Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Identifying Symptoms
• Method 2 of 2: Diagnosing and Treating OCD
• Warnings

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder that can be progressive. OCD comes with repetitive thoughts and actions. This disorder is characterized by obsessions (uncontrollable, disturbing and frightening thoughts and intrusive ideas) and compulsive actions (repetitive rituals, rules, and habits that express obsessions and are prominent in everyday life). Just because you like cleanliness and order doesn't mean you have OCD. However, OCD is quite possible if obsessive thoughts begin to dominate and rule your daily life: for example, you may check many times before going to bed if the door is locked, or believe that the people around you will suffer if you do not perform certain rituals. actions.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Identifying Symptoms

1. 1 Learn about the obsessions and thoughts that are common with OCD. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder have repetitive obsessive thoughts that are often disturbing and frightening. These can be doubts, fears, obsessions, or sad images that are difficult to control. With OCD, these thoughts come at inappropriate times, take over your mind completely, and paralyze it with anxiety and fear. The following obsessions and thoughts are common:
   • Strong physiological craving for order, symmetry and precision. You may feel a lot of discomfort because the silver cutlery on the table is not laid out neatly enough, your plan is not carried out down to the smallest details, or just one sleeve is slightly longer than the other.
   • Fear of pollution and contamination. You may feel goosebumps at the thought of touching a trash can or handrail on public transport, or simply shaking someone's hand. Such obsessive thoughts are accompanied by too frequent hand washing and increased attention to cleanliness. Constant worry about imaginary symptoms and fear of various diseases can also manifest itself in suspiciousness and hypochondria.
   • Excessive indecision and the need for constant encouragement; fear of making a mistake, getting into an awkward situation, or behaving inappropriately. This can lead to inertia and passivity. When you try to take any action, you will often abandon what you intended because of doubts and fears that something will turn out wrong.
   • Fear of unpleasant and evil thoughts; obsessive and terrifying thoughts of harm to yourself or others. You may be overwhelmed by terrible obsessive thoughts (as if rising from the subconscious) about possible accidents with you or other people, although you are trying to drive them away in every possible way. Typically, these thoughts arise in everyday situations: for example, you may imagine that your friend was hit by a bus when you cross the street with him.
2. 2 Learn about the compulsive acts that often accompany obsessive thoughts. These are various rituals, rules and habits that you perform over and over again in order to get rid of obsessive and frightening thoughts. However, these thoughts often come back and become even stronger.Compulsive behaviors are anxiety-provoking in and of themselves, as they gradually become more intrusive and take longer. Often compulsive behaviors include the following:
   • Too frequent bathing, showering and washing hands; refusal to shake hands and touch the door handles; repeated checks (whether the lock is closed, whether the iron is turned off, etc.). You can wash your hands five, ten, or twelve times in a row before you feel like they are really clean. You can also lock, open, and re-close your door lock multiple times before falling asleep.
   • Constant calculation, silently or aloud, when performing routine actions; eating food in a strictly established manner; the desire to arrange things in a certain order. Perhaps, before you start thinking about anything, you need to arrange things on your desk in a strictly defined order. Or you may not be able to eat while the different parts of the dish on your plate touch each other.
   • Obsessive words, images, or thoughts, usually disturbing, that can interfere with sleep. Images of a horrible, violent death may haunt you. You may not be able to shake off fearful options and worst-case situations.
   • Frequent repetition of special words, phrases and spells; the need to do certain actions a certain number of times. For example, if you fixate on the word "sorry", you will repeat it as soon as you feel regret about something. Or you can regularly slam the car door ten times before you drive away.
   • Collecting and accumulating items without a specific purpose. You can compulsively collect various useless items that you will never need and end up filling your car, garage, backyard, or bedroom with them. There may be strong irrational cravings for certain objects, despite the fact that your mind tells you not to collect trash.
3. 3 Learn to distinguish between common "types" of OCD. Obsessions and compulsive actions often relate to specific topics and situations. There are several of the most common categories, and it is not always possible to fit a particular case into one of them. However, these categories, or types, make it easier to identify the factors that lead to compulsive behavior. The most common behaviors in OCD include washing, checking, doubting and self-deprecating thoughts, counting and organizing, and gathering.
   • Washers afraid of pollution. At the same time, compulsive behavior consists of frequent hand washing and other cleansing actions. For example, you can wash your hands five times after taking out the trash, or, after spilling something on the floor, vacuum it over and over again.
   • Checkers re-check for anything that might pose a threat. For example, you can check ten times if the front door is locked and the stove is turned off, although you must remember that you closed the door and turned off the stove. After leaving the library, you can check many times to see if you have the right book. You can check the same ten, twenty or thirty times.
   • Doubters and offenders they are afraid that something will be wrong, something terrible will happen and they will be punished. These thoughts can lead to a desire for excessive clarity and precision, or paralyze the will to act. You can constantly review your thoughts and actions for flaws and mistakes.
   • Counters and order fans obsessed with the pursuit of order and symmetry. Such people are characterized by superstitions about certain numbers, colors, or the arrangement of objects. "Bad" omens or "wrong" placement of objects cause them anxiety and discomfort.
   • Gatherers they really do not like to part with various objects.At the same time, you can collect absolutely unnecessary things that you will never need, and have a strong irrational attachment to them, although you understand that this is useless rubbish.
4. 4 Think about how severe your symptoms are. Usually, OCD symptoms are relatively mild at first, but their intensity can change throughout life. Usually, the disorder first appears in childhood, adolescence, or adolescence. Symptoms are aggravated by stressful situations, and in some cases, the disorder becomes so acute and takes up so much time that the person becomes incapacitated. If you frequently experience some of the obsessive thoughts described above and take compulsive actions that fall under one or the other category of OCD, and this takes you a significant part of your time, see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Method 2 of 2: Diagnosing and Treating OCD

