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Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD)
You must be familiar with the word ‘obsessive’. “He is obsessed with cricket.” “She is obsessed with dramas”. We use these words if the person is doing the same thing again and again. It is not a problem. However sometimes this repetition dominates your life and activities that can be problematic
Let’s spend some time to understand these kinds of problems.
Following are two case studies and reading this article we should be able to understand what is happening to these patients.
CASE STUDY 1
Mrs. X "I'avoid catching something from other people. I spend hours bleaching all the surfaces in my house to stop the germs, and I spend hours in washing my hands and taking bath. Whenever my hands are touched with any surface such as door, repetitive thoughts of germs and contamination continue to come to my mind until I wash my hands. I realize that these fears are stupid. My family is sick of it, but it has gone on for so long now I can't stop".
CASE STUDY 1I
Mr. Y"My whole day is spent checking that nothing will go wrong. It takes me an hour to get out of the house in the morning, because I am never sure that I've turned off all the electrical appliances like the cooker, and locked all the windows. Then I check to see that the gas fire is off five times, but if it doesn't feel right I have to do the whole thing again. In the end, I ask my partner to check it all for me again anyway. At work I am always behind as I go through everything several times in case I have made a mistake. If I don't check I feel so worried I can't bear it. It’s ridiculous I know, but I think if something awful did happen, I'd be to blame".
Explanation of Case studies and OCD
In both case studies one thing is common and that is repetition of thoughts.
If my hands are dirty then definitely I will be having the thoughts of washing them but what happens in this disorder that these thoughts of dirt or germs do not go way with washing resulting in repeated hand washing and prolonged cleansing.
In 2nd case study again there is repetition of thoughts but now thought are about “DOUBTS”. That means doubts about whether the task is completed or not, doors locked or not, gas fire if off or not, electrical appliances are turned off or not, etc.
As a result of repetitive thoughts, there are repetitive actions. In 1st case study that is washing and cleansing and in 2nd case study that is frequent checking
We call these repetitive thoughts as obsessions and repetitive actions as compulsions. So, combining the words Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).