My 17 year old son is constantly counting things. While walking he takes two steps forward and three steps back. He has to spend time counting the number of movements he makes while washing his hands with soap.
He counts the money given to him sixteen times and he has to bow before each deity and also pray a certain number of times in a certain way, otherwise he becomes very upset and worried. Not surprisingly, she finds it difficult to study, go to college, socialize and just have a good time! I know it’s called OCD, but in the past was so afraid to go to the doctor, but I think his problems are increasing.
I looked at the woman in front of me, tears welling down her cheeks as she pointed at her sheepish-looking son, who sometimes “not so serious” mental illnesses can actually cause more suffering Because the person concerned has “insight” that is, he knows that his behavior is irrational but cannot stop himself from doing what he is doing.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental illness where a person has intrusive thoughts and
Feels the need to perform repetitive tasks in a ritualistic manner, to the extent that it causes distress, or impairs social, vocational, educational or normal functioning.
Obsessions are persistent unwanted thoughts, images, and urges, which cause worry or discomfort. This causes the performance of certain rituals, which seem to reduce anxiety. These are compulsions… and they are responsible for spoiling the quality of one’s life.
There is a very strong genetic component associated with OCD. Risk factors appear to include child abuse.
Implications for the prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, insula and posterior cingulate gyrus, and glutamate and monoamine neurotransmitters.
The most common obsessive thoughts in OCD include the fear of being contaminated with germs or dirt or
Contaminating others, fear of losing self-control and harming others, sexually explicit or violent thoughts, and excessive attention to religious or moral views. There is also a tendency towards “perfectionism”.
It usually starts between the ages of 18 and 25 but can start at any time.
Treatment is usually with a combination of medication and therapy. Medicines are very effective, provided they are given in the proper dosage and for an extended period of time.
Treatments, including CBT, help stop negative habits and replace them with healthy ways to cope.
Comparatively new therapies, including trans magnetic stimulation, gamma-knife ablation, and deep brain stimulation, have also been used to amazing effect in resistant OCD.
As someone once described what happens to him in OCD, imagine your child being the victim of an accident over and over again before your very eyes. The only way to prevent that incident is to keep repeating the action that eased some of the anxiety a long time ago when it happened for the first time in your life. You think it is very important to keep repeating this until the thought that this is what happens in my mind every minute.
OCD will never go away on its own, needs treatment!! We need to be proactive and deal with it on a war footing to allow this to be a reality.
Disclaimer
The views expressed above are those of the author.
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