Somatic OCD is a form of OCD that causes intrusive thoughts are focused on autonomic, or non-conscious body processes and functions, like breathing, blinking, or physical sensations.
Somatic OCD cycles are often triggered by an intrusive thought that creates increased awareness around a particular bodily function to the point of obsession. For example, someone with somatic OCD might be eating at a restaurant and suddenly become very aware of their own chewing.
Some people with Somatic OCD recover completely through ERP. But for many, their obsessions never fully go away. OCD recovery has more to do with managing the condition, than it does with eliminating it. However, that doesn't mean you can't lead a healthy, happy life.
People with somatic OCD struggle with being unable to “not notice” or “pay attention” to somatic sensations after noticing them. Once the awareness sets in, it is hard to stop, as trying not to think about something is the same as thinking about it, so trying to suppress the thoughts won't help them go away.
The word somatic means “relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind.” So, somatic compulsions are rituals focused on the body and how it feels. Somatic, or body-focused, compulsions are common in OCD. Somatic compulsions are often connected to worries about health conditions.
Usually in OCD, the obsessions would not be confined to somatic symptoms. Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), requires the patient to have a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness. Somatic symptoms are either not present or are mild in intensity.
Research suggests that OCD involves problems in communication between the front part of the brain and deeper structures of the brain. These brain structures use a neurotransmitter (basically, a chemical messenger) called serotonin.
Amitriptyline, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and St. John's wort are effective pharmacologic treatments for somatic symptom disorder.
Imaging, surgical, and lesion studies suggest that the prefrontal cortex (orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortexes), basal ganglia, and thalamus are involved in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
There are a variety of conditions that have obsessive compulsive disorder qualities that are quite similar to OCD such as PANDAS, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), hoarding disorder, trichotillomania, compulsive skin picking, hypochondria, and olfactory reference syndrome.
Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) occurs when a person feels extreme, exaggerated anxiety about physical symptoms. The person has such intense thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to the symptoms, that they feel they cannot do some of the activities of daily life.
When somatic OCD is untreated, it can take over a person's ability to think about anything other than their somatic experiences, lead to isolation from others and a sense of hopelessness about their life. If you're struggling with this subtype of OCD, there is help available.
Intrusive thoughts a primary cause of preventing people with OCD from being able to relax and drift off into a peaceful night's sleep. The stillness of the night almost shines a spotlight on mental compulsions that makes them even more difficult for those with OCD to ignore.
How might caffeine improve symptoms of OCD? It's not clear. One possibility is that it can increase the release of dopamine in the brain, potentially improving the ability to divert attention away from obsessions. Improvements in mood and energy may give people a greater motivation to resist their intrusions.
They include somatization disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder, hypochondriasis, conversion disorder, pain disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and somatoform disorder not otherwise specified. These disorders often cause significant emotional distress for patients and are a challenge to family physicians.
Somatic symptom disorder (SSD formerly known as "somatization disorder" or "somatoform disorder") is a form of mental illness that causes one or more bodily symptoms, including pain.
The number one difference between OCD and autism is that a person with OCD is participating in their behaviors consciously, while people on the spectrum may display obsessive behaviors without self-awareness.
OCD manifests in four main ways: contamination/washing, doubt/checking, ordering/arranging, and unacceptable/taboo thoughts.