Millions of people suffer from anxiety. Some people feel anxious before a job interview or exam, while others have to endure anxious thoughts almost all the time.
But experts believe these obsessive thoughts may not be anxiety at all and may actually be the result of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
OCD is a mental health condition that causes people to experience unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
Typical depictions of this disorder include excessive hand washing and repeatedly checking to lock the door.
But some of the roughly 3 million OCD sufferers in the U.S. say that’s far from the whole picture. This condition leads to destructive and often repetitive compulsive behaviors, but the most difficult are persistent and intrusive thoughts.
Some people have OCD tendencies, such as wanting to keep their house clean, but have not been diagnosed with clinical OCD. Doctors and patients say the condition becomes a concern when feelings of anxiety, disgust, or inadequacy intensify and begin to take over, significantly impairing a person’s ability to live. NPR.
There are several subtypes of OCD. They all involve obsessions, but they can also revolve around a variety of concerns, such as relationships.
Sarah Jaley from Washington, D.C., said, “I was always thinking that I wasn’t good enough and that I had to leave, or that there might be someone better somewhere else.” . I remembered that every day and cried a lot. ”
Sarah Jaley, from Washington, D.C., said she often thought, “I’m not good enough and I should leave.” She began to spiral into these thoughts every day and often found herself crying thinking about them. Photo provided by: Facebook
Elizabeth Vossen, a 26-year-old therapist from Boston, describes her pure obsessive OCD as “excessive thought patterns.” Photo courtesy of LifeStance Health
Michael, a 27-year-old from Greenville, South Carolina,’s obsession revolves around questions such as: “What should I do if someone cheats on me?” What if the person you’re dating doesn’t suit you? What if we don’t end up together? What if I don’t really love them? Or what if they don’t love me?
They both have relational OCD, a type of pure obsessive OCD called pure O on online message boards.
Unlike physically manifest OCD, pure OCD can often be invisible, so pure O can be difficult to detect. Approximately 10 percent of OCD patients have this Pure O subtype.
Elizabeth Vossen, 26, of Boston, describes her Pure O as an “excessive thought pattern.”
Initially, she believed that her obsession would help her work as a therapist. They sound like “Did I say the right thing?” did I do the right thing? Did I empathize enough? Did I provide the right amount of assistance?” Vossen said.
Furthermore, she added: “There’s always a part of me that’s like, ‘Isn’t that a good thing? Don’t you want to think hard about being a good therapist?'”
However, these thoughts became so intense and obsessive that they went beyond “normal” ruminations and concerns about past interactions and other people’s perceptions.
When we cling to past interactions, we feel obligated to dissect them until we feel better, even if no new insights emerge.
Vossen no longer works with clients with OCD because the obsessions have become too much for her. After one patient shared a particular obsession, she began experiencing it herself.
She said: “When I asked them about the characteristics of their intrusive thoughts, they said, ‘Oh, I imagine my tooth is going to break.’ And I imagine holding a nail clipper and cutting my tooth. . ”
“And now, every time I cut my nails or brush my teeth, I think about my tooth breaking and sometimes I clench my jaw to feel like it’s still there.”
Meanwhile, Sean Flores, 30, has been diagnosed with sexual orientation OCD.
People with SO-OCD may experience persistent doubts about their sexual orientation, fear of being or becoming gay, concerns about being perceived as a different sexual orientation, You may experience anxiety about how your sexual orientation will affect your relationships and fear of having your true orientation denied. .
is thought to affect Approximately 315,000 Americans.
Flores: “I was obsessed with the idea that overnight I would suddenly become gay.
“That’s why I avoid people and men. The things I like, like boxing and martial arts, I didn’t watch because the men were half naked.”
Sean Flores, 30, has been diagnosed with sexual orientation OCD. He explained that he suddenly became obsessed with the fear of being gay. Photo courtesy of International OCD Foundation
Everyone reconsiders or double-checks things from time to time. Not all recurring thoughts are obsessions, and not all rituals and habits are compulsions
Because of his obsessive-compulsive disorder, he believed he was HIV-positive and was forced to undergo repeated tests because the results were unreliable.
Flores grew up in a conservative Christian family in London, where being gay was considered a mortal sin.
He said: “I used to be extremely homophobic. As I grew up, I realized that people don’t get to choose who they are. Even if they could, it’s none of my business.
“You’ll start to understand that your thoughts don’t necessarily reflect parts of you. Your brain generates random thoughts.”
OCD usually begins in childhood. Behaviors associated with childhood OCD include an obsession with germs, fear of contamination from animals and people, and fear of touching surfaces.
It can also manifest as anxiety about accidentally hurting family or friends, superstitions that bad things will happen, or obsession with appearance or organization.
According to mental health experts, NIH (National Institutes of Health)everyone rethinks or double-checks things from time to time.
Not all recurring thoughts are obsessions, and not all rituals and habits are compulsions.
However, people with OCD are generally unable to control their obsessions and compulsions, even when they know they are excessive.
They typically spend an hour or more a day on their obsessions and compulsions.
Although they cannot derive pleasure from their compulsions, they may feel temporary relief from their anxiety.
They also experience serious problems in their daily lives because of these thoughts and behaviors.
Ritual, compulsive behaviors, and obsessions are physically and emotionally draining.
This condition makes social interaction, work, and even eating nearly impossible. People with OCD may feel unable to engage thoughtfully with others because they are preoccupied with their own obsessions.
You may also feel embarrassed and afraid of being criticized.
People with OCD often avoid situations that cause them severe anxiety, leading to social isolation and loneliness, which worsens their anxiety and leads to feelings of depression and hopelessness.
Treatment for OCD typically includes cognitive behavioral therapy, particularly exposure and response prevention (ERP). This gradually exposes people to situations that trigger obsessive thoughts, while also helping them resist the urge to engage in compulsive behavior.
