Researchers know that OCD is triggered by
communication problems between the brain's deeper structures and the front part of the brain
. These parts of the brain primarily use serotonin to communicate. This is why increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain can help to alleviate OCD symptoms.
For a student who has OCD, symptoms can present barriers to social development. A student who demonstrates compulsive behavior may be perceived as different or may be ridiculed as crazy, causing embarrassment or
increased stress
.
How does OCD affect a person emotionally?
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).
What happens in the brain of someone with OCD?
Unfortunately, obsessive-compulsive disorder
diminishes the amount of grey matter in the brain
, making people with OCD less able to control their impulses. Low levels of grey matter can also change the way you process information, making you more likely to obsess over “bad thoughts” whether you intend to or not.
How do you communicate with OCD?
- Offer reassurance.
- Try to relate.
- Suggest they just “try not to think about it”
- Encourage them to find an OCD specialist.
- Help them embrace uncertainty.
- Educate yourself on the disorder.
- Urge them to try to live life as normally as possible.
What are some warning signs of OCD?
- Fear of contamination or dirt.
- Doubting and having difficulty tolerating uncertainty.
- Needing things orderly and symmetrical.
- Aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others.
- Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects.
What happens if you ignore OCD?
It can easily become a form of compulsive avoidance, a refusal to acknowledge that the thought occurred in the first place and
a refusal to experience feelings as they are
. Active “ignoring” can trigger an additional sense of being in denial (and thus more anxiety).
Is OCD due to lack of serotonin?
These parts of the brain primarily use serotonin to communicate. This is why increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain can help to alleviate OCD symptoms. However, even though researchers know that
low levels of serotonin can cause OCD symptoms
, there is no laboratory test to diagnose OCD.
What triggers OCD?
They can be triggered by
a personal crisis, abuse, or something negative that affects you a lot
, like the death of a loved one. It's more likely if people in your family have OCD or another mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety. OCD symptoms include obsessions, compulsions, or both.
What is the root cause of OCD?
Compulsions are learned behaviours, which become repetitive and habitual when they are associated with relief from anxiety. OCD is due to
genetic and hereditary factors
. Chemical, structural and functional abnormalities in the brain are the cause.
What should you not say to someone with OCD?
- “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.”
What does relationship OCD feel like?
People with rOCD may experience
intrusive thoughts, fears, and anxiety
about whether their partner is right for them, whether they are attracted to their partner or their partner is attracted to them, and intense doubt regarding whether they need to end their relationship.
Are people with OCD smart?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
is not associated with a higher intelligence quotient (IQ)
, a myth popularized by Sigmund Freud, according to researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), Texas State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Who is most likely to get OCD?
OCD is most common in
older teens or young adults
. It can begin as early as preschool age and as late as age 40.
Can a person suddenly develop OCD?
OCD typically begins in adolescence, but may start in early adulthood or childhood. The onset of OCD is typically gradual, but
in some cases it may start suddenly
. Symptoms fluctuate in severity from time to time, and this fluctuation may be related to the occurrence of stressful events.
Are you born with OCD?
OCD is partially genetic
, but researchers have been unable to locate a specific gene associated with OCD. Research on twins has estimated that the genetic risk for OCD is around 48% percent, meaning that a half of the cause for OCD is genetic.
