Do you or a loved one fixate on certain things — like a fear of germs or a need to have everything arranged just so — and feel compelled to act on those thoughts? If these obsessions won’t go away, you may have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a condition that’s believed to affect up to 3% of the general population . The International OCD Foundation estimates that 75% of OCD cases go undiagnosed, leading to anxiety, impaired daily functioning and unnecessary distress.

What Is OCD?

OCD is a mental health disorder where a person has continual, persistent and intrusive thoughts, urges or images that cause worry and distress. These obsessions are so real that the person feels an urgent need (compulsion) to act on the obsession. Sometimes, these actions include adopting complex daily rituals to satisfy the obsession.

For many people with OCD, their obsession focuses on certain themes. A common theme is a fear of being contaminated by germs. This fear causes them to obsessively avoid contact with surfaces that may be dirty and constantly wash their hands to keep them clean.

Although often trivialized, OCD is a serious condition that, if not treated, gets worse over time. Consequences of undiagnosed OCD include social isolation, feelings of loneliness and depression.

Common OCD Subtypes

If you have OCD, symptoms may manifest in several ways, known as subtypes. Some common OCD subtypes are as follows:

  • Contamination OCD. An extreme fear of contamination by germs, microbes and toxic substances. It leads to extreme avoidance behaviors of public places and bathrooms, as well as compulsive hand washing and cleaning.
  • Harm OCD. Unwanted thoughts of causing accidental harm to yourself and others. People with this subtype aren’t at risk of acting on these thoughts, but these thoughts cause intense anxiety, avoidance behavior and constant checking.
  • Symmetry and ordering OCD. An uncontrollable need to arrange objects in a specific manner to achieve symmetry and balance. This behavior absorbs a considerable amount of time until there’s a subjective feeling of completeness. If someone disturbs the symmetry, this causes distress and severe anxiety.
  • Checking OCD. A person with this subtype has an irrational need to constantly check things. These include repeatedly checking you’ve locked the door, closed windows and switched appliances off. They fear that if they don’t repetitively check, something bad may happen.
  • Relationship OCD. In relationships, a person who experiences this subtype has continual doubts about their own and their partner’s feelings. This is shown in the need for continual reassurance and relationship analysis.
  • Pure obsessional OCD. Also known as Pure O, people have intrusive thoughts, but these obsessions aren’t accompanied by visible compulsions. Signs of Pure O include complex mental rituals and avoidance behaviors.

How OCD Is Diagnosed

While you may identify with the OCD subtypes above, this doesn’t mean you have OCD. To be diagnosed with OCD, the symptoms are severe, cause disruption in daily life and occupy considerable time every day. Clinicians use a variety of psychometric assessment tools to determine OCD. These are:

  • Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. Y-BOCS is the most commonly used assessment tool. It consists of 10 questions that measure the severity of obsessions and compulsions, and allow the clinician to assess the type of OCD and rate its severity.
  • Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5. Section 300.3 of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders provides what’s considered the gold standard clinical definition of OCD.
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised. The OCI-R is an 18-point self-reporting OCD inventory questionnaire that allows clinicians to measure and monitor OCD symptoms and how they change over time.
  • Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. DOCS is a 20-item self-reported OCD severity test that focuses on contamination, unacceptable thoughts, symmetry, ordering and harm.

OCD vs. General Anxiety: Key Differences

Generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) share certain similarities with OCD because both conditions involve severe anxiety. If you have a generalized anxiety disorder, you’re constantly worried about everyday life. Often, these worries are exaggerated and misplaced. They frequently concern employment, finances, health and family. These worries may continue for several months.

With OCD, worries are more specific and include intrusive thoughts that become obsessions. If you have GAD, you tend to avoid situations that trigger anxiety, while with OCD, you engage in compulsive behaviors intended to satisfy your obsessions.

Both conditions are debilitating and interfere with life.

OCD Treatment Approaches

OCD treatment at Restore Mental Health uses a combination of therapy and medication to help control OCD symptoms. Treatment is effective, and 70% of people with OCD experience a significant reduction in symptoms. Some people need ongoing therapy. Primary treatments for OCD include:

  • Exposure and response prevention. This is a specialized form of CBT. Using ERP therapy, the therapist exposes you to the things that trigger obsessions and gently trains you to resist the urge to engage in compulsive behaviors. With practice, the brain learns that you’ll come to no harm when you don’t respond to obsessive thoughts.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy. In addition, our therapists use CBT therapy to help change negative thought patterns and learn how to avoid unhelpful behaviors in a broader sense.
  • Medication. We may prescribe medications to reduce the intensity of your OCD symptoms during ERP therapy. Antidepressant medication can help treat severe OCD, especially if you have a co-occurring mental health condition like depression or anxiety.

What OCD Treatment Looks Like at Restore Mental Health

In treatment, you learn to confront your obsessive fears and that you don’t need to respond with compulsive behaviors.

Residential treatment at Restore Mental Health allows you to work closely with our therapists in a safe and secure environment. We structure the treatment program specifically for you and work at a pace you’re comfortable with. We also treat any associated physical or mental health conditions.

Alternatively, intensive outpatient treatment is less disruptive. It allows you to live at home and go to work. The intensive program is flexible, but you’ll need to spend between 5 and 6 hours each day in treatment.

Life After Treatment: Managing OCD Long Term

After treatment, you can engage in activities you previously avoided without fear. You can use your newfound freedom to interact socially and communicate with friends, family and people you meet during the day. Consider joining an OCD support group, as this can help you socialize with like-minded people and prevent a relapse. Practice the tools and techniques you’ve learned, and use them if you feel you’re slipping back into unhealthy OCD behaviors.

Finding Help for OCD

If you’re struggling with OCD, a course of residential or intensive outpatient OCD treatment at Restore Mental Health in Deerfield Beach, FL, may be the right solution for you. We treat all forms of OCD. Don’t struggle on your own; contact us now for an appointment. Our compassionate counselors will advise you on the best treatment options for your condition.