Javeria Shahid A Quick Guide
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurring thoughts and actions that cause distress and anxiety. It can disrupt daily life functioning. The potential causes of OCD include genetic factors, biological factors, and learned negative thought patterns and behaviors. Treatment options include cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, and self-help strategies.
Understanding OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by having obsessions which are recurrent thoughts, and images that cause distress or anxiousness, and compulsions which are actions that a person performs in order to lessen their anxiety. You may feel a loss of control over these obsessions and compulsions. If they are excessively time taking and are beyond your control, then it might just be OCD. OCD can also lead to disruption in your daily life functioning. We will discuss some of the potential causes of OCD further ahead.
How does it work?
OCD has a vicious cycle. You may experience recurrent intrusive thoughts. You may try to suppress, ignore or distract yourself from these thoughts. But that only leads to more anxiety. So in the end you feel driven to perform those actions to ease your anxiety. OCD often has themes. For instance, a person with a fear of contamination may repeatedly wash their hands even if they are chapped or sore.
Prevalence
It is possible for OCD to be diagnosed in childhood though typically it is diagnosed in teenagers or young adults. The type of OCD a person may experience also changes with time. Initially, the symptoms are less severe though, but over time, their severity may vary. For instance, a person’s symptoms may worsen if they undergo a lot of stress. Furthermore, OCD tends to be higher in women than men. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 2.3% of US adults have a lifetime prevalence of OCD.
What causes OCD?
Research has not found the exact cause of OCD. However, there are certain factors that may explain some of the potential causes of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD which are as follows:
Genetic Factors
While OCD does have a genetic component, the exact genes are not identified yet. But if someone from your first-degree relatives like your parents or siblings, has OCD, then you are much more likely to have it as well.
Biological Factors
OCD can also be caused due to some changes in your body’s natural chemistry or some brain functions. Moreover, if there are certain physical differences in particular parts of your brain, that may also lead to OCD.
Learning Theory
The symptoms of OCD are the outcome of a person learning negative thought patterns and behaviors toward circumstances that were once neutral, which might come from life events. In other words, you may learn certain behaviors if they are performed repeatedly in front of you over time.
Watch: [2-Minute Neuroscience: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)]
What are the risk factors of OCD?
There are certain factors that can lead to OCD as well which we will discuss ahead:
Stressful Life events
If a person has experienced some sort of physical, or sexual abuse as a child. They may be more prone to OCD.
Coexisting mental health conditions
At times OCD is also related to other mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders such as social anxiety, substance abuse, or tic disorders
To know more about the link between depression and OCD, check out our other article: OCD And Depression: Is There A Link? & How Can It Affect You?
In some cases, a child might get OCD after they have had a streptococcal infection. This is known as Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections, or PANDAS.
We hope you found this article useful in understanding more about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD, its causes, and risk factors.
To know more about the treatment of OCD, check out our other article: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Treatment.