Think of OCD and images of compulsive hand-washers spring to mind.
David Beckham
has spoken of having it, as have actresses Charlize Theron and Megan Fox.
But most of us actually know very little about the condition, despite two percent of the population – so literally millions of us – having it and suffering the often devastating consequences of it.
In recent years, 'OCD' has become a bit of a buzzword, used frivolously as an off-the-cuff statement: "Oh, I checked the door twice. I am soooooo OCD!' or 'Oh, I washed my hands three times. How OCD am I?"
Sadly, in reality, OCD is more than that – much, much more.
It is a deep-rooted, anxiety-based, debilitating and destructive mental illness that affects both the sufferers and their carers alike.
Once well established, the severity of this dreadful illness - and the misery it rains down on the sufferer - can destroy relationships and ruin the lives of not only the person suffering, but also everyone around them.
I know this only too well as my daughter Samantha, now 26, battled OCD for four years on the back of an eating disorder (I firmly believe the two illnesses are linked).
Thankfully, today, after a long journey, our family has watched her grow into a confident and vibrant young lady – free from the shackles of this devastating condition.
WHAT IS OCD?
OCD is a serious mental illness that changes a person's way of thinking, their feelings, their behavior, or – in probability – all three.
It deserves the same attention and respect as any physical illness. Yet sadly it is still often woefully misunderstood, feared and trivialized – because it cannot be seen.
Everyone has their own idiosyncratic habits that can become a little obsessive from time to time, and intrusive thoughts that may seem a little too dark, or fears and phobias that can have a brief impact.
However, the difference from illness is that someone who is not suffering from OCD is usually able to make a very clear distinction between their thoughts and reality.
SPOTTING THE SIGNS: IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HANDWASHING
It is important to recognize the difference between 'OCD' as a generalized slang term and the actual medical condition, which can be totally debilitating and consume every aspect of the sufferer's life.
Below are some examples to help distinguish between potentially non-OCD behavior and true OCD behavior.
As you can see, a
real
threat and a perceived – and often irrational - threat are two very different things.
However, people suffering from OCD simply cannot ignore a thought - despite often knowing it is irrational or a threat is unrealistic.
This is because their perceptions of the level of danger, either to themselves or to others - usually loved ones - can cause their anxiety levels to rise.
This feeling can become so overpowering that they over-intensify their own sense of responsibility.
This spikes their anxiety even further, pushing them towards compulsive behaviours in order to try to stop bad things from happening to them or others.
THE FIVE TYPES OF OCD
Researchers propose that OCD can be divided into five different types, based on the nature of the symptoms experienced.
Due to the complexity of the condition, OCD will usually 'attach itself' to something the sufferer cares about particularly, or to their weaknesses such as food, loved ones, cleanliness, religion and personal fears. For this reason, no two people experience OCD in exactly the same way.
Sufferers can also experience more than one kind of OCD at any one time.
The five main types are listed below, butit is important to remember that this is by no means an exhaustive list and there will always be types of OCD that express themselves differently and that are not included here.
Generally speaking, sufferers will be focused on one or more of the following:
FEAR OF CONTAMINATION
- sufferers are sometimes referred to as 'washers and cleaners'
The primary fear or obsession is that something is dirty or contaminated in some way that may cause harm, illness or even death to the sufferer or someone close to them.
The compulsion
is to clean and wash in an attempt to 'correct' this thought.
But as
with all OCD sufferers, whatever they do, it is never enough and often is taken to the extreme.
Of course, cleanliness and basic personal hygiene are important. But for people with this form of OCD, the cleaning or washing is often carried out multiple times. The internal dialogue will most likely be: 'enough is never enough, just once more, just in case, just to make sure'.
As with most types of OCD, because of the time consumed, there can be a knock-on effect to the sufferer's working life, school life, family life and relationships, not to mention damage to the part of the body being scrubbed.
CHECKING
– sufferers are sometimes referred to as 'checkers'
The primary fear or obsession here is that something may be damaged, or someone may be offended, by something the sufferer has done or not done, said or not said. The compulsion is the need to check that everything is okay and that nothing bad will happen.
Naturally, if we have concerns about any of these things, it is perfectly normal and to check just once, or even twice, but someone who has OCD will check again and again, sometimes for hours on end.
SYMMETRY AND ORDERLINESS
– sufferers are sometimes referred to as 'organizers'
We all know someone who likes things 'just so' – and we sometimes accuse them of being 'so OCD'. Perhaps they are – or not. The person who suffers from this form of OCD may have to arrange and rearrange objects until they are 'just right' over and over again; this is the compulsion.
The obsessive fear is that perfect order is necessary to avoid uneasiness and distress, or to prevent harm occurring.
INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS
– sufferers are sometimes referred to as 'obsessors' or 'ruminators'
Most people will experience intrusive thoughts of some kind, at some point in their lives; these can be centered around violence, sex or religion, to name just a few.
For most people, these will come and go. However, for an OCD sufferer, these thoughts can be constant and do not leave the mind, triggering debilitating anxiety.
HOARDING
– sufferers are sometimes referred to as 'hoarders'
Hoarding is basically the inability to rid oneself of seemingly unusable, damaged and/or worn-out possessions. Many people can be loosely labelled as 'hoarders'; however, for those who suffer from this complex form of OCD, it can be a very stressful – and in severe cases, affect the person's day-to-day living.
HOW TO GET HELP
Always remember: recovery is possible. It is not an easy journey, but it is definitely one worth taking.
OCD is recognised by the professional medical community and can be treated successfully with time, perseverance, determination, the right therapy for the individual and, in some cases, medication.
No two cases are ever the same – they are all unique to the individual sufferer – which is why treatment techniques and recovery journeys are so varied.
For anyone closely connected to OCD, be it a sufferer, a carer or a loved-one, it can be a very lonely and isolating experience.
If you are the sufferer, I have the greatest compassion for you.
You will no doubt, at some point, feel that you are losing your mind, particularly if the people around you are fearful, or dismissive about your problem.
Always have hope because anything is possible… my family is living proof of that.