Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is misunderstood
Mental illness despite affecting About 1 in 50 people – That’s about 500,000 Australians.
our new research It shows how long and difficult the path to diagnosis and treatment is.
This first study showed that it took an average of about nine years to get an obsessive-compulsive disorder diagnosis, and about four months to get some form of help.
Read more: No, pandemic OCD isn’t necessarily worse with extra handwashing
What is OCD?
OCD affects children, adolescents, and adults. about 60% Report symptoms before the age of 20.
One misconception is that obsessive-compulsive disorder is mild. You may have heard someone say “a little OCD” while joking about having beautiful stationery.
But OCD is not fun. Obsessions are extremely distressing, with repetitive and intrusive thoughts that a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder cannot control. For example, she may believe that she or her loved ones are in grave danger.
compulsion Behaviors that temporarily alleviate this distress but ultimately exacerbate it, such as making sure the door is locked. People with OCD spend hours each day on this cycle instead of normal activities such as school, work, and social life.
It can also be very painful family members It often completes rituals or gives people with OCD an excessive sense of security.
Read more: You can’t be ‘a little obsessive-compulsive’, but a daily obsession can help end the stigma of the condition
How is it diagnosed?
People with OCD often don’t tell others about their disturbing thoughts or recurring rituals.they often feel embarrassed or worried Telling someone your disturbing thoughts might make them true.
doctor don’t always ask Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder when people first seek treatment.
Both lead to delays in getting a correct diagnosis.
If you’re comfortable talking about your OCD symptoms, the diagnosis may be made by another medical professional, such as a general practitioner, psychologist, or psychiatrist.
Occasional OCD difficult to distinguish From other conditions such as eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and autism.
Get an additional mental health examination Common For people with OCD. In such cases, a healthcare provider experienced in OCD can help.
To diagnose OCD, medical professionals ask people and their families questions about the presence of obsessions or compulsions and how they affect their lives and families.
Read more: More than Habits? When You Worry About Nail Biting, Skin Picking, and Other Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
how is that handled?
Learning more about OCD and its treatments can be helpful after someone has been diagnosed.the best place to start is International OCD Foundation and OCDs United Kingdom.
Next, you’ll need to find a health care provider, usually a psychologist, who offers a special type of psychotherapy called “exposure and response prevention” or ERP.
This is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy powerful and effective treatment for OCD. I recommend people with OCD try this first.
Alex Green/Pexels
It includes therapists who help people understand the cycle of OCD and how to break that cycle. support entering the
People and their ERP therapists matter decide together What steps should be taken to truly address their fears?
People with OCD learn new ideas, such as “germs don’t always lead to illness,” rather than “germs are dangerous.”
A wide variety of drugs Effectively deal OCD. However, more research is needed to know when to add drugs.
READ MORE: Brain scan reveals why recovery from obsessive-compulsive disorder is so difficult, hints at future directions
But not everything goes according to plan
Delayed diagnosis is just the beginning.
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Access to treatment is difficult.that’s all 30% of clinicians We provide ERP therapy in the United States.Similar situation in Australia
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Many people receive treatments that they believe they can trust, but there is no evidence, such as common cognitive therapies that are not tailored to the mechanisms that maintain OCD. Inappropriate treatment wastes valuable time and effort that the person could have used to recover.Ineffective treatments may make OCD symptoms worse
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Even if someone receives first-line, evidence-based treatment, About 40-60% Percentage of people who do not improve
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There are no Australian clinical treatment guidelines or state or national clinical service plans for OCD.This makes it difficult for health care providers to know how to treat it
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was there Relatively little research funding For example, how much money was spent on OCD in the last decade compared to psychosis and dementia.
what can we do
Real change requires collaboration among health care professionals, researchers, governments, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder and their families, and advocates proportional funding for research and clinical services. increase.
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Promote public health messages to improve general knowledge about OCD and reduce stigma
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Upskilling and supporting health professionals to expedite diagnosis and enable people to receive early and targeted interventions
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Helping health professionals deliver evidence-based OCD treatments so that more people have access to these treatments
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Create state and national service plans and clinical guidelines.For example, the Australian government National Eating Disorder Collaboration Develop and implement a nationally consistent approach to prevent and treat eating disorders
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Research to discover new treatments and enhance existing treatments. These include those for those who do not recover after “exposure and response prophylaxis” therapy.
Read more: Seeing a psychologist at Medicare? Coming back for 10 sessions soon.But that’s often not enough
What should I do if I think I have obsessive-compulsive disorder?
The most common barriers to getting help are not knowing who to meet or where to go. Start with your GP. Tell them you suspect you have OCD and ask them to discuss your treatment options. These may include treatment and/or medication and referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist.
When choosing a treatment, it’s important to find a clinician who offers a specific and effective treatment for OCD.We started to help directory A group of clinicians with a special interest in treating OCD.
you can ask Potential health care professionals when providing “exposure and reaction prevention”. If not, it indicates that this is not their area of expertise. However, you can ask if you know a colleague you know. I may need to call you, so please wait until then. Good treatment can change lives.
If you have any problems with this article or are concerned about someone you know, please call Lifeline at 13 11 14.
