OCD Therapy Services
What is OCD?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - or OCD - is a mental health disorder that features a cycle of obsessive thoughts that are relieved by compulsive behaviors. These thoughts are repetitive and unwanted, showing up unexpectedly and creating a great deal of anxiety. When this happens, there is typically a compulsion to engage in a certain behavior intended to stop them. This action is often not rational, but unable to be avoided. Even knowing the behavior doesn’t make sense, it must be completed to help ease the anxiety that the obsessive thoughts have brought on. This vicious cycle will continue, potentially creating issues through all areas of someone’s life.
What are common OCD Symptoms?
The symptoms of OCD are fairly straightforward, but it can still take some time to realize that it’s a problem. Symptoms commonly emerge in childhood or adolescence, but it can affect all ages and demographics. Most people suffer from both obsessive thoughts and compulsory behaviors, but it’s possible to just be plagued with one or the other. Symptoms of OCD may look like:
Obsessive Symptoms
The obsession part of OCD involves unwanted thoughts that pop in someone’s head again and again. These thoughts or images create a lot of internal anxiety that can become overwhelming. These thoughts may include:
- Fear of contamination
- Fear of uncertainty
- A need for order and balance
- Negative thoughts about causing – or having caused – harm
- Unwanted sexual thoughts or images
- Fear of losing control
Compulsive Symptoms
When obsessive thoughts pop up, compulsions come in to relieve that stress. These repetitive acts are done with the intention of stopping the thoughts or by seemingly preventing the fear from taking place. While people often understand these rituals aren’t necessary – or even make sense – they’re unable to stop themselves from performing them. These actions may include:
- Excessive cleaning and handwashing to prevent germs
- Doing things repetitively – counting, arranging, etc.
- Checking the same thing repeatedly (locks, the stove, a curling iron)
- Hoarding items
- Constantly asking for reassurance
- Avoiding places, people or situations that trigger obsessive thoughts
- Thinking new thoughts to “neutralize” the obsessive thoughts
Source: National Institute of Mental Health / National Alliance on Mental Illness
What causes OCD?
When it comes to pinpointing the cause of OCD, the consensus is that we can’t just name one specific thing. Researchers agree that brain activity plays a role of some sort, particularly in the regions of the brain that respond to serotonin. Genetics may also play a role, with the chances of having OCD 25% higher for those with immediate family members who also have it. Additionally, evidence supports that environmental factors may contribute for some, specifically living through a traumatic event or through learned behaviors seen while growing up.
How is OCD treated?
OCD can be difficult to live with, but with proven treatments available, it doesn’t have to be. One of the main types of treatments includes talk therapy, specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP). Sillon Wellness has a great team of experienced therapists that understand the intricacies of OCD and are trained in the specific therapy modalities needed to get better.
Treatment focuses on gaining control of symptoms so life no longer revolves around the obsessive-compulsive cycle. CBT with ERP works by gradually exposing patients to aspects of their obsessive thoughts, leading them to be confronted without the aid of their compulsive rituals. The idea is to start small, slowly increasing the amount of exposure over time. As patients experience exposure to these situations, they will see that their feared outcome did not come to fruition even without them performing their ritual. Gaining control of symptoms helps relieve symptoms, which will lessen anxiety and break the pattern.
Another treatment option, often used in conjunction with therapy, involves medication. The medication typically prescribed for OCD is an SSRI antidepressant that works to increase serotonin levels in the brain. Medication management is important to keep an eye on side effects efficacy.
Source: American Psychiatric Association / Mayo Clinic
When to seek help for OCD
We all suffer from random thoughts now and then that pop up and cause anxiety – that’s just part of being human! But when those thoughts become recurrent and require specific actions to relieve them, you might be treading into OCD territory. As OCD progresses, it can become a large part of someone’s life, eventually overtaking other aspects. Some signs it’s time to reach out for help with your OCD include:
- Lack of control over thoughts and/or behaviors
- Spending an excessive amount of time focused on thoughts
- A need to perform certain rituals to relieve anxiety
- Negative impacts to work, school or personal relationships
If your daily life has become consumed by a series of unprompted thoughts that take over until you’ve completed a task you’ve deemed necessary to relieve them, it’s time to seek out a professional to help you take control back.
OCD Treatment in Texas
OCD can become the number one factor dictating how you move through your life, but you don’t have to walk through life consumed by unwanted thoughts. The team at Sillon Wellness is equipped to help you understand and work through your thoughts to gain control of your fear and anxiety. Please contact us to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if Sillon is right for you. We’re ready to help you change your life!
OCD Related Blogs
