What people with OCD want you to know?

And here's what else people with OCD want you to know.
  • 01 of 15. OCD Is a Serious Mental Disorder. ...
  • 02 of 15. A Lot of People Have OCD. ...
  • 03 of 15. OCD Is Not a Joke. ...
  • 04 of 15. OCD Is a Type of Anxiety, Not Psychosis. ...
  • 05 of 15. OCD Is More Than a Fear of Germs. ...
  • 06 of 15. It's Not Just Hand-Washing, Either. ...
  • 07 of 15. ...
  • 08 of 15.

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What questions do people with OCD ask?

Screening questions for OCD*
  • Do you have frequent unwanted thoughts that seem uncontrollable?
  • Do you try to get rid of these thoughts and, if so, what do you do?
  • Do you have rituals or repetitive behaviours that take a lot of time in a day?
  • Do you wash or clean a lot?
  • Do you keep checking things over and over again?

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What do people with OCD think about?

People with OCD may have obsessions, compulsions, or both. Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety. Common obsessions include: Fear of germs or contamination.

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What not to tell someone with OCD?

What Not to Say to Someone With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • "Don't worry, I'm kind of OCD sometimes, too."
  • "You don't look like you have OCD."
  • "Want to come over and clean my house?"
  • "You're being irrational."
  • "Why can't you just stop?"
  • "It's all in your head."
  • "It's just a quirk/tic. It isn't serious."
  • "Just relax."

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What goes on in the mind of someone with OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has two main parts: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, images, urges, worries or doubts that repeatedly appear in your mind. They can make you feel very anxious (although some people describe it as 'mental discomfort' rather than anxiety).

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What the OCD community wants YOU to know about #RealOCD

43 related questions found

How do you interact with OCD people?

Here are some things you could try:
  1. Agree on an approach that feels right for you both. ...
  2. Encourage them to challenge compulsions where appropriate. ...
  3. Offer a hug or other emotional support instead of helping with a compulsion.
  4. Seek advice.

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How do you communicate with an OCD person?

Suggestions for supporting the person with OCD include:
  1. Offer reassurance that OCD is a recognised and treatable illness.
  2. Assist them to be fully informed about effective treatments, including medication and psychological therapy. ...
  3. Encourage them to seek treatment from a professional who is experienced in treating OCD.

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What aggravates OCD?

Trauma, stress, and abuse all can be a cause of OCD getting worse. OCD causes intense urges to complete a task or perform a ritual. For those who have the condition, obsessions and compulsions can begin to rule their life.

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What factors worsen OCD?

Ongoing anxiety or stress, or being part of a stressful event like a car accident or starting a new job, could trigger OCD or make it worse. Pregnancy or giving birth can sometimes trigger perinatal OCD.

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What not to do to an OCD person?

Always try hard to agree with all obsessive thoughts — never analyze, question, or argue with them. The questions they raise are not real questions, and there are no real answers to them. Try not to get too detailed when agreeing — simply say the thoughts are true and real.

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Do people with OCD obsess over people?

When someone with OCD fixates on a person, it can become obsessive. It could be someone you're dating. It's natural to think about your partner, but when it's the only thing on your mind, that's a problem. You might not realize what you're doing, but your obsessions could create a divide in your relationship.

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Are people with OCD Overthinkers?

While both mental health conditions involve repetitive worrying, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often engage in unwanted and repetitive behavior in response to their worry. People with anxiety, however, tend to overthink their worry, but don't act in specific responsive manners.

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Are people with OCD aware that they are irrational?

People with OCD are usually aware of the irrational and excessive nature of their obsessions and compulsions. However, they feel unable to control their obsessions or resist their compulsions.

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Do people with OCD know they have a problem?

Many people with OCD know or suspect their obsessional thoughts are not realistic; others may think they could be true. Even if they know their intrusive thoughts are not realistic, people with OCD have difficulty disengaging from the obsessive thoughts or stopping the compulsive actions.

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What are typical OCD habits?

Common compulsive behaviors in OCD include:

Repeatedly checking in on loved ones to make sure they're safe. Counting, tapping, repeating certain words, or doing other senseless things to reduce anxiety. Spending a lot of time washing or cleaning. Ordering or arranging things “just so”.

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Who should someone with OCD see?

You may start by seeing your primary doctor. Because obsessive-compulsive disorder often requires specialized care, you may be referred to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, for evaluation and treatment.

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Who is most vulnerable to OCD?

OCD is most commonly triggered in older teens or young adults. Studies indicate that late adolescence is a period of increased vulnerability for the development of OCD. Boys are more likely to experience the onset of OCD prior to puberty and those who have a family member with OCD or Tourette Syndrome are most at risk.

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What does an OCD episode look like?

OCD obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive and cause distress or anxiety. You might try to ignore them or get rid of them by performing a compulsive behavior or ritual. These obsessions typically intrude when you're trying to think of or do other things.

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What is the root cause of OCD?

What causes OCD? Experts aren't sure of the exact cause of OCD. Genetics, brain abnormalities, and the environment are thought to play a role. It often starts in the teens or early adulthood.

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What makes OCD better?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the best form of treatment for OCD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered to be the best form of treatment for OCD. OCD is believed to be a genetically-based problem with behavioral components, and not psychological in origin.

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What to do when OCD is triggered?

Go to therapy

Often referred to as the gold standard of OCD treatment, exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy helps you regain control of the OCD cycle. It works by exposing you to thoughts and situations that trigger your obsessions in a safe place.

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How does OCD affect friendships?

The symptoms of OCD can also make it hard to maintain friendships. People with OCD may be too worn out from rituals to support friends, and their rituals may leave them little time for social outings. Over time, this can cause friendships to fade.

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What is an example of severe OCD?

People with severe OCD have obsessions with cleanliness and germs — washing their hands, taking showers, or cleaning their homes for hours a day. Sometimes they're afraid to leave home for fear of contamination.

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Do OCD people think differently?

The condition often involves cognitive distortions, which are inaccurate, unhelpful, and irrational beliefs that make us feel bad about ourselves. There are many types of cognitive distortion, and black-and-white thinking – also called all-or-nothing thinking — is common in OCD.

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