Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that can consist of intrusive or unwanted thoughts, obsessive tendencies, compulsive and repetitive behaviours that are out of your control or that you do unwillingly and much more that can interfere with day-to-day life drastically. So why is it minimised into ‘people who like to clean’?Paige Bee finds out
The Stigma
I often hear ‘OCD’ used as an adjective, “oh I’m so OCD about the way I make my bed” or “don’t touch that she’s really OCD about her pencil case” etc. There is a stigma that OCD is a quirk that everyone has and it’s just a funny little trait or habit. It is this stigma that leads to the condition being underplayed and often seeming like a rather small problem, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The common outlook and light-heartedness that surrounds obsessive compulsive disorder can be very isolating and demeaning to those who suffer with it, me included. It can be extremely frustrating to speak out about something that can impact your life in such a negative way and have it met with belittling or comments such as “there is worse things to be than tidy and efficient”. We need to change the attitude towards OCD and create a better understanding of the condition as a whole so that people who suffer with it have better support and feel seen.
Why do people get OCD?
Doctors don’t know the exact reason why some people will get OCD. People are more likely to have OCD if their close relatives do, which suggests some hereditary or genetic factors. However, you can still have OCD whether it is in your family or not. There is also evidence that it can be caused by brain and hormone abnormalities, trauma related coping methods or environment.
It’s not all about cleaning
This is the number one misconception about OCD. A lot of the time it feels as though people think of OCD as obsessive cleaning disorder, not obsessive compulsive disorder. Being cautious of dirt or more specifically germs can be a focal point in a lot of OCD cases. However, many cases are nothing to do with cleaning or organisation. Compulsions and behaviours can vary from repetition or number counting, hair pulling and other forms of self-harm, intrusive and disturbing thoughts, hoarding, self-doubt, over-correction, verbal and physical ‘ticks’ and many other things. More importantly, it’s not all about the physical parts you can see, it’s about the thoughts behind them.
How OCD can affect day-to-day life
Although it can come with similar symptoms, obsessive compulsive disorder can be a different experience for everyone diagnosed. It can even shift and change over time for one person, with new ‘ticks’ or compulsions coming and going. Sometimes it can be an occasional habit or an obsession over only one thing and other times it’s more severe and carries out day through day. I am on the severe side of the spectrum. Mundane things in your day that would take a few seconds can sometimes take me an hour, whether it be turning the volume down on the tv, putting my shoes on or washing a cup. Some simple tasks can be scary and painful, brushing my teeth for example, because I have to brush until my gums bleed. If someone were to look at me, they may think I’m engrossed in my book but I’m reading the same line 4 times over in loops of 4. Or perhaps that I look peaceful, that I’m daydreaming… when in actuality I’m having intrusive thoughts about being hurt or something else I don’t want to think about. Sometimes it can feel like you’re constantly counting or obsessing over something internally and never feel truly peaceful. This can be the case for many people, a constant looming battle with your own thoughts, not knowing what’s there by choice or not.
Do I have OCD?
If this is a question you have it is always best to talk to mental health professionals about your concerns as OCD can be so different for everyone and hard to self-diagnose. If you do have OCD, you are not alone in your struggles and there are some effective treatments and methods available to help alleviate some symptoms and reduce the control it has on your life.
OCD can majorly impact people’s lives. It can be debilitating and overwhelming, it’s not a quirk and it’s not optional. Although unfortunately it is difficult to understand… however we can try, we can be more patient, more considerate and mindful. We can try and educate ourselves to our best abilities.