1. 1 Talk to your doctor or psychologist. Don't try to diagnose yourself: While you may at times experience anxiety and obsessive thoughts, collect unnecessary items, or fear germ contamination, OCD has a wide range of conditions and symptoms, and the presence of isolated signs does not mean that you need treatment. Only a professional doctor can tell if you really have OCD.
   • There are no standard tests or tests that can be used to detect OCD unequivocally. The doctor will make a diagnosis based on an assessment of the symptoms and how long it takes you to perform the ritual activities.
   • Don't worry if you've been diagnosed with OCD - although the disorder is not "completely cured," there are drugs and behavioral therapies that can help you manage and manage your symptoms. You can learn to live with obsessive thoughts and not let them take over you.
2. 2 Ask your doctor about cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal of this method, also called "exposure therapy," or "anxiety suppression confrontation technique," is to teach people with OCD how to deal with their fears and suppress anxiety without ritualistic action. This therapy can also help reduce the tendencies to exaggeration and negative thinking that are common in people with OCD.
   • To get started with cognitive behavioral therapy, you will need to see a psychologist. Ask your family doctor to recommend a specialist or contact your local psychological clinic. It won't be easy at first, but if you really make it your goal to control your intrusive thoughts, you can do it.
3. 3 Ask your doctor about medication. Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft, are often used for OCD. Older medications such as tricyclic antidepressants (such as Anafranil) are also used. Some atypical antipsychotics such as Risperdal and Abilify, taken alone or with SSRIs, are also prescribed to reduce OCD symptoms.
   • Be careful when taking different drugs together. Before taking any drug, study its side effects and ask your doctor if it is safe to use it with drugs you are already taking.
   • While antidepressants can help reduce the symptoms of OCD, they do not cure it and should not be considered a fail-safe remedy. According to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health (USA), antidepressants helped less than 50 percent of patients get relief from OCD symptoms, even when taking two different drugs.

Warnings

• If you don’t have OCD, do not invoke OCD on every occasion when you’re in a bad mood.OCD is a serious and progressive disorder, and what you say may offend anyone who actually has the disease.