suffers from various degrees of OCD.  Some people are naturally more orderly and neat, however these behaviors are a problem if they start disrupting your life. With most anxiety disorders such as OCD, acting on the intrusive thought doesn’t bring pleasure but reduces anxiety. So when do you know you’ve crossed the line?

Telling the difference between a Quirk and an Issue:

Quirk:  Making sure your closet is spotless, organized, and color-coded.
Issue:  Thinking about your closet, having to put clothes way in an exact fashion, starting over if not done correctly.

Quirk:  Checking the oven to make sure it is off more than once.
Issue:  Checking if the oven is off every time you leave house (even if you haven’t used it), the fear causing you to be late for things, or even coming back home to check.

Quirk:  Your desk is incredibly organized; everything is in its place and people often comment about how impeccable it is.
Issue:  You spend much of your workday making sure it’s organized—often putting off work to make sure everything is in its place.  You’re unable to work or complete tasks unless you feel it’s completely “right.”

The bottom line: OCD is no laughing matter—it’s a disorder that truly rules someone’s life.  Therapeutic interventions are often needed to help those who suffer.  One form of therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. A proven approach, CBT incorporates anxiety reduction techniques, relaxation therapy, and thought stopping interventions.  Oftentimes, medication is used in conjunction with therapy and can be prescribed by a psychiatrist. If you think you are suffering from uncontrollable thoughts and impulsive behaviors: seek out assistance! OCD only gets worse when not treated.

anxiety, behavior, cbt, cognitive, compulsive, irrational thoughts, obsessive, ocd, psychiatrist