Please Contact Us: 888.450.7844 Email Us
Overview	My EAP	Training	Students	E-Zine	E-Zine Archive

Location: Home > KeySolutions EAP > E-Zine Archive > >Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Missy became obsessed with germs as a freshman in college. She had an unshakable fear that her hands were contaminated by deadly microbes and that by touching something, like a doorknob, someone else would become infected and die. By the end of the second week of school, she was washing more than one hundred time a day. She had a washing ritual that would take at least five minutes. If at any time she touched the side of the sink, or the faucet, she would have to start all over. She never finished a washing without having to start over.

Marta always had a deep fear that she would harm one of her children. For a long time she would force such thoughts out of her mind, but when her husband received a new knife set for Christmas, she started to panic. Soon, she continually imagined herself stabbing her children with one of the knives. She didn't tell anyone what was going on inside her mind because she was sure that the Department of Social Services would find out and take the children away. It got to the point where she couldn't even be in the same room with a butter knife or the obsessive thoughts would become unbearable.

Jim was a devoted family man. After the birth of his third child, he began to have pornographic obsessions. He soon found himself buying pornographic magazines. He would sometimes buy several magazines and videos on a binge, then throw them all away. His obsessions and compulsions were getting progressively worse and taking more time every day. He was terrified that he would lose his wife, children, and reputation. In desperation, he started seeing a therapist and attending a twelve-step group for sex addicts. Finally, he started handcuffing himself to his bed at night because he was afraid that he would commit adultery with a prostitute while his family was asleep.

Symptoms like these are not caused by lack of willpower or lack of discipline on the part of the afflicted person. People who experience symptoms such as these may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, a disease that affects an estimated five to six million Americans.

The thoughts and rituals of OCD sufferers are so disruptive and burdensome that they destroy people's lives. OCD is a chronic, lifelong illness. It affects men, women, and children, as well as people of all races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Although about 70 percent of sufferers can now find relief through drugs and/or behavioral therapy, less than 20 percent actually seek help. Most feel isolated, refuse to believe that others also have such crazy thoughts and behaviors, and fear that they will be found out. On average, people suffer acutely for seven to nine years before the symptoms become so disabling they seek help. Most who do seek help can trace their peculiar behavior to childhood.

What causes OCD? Researchers say the disorder is due to a neurological malfunction: Certain neurons are overly responsive to the chemical serotonin, which transmits signals in the brain. The drugs that stifle OCD symptoms inhibit serotonin from signaling these cells quite so strongly. The overly sensitive neurons are in a part of the brain whose job is to estimate danger in the environment. As a result, people with OCD constantly think something bad is going to happen to them or to somebody close to them. They perform their rituals with the superstitious belief that they'll ward off harm. Though people may understand that their thoughts are irrational they simply cannot stop themselves from having them.

Generally, OCD symptoms are unwanted behaviors and/or thoughts that occur at least several times a day. These can include:

repeatedly checking switches, doors, locks, stoves, etc. (not just once or twice)

fear of causing harm to oneself or another person

constant counting, "in one's head" or outwardly, while performing routine tasks

"having" to do things a certain number of times (when taking a shower, "having" to wash the left foot five times)

obsessively arranging things in an extremely orderly fashion - which often makes no sense to anyone except the OCD sufferer

pictures, words or images that "pop" into the head and won't go away (sometimes of a disturbing nature sometimes nonsensical)

hoarding of objects with usually no apparent value, usually under the rationalization of "what if I need it/them someday?" (saving small pieces of lint from the dryer)

excessive fear of contamination - as in fears to touch normal everyday things because they might have germs (usually accompanied by excessive handwashing)

being held in a constant state of anxiety by "what if..." questions

The two most effective treatment methods for OCD are drug therapy and behavior therapy. It is generally most effective if the two can be used together. About 70 percent of sufferers can find relief from OCD through drugs and/or behavioral therapy.

If you or someone you know may be suffering from the affects of OCD, your employee assistance program can help. For more information or to schedule an appointment to talk to one of our therapists about OCD or any other problem you may be experiencing, call KeySolutions at 334-5850 or toll-free at 1-888-450-7844.

KeySolutions Employee Assistance Program

KeySolutions Links

KeySolutions Overview My EAP Training Students E-Zine E-Zine Archive