3 Ways to Overcome Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by irrational fears or obsessions that lead the affected person to engage in compulsive behaviors to reduce or relieve anxiety. It can manifest itself in a mild or severe form and be accompanied by other problems of a psychological nature. It is not easy to manage this syndrome, especially if the sufferer does not wish to receive professional help. Psychiatrists use various psychotherapeutic and pharmacological solutions to treat people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients, therefore, could keep a journal, join a support group, and use relaxation techniques to keep it at bay. If you suspect you have obsessive-compulsive disorder, you should seek help from a mental health professional. Read on to learn more about how you can manage this syndrome.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Ask for Help Curing OCD

Step 1. Try to get the diagnosis from a professional

Even if you suspect that you have this disorder, it is not advisable to diagnose it on your own. Diagnoses in the psychological field can be very complex and are used by mental health professionals to help their patients.

• If you are unable to overcome the problems related to your obsession or compulsion on your own, consider consulting a psychologist or psychoanalyst to obtain the most appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
• Try getting a professional in this area from your doctor if you don't know where to start.

Step 2. Consider psychotherapy

Psychotherapy for OCD consists of telling a psychotherapist about one's obsessions, anxieties and compulsions in the course of regular sessions. Even if psychotherapy techniques are unable to cure obsessive-compulsive disorder, they can still be an effective tool for managing symptoms and making them less evident. The success of this approach is around 10% of cases, but symptoms are improved in almost 50-80% of patients. Psychotherapists and psychoanalysts use different techniques when working with people with OCD.

• Some psychotherapists resort to exposure therapy, thanks to which the patient is gradually exposed to whatever condition increases his anxiety, for example, not purposely washing his hands after touching a doorknob. The therapist collaborates with the subject in this way until the anxiety that arises from that circumstance begins to subside.
• Other psychotherapists use imaginative exposure, which consists in using short stories in order to simulate situations that generate anxiety in the patient. The goal of this technique is to teach the subject to manage the anxiety that triggers in certain circumstances and to desensitize him with respect to the factors that trigger it.

Step 3. Consider Medication

There are also several drugs that, according to some studies, help to immediately alleviate obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors related to OCD. Keep in mind that they actually act on symptoms, but they don't cure the disease, so it's best to combine drug therapy with counseling rather than just taking medications to keep OCD under control. Here are some of them:

• Clomipramine (Anafranil);
• Fluvoxamine (Luvox cr);
• Fluoxetine (Prozac);
• Paroxetine (Daparox);
• Sertraline (Zoloft).

Step 4. Look for a support network for dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder

Although many people view this syndrome as a problem caused solely by changes in the brain, it is important to keep in mind that the onset of OCD is often preceded by a series of traumatic, or even particularly stressful, events in an individual's life. By experiencing certain experiences, such as the loss of a loved one, the loss of an important job, or the diagnosis of a potentially life-threatening condition, anyone can fall victim to stress and anxiety. In some cases, these factors can increase the desire to control aspects of one's life that seem to be of little importance in the eyes of others.

• Try to build a strong support network that can give your past experiences the respect they deserve.
• Surround yourself with people who support you. It has been shown that to promote mental health it is important to feel a sense of solidarity from those around us.
• Find a way to spend as much time as possible with loved ones. If you feel like you're not getting the support you need from everyone you come in contact with, consider attending an OCD support group. Generally, their meetings are free and can be a great way to start talking about your disorder with empowering people who are aware of what you are dealing with.

Method 2 of 3: Manage the DOC and Stay Positive

Step 1. Analyze the triggers

Begin to pay particular attention to the circumstances in which an obsession usually arises. A few small gimmicks can allow you to gain more control in such situations, which may be enough to manage the stress that certain behavioral patterns produce.

• For example, if you always have the doubt that you have turned off the stove, imprint in your mind the gesture of turning the knobs on the hob. By creating such a mental image, it will be easier to remember that you have actually turned off the gas.
• If that doesn't work, try keeping a notepad next to the stove and make a note each time you turn it off.

Step 2. Keep a journal in which to talk about how you feel emotionally

It's a great tool for examining your emotions and getting to know yourself better. So, sit down every day and for a moment try to write down the situations that may have triggered your anxiety or discomfort. By writing down your obsessions and analyzing them, you will feel able to exert some control over them. The journal can also help you make connections between anxiety and other thoughts that have crossed your mind or other behaviors you have engaged in. This kind of self-awareness is helpful in understanding which situations aggravate the disorder.

• Try describing your obsessive thoughts in one column and defining your emotions in another, giving them a grade. In a third column you could also elaborate some interpretation related to the obsessive thoughts arising from your mood.

  • For example, imagine that you are obsessed with this thought: "This pen is covered in germs because it has been touched by many people. I could contract a terrible disease and pass it on to my children, making them sick."
  • Then you might react by thinking, "If I don't wash my hands despite the knowledge that I could infect my children, I would be a very bad and irresponsible parent. If I don't do everything in my power to protect my children, it's as if hurt myself ". Make a note of both thoughts in your journal and review them.

  

  Step 3. Remember your strengths frequently

  It has been found that self-affirmation is a capacity by which it is possible to effectively combat negative feelings. Therefore, don't be mortified and don't let OCD define your whole person. While it can sometimes be difficult to look beyond this syndrome, remember that you cannot reduce your personality to a disease.

  Make a list of all the most beautiful qualities you have and read it whenever you feel down in the dumps. Just saying one of your qualities while looking in the mirror to positively corroborate the perception you have of yourself

  

  Step 4. Congratulate yourself when you reach a goal

  It is important to set goals during treatment. Regardless of how small they are, they will give you something to work on and a reason to feel satisfied. Whenever you accomplish something you weren't able to accomplish before you went into treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, congratulate yourself and feel proud of your progress.

