Health
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder, what are the symptoms, and how is it diagnosed?
Often thought of as obsessed with cleanliness or paranoid about leaving the oven on, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a serious condition as common as diabetes.
Beyond Blue estimates that about 3% of Australians (more than 500,000) will have OCD in their lifetime, but psychologists say it’s still largely misunderstood.
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder?
OCD is characterized by repetitive and intrusive thoughts, urges, urges, or repetitive actions and behaviors that are distressing and time-consuming.
Clinical psychologist Emily O’Leary, Ph.D., said, “Obsessive-compulsive disorder is primarily an anxiety state, characterized by intrusive thoughts, impulses, and impulses that enter a person’s head and tend to be quite left-wing. is.
“People get a little shock when they get infected. [those thoughts]Because it makes no sense.
“And because of that, they have to be distressed, anxious, and engage in a number of behaviors called compulsions.”
Dr. O’Leary says these behaviors are designed to neutralize or reduce the anxiety a person is experiencing by trying to control it, which can be a physical or mental urge. .
“But the problem is that the action becomes the problem, so the solution becomes the problem,” she says.
“Sometimes OCD can be seen as a pretty weird and bizarre disorder that people don’t really understand.
“I wish people with obsessive-compulsive disorder could be viewed with a little more compassion, rather than as such.” [who] Wash your hands often. “
What are the symptoms?
OCD symptoms vary from person to person, but there are some common thought patterns and behaviors.
Common obsessions include:
- Risk of contamination with germs, dirt and other diseases
- always need to organize things in a certain way
- obsessed with things following certain patterns
- Worried about turning off appliances or unlocking doors
- Overwhelming concern for personal safety or the safety of others.
Some common impulses are:
- Excessive cleaning, hand washing or showering
- Continuously checking taps, lockouts, etc. for fear of damage or to maintain order and symmetry
- Count items and objects such as stairs and paving blocks when walking
- seek constant reassurance from others
- Hoarding and collecting useless or worthless items.
But because thoughts don’t always lead to actions, says Dr. O’Leary, people who fear contamination don’t always wash their hands repeatedly.
“It might not be what we call contact contamination. It might be something like mental contamination, which is a sense of contamination,” she says.
“May be related to compulsions like check-in.”
However, the above is not a complete list of actions and thoughts, so your preference for how you store spices in your pantry is not necessarily a symptom.
It is the behavioral obsession that matters with OCD, not the behavior itself.
Are there different forms of OCD?
The International OCD Foundation recognizes several subsets of OCD, although some of the themes overlap, and they classify OCD in humans.
“Usually there’s something that’s been contaminated that threatens to catch an infection or AIDS or a flesh-eating bacterium, you name it, and you can get it,” says Dr. O’Leary.
“Others fear harm-related OCD, which is a fear about hurting others and sometimes hurting themselves, but it’s more focused on loved ones.
Dr. O’Leary says this subset is seen “more” in children.
“They worry about stabbing or hurting their family members and about getting them home safely,” she says.
OCD related to sexual orientation and identity is also common, according to Dr. O’Leary.
“If someone identifies as heterosexual, they may consider themselves bisexual or gay, or they may be someone who is obsessed with being transgender,” she said. says.
Symmetry and orderliness are also subtypes of OCD, requiring people to do things a certain way.
There is also relational OCD, according to Dr. O’Leary.
“If a person really loves another person, suddenly they think, ‘No, this is completely wrong. You don’t love that person. You’re going to cheat on him.’ ‘ she says.
“When the therapist says, ‘Wait a minute, don’t you love them?’ instead of actually going, ‘That’s relationship OCD.’
Who is more likely to have OCD?
Dr O’Leary says OCD affects about 3% of the Australian population and is “as common as diabetes”.
“It’s actually a very common condition. Basically, when people say, ‘I have these very strange thoughts,’ people are afraid not to be understood, so they don’t talk.” Not. It is,” she says.
Family history plays a large role in OCD, and research suggests it may be genetic.
“If you have a first-degree relative with obsessive-compulsive disorder, you’re five times more likely,” she says.
“It’s hard for parents because a lot of times they feel guilty, ‘Did I give this to my child?'” And so on. “
Other medical conditions may also be closely associated with OCD, such as body dysmorphic disorder, anorexia nervosa, hypochondriasis, and obsessive compulsive alopecia.
People with OCD are also more likely to develop depression and other anxiety disorders.
“We know that mood disorders and depression are highly comorbid in obsessive-compulsive disorder, about 60%,” says Dr. O’Leary.
“Sometimes, comorbidities, not obsessive-compulsive disorder, can actually make the condition worse. For example, people go and use substances, avoid school, or sleep too much.”
How can OCD be treated and managed?
OCD is treated and managed differently for each person, but the basics are similar, according to Dr. O’Leary.
“by [a number of] In many cases, [include]: How long have you had the disorder, what is the severity, what is the extent of the disorder, and possibly [their] age,” she says.
An evidence-based treatment session, including cognitive-behavioral therapy with a psychologist, usually begins.
For people with OCE, the first part of treatment involves talking about what the condition is and understanding their behavior and thought patterns.
“Then we’ll start. Maybe in session 5 or 6 to assess how they’re doing. If they’re having trouble paying attention to what you say, discuss it with your family. Talk to the child or the adult to discuss the role of medication and combination therapy,” says Dr. O’Leary.
“So we tend to get referrals to psychiatrists. If you have a really good GP informed about OCD and anxiety.
“Then the combination therapy continues. Most studies say about 12 to 16 sessions for children.”
Dr. O’Leary says exercise can also help manage OCD.
“There are studies that specifically state that exercise is roughly equivalent to low doses of SSRIs[drugs that raise serotonin levels].”
I suspect obsessive-compulsive disorder. How do I get a diagnosis?
Your first contact should be your primary care physician or health care professional. They can listen to your concerns and refer you to relevant mental health professionals such as psychologists.
However, it can be a costly task, both financially and time wise. Waiting list times have gotten worse since COVID-19, so patients can wait months to see a specialist.
“Once a child, adolescent, or adult attends, we do something called a clinical interview. It sounds scary, but it’s not,” says Dr. O’Leary.
“Basically, we focus on actions that we feel are necessary to keep ourselves, and generally our families, safe.
“So, following a clinical evaluation, we see if you meet the criteria for OCD. Then we also do what’s called a psychometric test, which looks at your symptoms and assesses their severity.
“From there, we create an individualized treatment plan.”
Dr. O’Leary recommends that any parent who suspects their child has obsessive-compulsive disorder be evaluated.
“There are different stages of development, and there are repetitive behaviors and a kind of self-stimulating behavior where people do things over and over again,” she says.
Stimulation is the repeated use of specific body movements or vocalizations that often help calm the person exhibiting the behavior.
“But if it starts to interfere with their daily lives and you start to worry, go and get evaluated.
“It’s not that scary.”
|
Sources 2/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-29/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-diagnosis-treatment-management/101828688 The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos
to request, modification Contact us at Here or [email protected]
 |
 |
 |
