At any one time, a diverse set of individual, family, community, and structural factors may combine to protect or undermine mental health. Although most people are resilient, people who are exposed to adverse circumstances including poverty, violence, disability, and inequality are at higher risk. Protective and risk factors include individual psychological and biological factors, such as emotional skills as well as genetics. Many of the risk and protective factors are influenced by changes in brain structure or function.
One of the mental disorders is OCD, it affects people differently, but usually causes a particular pattern of thoughts and behaviors.
How You Can Deal With OCD?
People with Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them to perform certain rituals or routines. The disturbing thoughts are called obsessions, and the rituals are called compulsions. An example is a person with an unreasonable fear of germs who constantly wash their hands.
Obsessions: where an unwanted, intrusive, and often distressing thought, image, or urge repeatedly enters your mind.
Emotions: the obsession causes a feeling of intense anxiety or distress.
Compulsions: repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person with OCD feels driven to perform as a result of the anxiety and distress caused by the obsession.
Some common obsessions that affect people with OCD include:
- Fear of deliberately harming yourself or others.
- Fear of harming yourself or others by mistake.
- Fear of contamination by disease, infection, or an unpleasant substance.
- A need for symmetry or orderliness.
Common types of compulsive behavior in people with OCD include:
- Cleaning and hand washing
- Checking
- Counting
- Ordering and arranging
- Hoarding
- Asking for reassurance
- Repeating words in their head
- Thinking “neutralizing” thoughts to counter the obsessive thoughts
Treatment
Obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment may not result in a cure, but it can help bring symptoms under control so that they don’t rule your daily life. Depending on the severity of OCD, some people may need long-term, ongoing, or more intensive treatment.
The two main treatments for OCD are psychotherapy and medications. Often, treatment is most effective with a combination of these.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy, is effective for many people with OCD. Exposure and response prevention (ERP), a component of CBT therapy, involves gradually exposing you to a feared object or obsession, such as dirt, and having you learn ways to resist the urge to do your compulsive rituals. ERP takes effort and practice, but you may enjoy a better quality of life once you learn to manage your obsessions and compulsions.
Medications
Certain psychiatric medications can help control the obsessions and compulsions of OCD. Most commonly, antidepressants are tried first.
