Obsessive compulsive disorder( OCD)

After a long day I decide to relax and watch a movie, ten minutes later.. I realize I'm not following the movie but I'm counting my right hand fingers in my head repeatedly. I try to stop but I can't.. I try once again to stop but it brings about the thought that if I dare to stop something bad will happen. It goes on for a while until I get sleepy, and I decide to go switch off the lights so that I can get to bed. I walk towards the switch and i switch off and immediately after switching off i get the feeling I have not done it properly and I end up switching on and off ten times. This goes on for a while and after a few days it subsides only for it to reappear weeks later.

   I struggled with this unknown problem until I came to learn about obsessive compulsive disorder. OCD has both obsessions (repeated unwanted thoughts) that lead to compulsions(the urge to repeat something). Everyone gets repetitive behaviors and thoughts at some point in their lives like checking the door several times to ensure It's locked but OCD is worse because it's very time consuming.. occurs more than one hour a day,causes distress if the actions are not performed and disrupts daily activities.

   Some common obsessions are constant fear about you or other people getting hurt, being aware of your body sensations, fear of germs and diseases, unwanted sexual thoughts, a song stuck in the head on repeat and concern about evenness and security.

  Examples of compulsions include counting things like steps, doing things in a specific order, repeating body movements like touching, frequent checking like checking if the baby is still breathing, rereading words or sentences, excessive cleaning and showering, repeating activities like getting up or down the stairs and counting while performing tasks. Some people with OCD also experience tics:- brief sudden and repetitive actions like jerking their head,clearing throat and shrugging their shoulders.

  You're more likely to get OCD if one of your parents has the disorder or if there's a history of the disorder in your family. OCD is also linked to anxiety disorder, depression and substance abuse. Stress also plays a big role, it triggers the emotional distress caused by OCD which explains why OCD "disappears" and "reappears".OCD is high when one is stressed because you feel driven to perform compulsive rituals to ease the stress and it's always advisable to find appropriate coping strategies. 

   OCD has no cure, you can only control your symptoms so that they don't hijack your day to day activities. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) helps you to confront your obsessions and resist the urge to repeat behaviours. The therapist puts you in a situation that usually makes you feel anxious and when you get the urge to perform your compulsions you're encouraged to tolerate. Psychiatric drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors reduce obsessions and compulsions. For those who can't access therapy due to unavoidable circumstances,simple relaxation techniques like meditation and massage can reduce the symptoms. Try and channel your mind to something else when those obsessions kick in, it's very hard to ignore but try doing something or talking to someone. If the disorder is severe or if someone has both OCD and another mental health disorder some people need long lasting and intensive treatment.

   People with OCD know that their fears are not realistic, very true..they are not! Instead of lessening your distress you have been sustaining and worsening the situation. Relax and resist that urge..I overcame my OCD.. so can you!