Here is a quick, informative article I wrote for Rowans health magazine. I am now writing for the mental illness section of the magazine. To start, I decided to share my knowledge (through personal experience) on OCD. This is only the rough draft; Ill be posting a link to the blog once it is edited and posted. :) Relationships, friendships, family-life, school, occupations—all are affected by OCD. It is ten times more difficult to handle any type of pressure or commitment while dealing with this disorder. OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, is a brain and behavioral disorder that causes severe anxiety on a daily basis, interfering with everyday life. It is categorized as an anxiety disorder. Those who are plagued with OCD experience highly irrational thoughts, images, and ideas that replay in their minds, disturbing the victims and distracting them from other aspects of their life. These are referred to as “obsessions.” The coping mechanisms for OCD are called “compulsions.” Compulsions differ and range from tapping a pencil four times in a row to constant confessing/seeking reassurance. Compulsions ease (though only temporarily) the worry behind obsessions. OCD, also known as the “doubting disorder,” is often mistaken. Many assume that those who struggle with OCD are neat-freaks who wash their hands every other minute and check that the door is locked ten times before bed. Yes, sometimes this is accurate; but there is much more to the disorder. For one thing, OCD victims rarely ever feel like anything more than a terrible person. The intrusive thoughts that haunt each sufferer refuse to be dismissed, thus exhausting the sufferer to the point of severe guilt and even depression. The compulsion is to rationalize the thoughts, which almost always fails and leaves the victim fighting an internal battle—strenuous and time-consuming. A common obsession is the idea of purposely injuring someone, usually a loved one. Because this thought is alarming, it is followed by intense feelings of shame and self-hatred. This is not a quick process—in and out of the mind. These ideas and feelings encompass the brain sometimes for weeks, making everyday tasks much tougher to focus on. Though OCD never simply leaves a person, it can be treated by cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and/or medication.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 21:55:53 +0000
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