OCD Isn’t What You Think

OCD Isn’t What You Think

Hi! I’m Georgia, a tutor at Tuition Extra and I have been fully diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) since the age of 12, and I would like to spread awareness of what OCD actually is.

Unfortunately, this illness is widely misunderstood and the severity of OCD has been downplayed for many years.

Companies have even included the acronym “OCD” in their name as a ‘catchy’ marketing strategy. Many people think you must be highly organised with a pristine house in order to have OCD - this is not the case.

People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder experience frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.

● An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.

● A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour or mental act that you feel you need to do to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings brought on by the obsessive thought.

(NHS, 2019)

People with OCD

People with OCD will experience obsessive thoughts which creates anxiety. To ease this anxiety, compulsive behaviour is carried out which provides temporary relief. Unfortunately, the relief is short-lived and the cycle is then repeated. The themes of obsessive thoughts and compulsions vary widely.

Example:

● Obsessive thought: “I just opened the door of my communal apartment building. This morning I had a fruit and nut bar for breakfast. What if someone in my building has a nut allergy? Are they going to die because I touched the door?”

● Compulsion: “I need to clean the door. I need to ask everyone in the building if they have an allergy. I need to wash my hands. I need to stop eating nuts.”

● This cycle may repeat if they are in contact with nuts again.

This person may also have various other obsessive thoughts revolving around the fear of harming others such as:

“I spilt water on the floor, what if someone slips and hurts themselves."

Many people with OCD are fully aware that their thoughts and behaviours are irrational but feel powerless to stop them.

How to help someone who has OCD?

If someone you know or a student you have has OCD, here are a few ways in which you can help:

• Many people who have OCD feel ashamed, reassure them that they are safe and not alone in their struggle with OCD. It is said that as many as 12 in 1,000 people are affected by this illness.
• Listen to them and do not judge.
• Don’t assume OCD is just about being organised, clean and tidy. It is a very complete illness which is often downplayed and misunderstood.
• Research OCD so you can better understand what they may be experiencing.
• Try to encourage them to seek help by visiting their GP.

Here are some useful links that are helping spread the word about what OCD really is!

What is OCD? by Mind

OCD 'made me want to end my life' by Sky News

Can People With OCD Be Messy? by Psych Central

5 Things OCD Is Not by International OCD Foundation

Written by Georgia Hurley

#ocdawareness