  

  Step 5. Take care of yourself

  Even during the treatment it is important not to neglect the body, mind and soul. Join the gym, eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep and nourish your soul by attending church services or engaging in other activities that comfort the spirit.

  

  Step 6. Adopt relaxation techniques

  OCD brings a lot of stress and anxiety. Psychotherapy and medication can help mitigate negative feelings, but you should also make time to relax each day. Activities like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, aromatherapy, and other relaxing techniques will help you cope with stress and anxiety.

  Try different relaxation techniques until you find the one that suits your needs and incorporate it into your daily routine

  

  Step 7. Stick to your daily routine

  It is likely that as you deal with OCD, you will feel like you are giving up your usual habits, but that's not good. So, try to stick to the commitments that are part of your regular daily life and keep moving on with your life. Don't let this syndrome stop you from attending school, doing your job, or spending time with your family.

  If anxiety or fear arises when you are engaged in certain activities, discuss it with a therapist, but do not shy away from what you have to do

  Method 3 of 3: Understanding the DOC

  

  Step 1. Learn about the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder

  Those suffering from this syndrome can be tormented by intrusive and repetitive thoughts, but also by impulses and unwanted and uncontrollable behaviors, which hinder their ability to act. Among the most common obsessive-compulsive behaviors are: hand cleaning, the unfulfillable urge to count anything or even simply a series of recurring negative thoughts that it is impossible to shake off. Furthermore, those with OCD often experience an inexorable and pervasive sense of uncertainty and lack of control. Other behaviors commonly associated with this syndrome include:

  • The habit of checking everything over and over. It involves actions such as repeatedly making sure that you have closed the car doors, turning the lights on and off a set number of times to see if they are actually off, inspecting that you have closed the car door or repeating the same gestures several times. People with OCD usually realize that their obsessions are irrational.
  • The obsession with washing hands, removing dirt or contaminants. People with this disorder wash their hands after touching anything they consider "contaminated".
  • Intrusive thoughts. Some people with OCD complain of inappropriate and stressful thoughts. They usually fall into three categories: violent thoughts, inappropriate thoughts of a sexual nature, and blasphemous religious thoughts.

  

  Step 2. Understand the obsession-stress-compulsion pattern

  A subject affected by this syndrome is conditioned by some factors that cause him anxiety and stress. It is for this reason that he feels compelled to engage in behaviors that allow him to temporarily relieve or reduce the anxiety he feels, although the cycle starts again as soon as the relief wears off. OCD sufferers can live in a vicious cycle of obsession, stress and compulsion many times a day.

  • The trigger. It can be internal or external, like a thought or an experience: for example, the risk of being infected or the experience of having been robbed in the past.
  • Interpretation. Interpretation of the trigger depends on how likely, serious or alarming the trigger is perceived. It becomes an obsession when the person feels it as a real threat that will almost certainly prove to be true.
  • Obsession / anxiety. If the person perceives the triggering factor as a real threat, the anxiety increases considerably to produce obsessive thoughts over time. For example, if the danger of being robbed is so strong that it generates anxiety and fear, this thought could turn into an obsession.
  • Compulsion. It is the "routine" or action you need to take to be able to cope with the stress caused by your obsession. It is accentuated due to the need to watch over certain aspects of the surrounding environment in order to feel that you have control over the danger represented by the obsession. This could be the act of making sure five times that the lights are out, reciting a made-up prayer, or washing your hands. You will likely get the impression that the stress from repeated action (such as checking to close doors) is less than the stress you would experience if you were robbed.

  

  Step 3. Learn the difference between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCD)

  When many people think of OCD, they believe it is an extreme attention to order and rules. While this may be one of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it cannot be diagnosed this way unless the thoughts and behaviors associated with that worry are unwanted. On the other hand, it could be a typical attitude of the OCD, which is a personality disorder characterized by the imposition of rather high personal standards and an excessive attention to order and discipline.

  • Since there is a high degree of overlap and mutual influence between the two syndromes, keep in mind that not everyone with OCD suffers from a personality disorder.
  • Because many of the behaviors and thoughts related to OCD are unwanted, the latter is often considered to be much more dysfunctional than OCD.
  • For example, the behaviors associated with OCD can impair the ability to perform tasks on time or, in extreme cases, even leave the house. Intrusive, and sometimes vague thoughts often arise, such as "What if I forget something important at home this morning?", Which could cause even debilitating anxiety for the subject. If an individual engages in this type of behavior and produces similar thoughts early in life, they will most likely be diagnosed with OCD rather than OCD.

  

  Step 4. Realize that there are various grades and types of DOC

  In all cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder, thought or behavioral patterns develop that produce noticeably negative effects on daily activities. Since the range of patterns associated with OCD is quite wide, it would be better to consider OCD as part of a spectrum of disorders rather than as a single disease. Symptoms may or may not cause the person to seek treatment, depending on how much it interferes with their daily life.

  • Ask yourself if a particular pattern of thinking and / or behavior is negatively affecting your life. If the answer is yes, then you should seek help.
  • If OCD is mild and doesn't interfere with your daily life, still try to consider getting help to keep it from getting out of hand. For example, the DOC may be minor if it causes you to verify that doors are closed despite repeated checks. Even if you don't take action against such an urge, this behavior could become such a powerful distraction that it keeps you from thinking about other aspects of your life.
  • The boundary between an OCD and an irrational impulse of an occasional nature is not always clear-cut. You will need to determine for yourself whether the urge is severe enough to warrant the intervention of a mental health professional.