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Why We Should Have Sympathy for People with OCD

  • Writer: Gamer B
    Gamer B
  • Oct 28
  • 3 min read

What Is OCD?


According to a BMJ clinical review on obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD is the fourth most common mental health disorder after depression, alcohol/substance misuse, and social phobia, with a lifetime prevalence in community surveys of 1.6%. Despite this fact, OCD is one of the most overlooked disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder(OCD) is a mental disorder in which you have thoughts (obsessions) and rituals (compulsions) over and over that interfere with your life, but you cannot control or stop it(MedlinePlus). There are infinite forms of OCD, a person with OCD will fall into one of these categories:


  • Checking OCD

  • Contamination / Mental Contamination OCD

  • Symmetry and Ordering OCD

  • Ruminations / Intrusive Thoughts OCD


Some forms of OCD include Cleaning and Contamination OCD, Symmetry and Ordering OCD, Intrusive Thoughts OCD, Hoarding OCD, and Pedophilia OCD.

(OCD-UK)


Why We Should Have Sympathy for People with OCD


I was watching Ginny and Georgia in my living room when a scene came up which produced a great line of monologue. Marcus, a character in that show, said something that stuck with me, pertaining to his own struggle with depression, which went something like: it’s [depression] like having your arm cut off, and it’s bleeding, but no one sees the bleed, no one sees the severed arm — only you.

This was not only a perfect way to describe every mental disorder, but a perfect way to describe OCD — an invisible battle. The fear of contamination can, for example, prevent accessing appropriate health services or lead to dermatitis from excessive washing (BMJ, 2014). People with OCD can harm themselves, due to unwanted intrusive thoughts followed by feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and even occasional panic (McLean, n.d.).


Imagine washing the dishes, alone with your thoughts, finally finished with the last green plate but suddenly your mind whispers. “Wash the green plate again or your mom will die,” let say you try to ignore it. Due to your OCD, your mind will repeat that whisper over and over again(obsession) until you do the task, and if you complete the task your mind could say wash the plate 5 more times or 10 more times (compulsions) just until it feels right. Now imagine hearing those thought every single day. OCD is like saving the world through your mind, but you’re not saving the world it irrational it false. We should have sympathy because OCD is a difficult and distressing disorder. OCD occurs diffrently in everyone.

The cycle of OCD by psychcentral.com
The cycle of OCD by psychcentral.com

Solutions to OCD


While treatment that dismantle the disorder is not here yet, some solutions are helpful for people with moderate and severe OCD. These treatments include psychotherapy, known as talk therapy, medicines, and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). ERP, a part of CBT therapy, involves exposing you over time to a feared object or obsession, such as dirt. Then you learn ways not to do your compulsive rituals. ERP takes effort and practice, but you may enjoy a better quality of life once you learn to manage your obsessions and compulsions.

According to the Mayo Clinic, some medicines that can help control the obsessions and compulsions of OCD Include;


  • Fluoxetine (Prozac) for adults and children 7 years and older

  • Fluvoxamine (Luvox) for adults and children 8 years and older

  • Paroxetine (Paxil) for adults only

  • Sertraline (Zoloft) for adults and children 6 years and older

  • Clomipramine (Anafranil) for adults and children 10 years and older


However, your doctor may prescribe other antidepressants and psychiatric medicines. if psychotherapy and medicines can’t control OCD symptoms, other options may be offered: intensive outpatient and residential treatment programs, deep brain stimulation (DBS), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).


REFRENCE

BMJ. (2014). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. BMJ, 348, g2183. https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2183

Abramowitz, J. S., Taylor, S., & McKay, D. (2009). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Lancet, 374(9688), 491–499. https://www.thelancet.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1016%2FS0140-6736%2809%2960240-3&pii=S0140-6736%2809%2960240-3

MedlinePlus. (n.d.). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/obsessivecompulsivedisorder.html

OCD-UK. (n.d.). OCD types. https://www.ocduk.org/ocd/types/.

McLean Hospital. (n.d.). Everything you need to know about OCD. https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/ocd

 
 
 

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