Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – OCD can be called as mental disorder or behavioral disorder, where the patient has certain thoughts that comes in mind repeatedly and behavior changes that the patient performs repeatedly.

When the thoughts come is Obsessive disorder and when the patient performs the repeated actions is compulsive disorder. For example patient has a thought that there are germs on his/her hands, is obsessive disorder; and when he/she starts cleaning hands repeatedly that is compulsive disorder.

Patient of OCD can experience either of these disorder like compulsive or obsessive, or both at same time. Obsession are anxiety based thoughts. Compulsions are the actions done to reduce this anxiety.

Obsession are thoughts that originate from fear of contamination, from thoughts of symmetry and balance, from fear of being impulsive towards self, etc.

Compulsion are the repetitive activities mostly followed by these obsessions like washing hands repeatedly, arranging things in proper manner, confirming the door lock many times and likewise.

People with OCD obsession can experience the repetitive fears that are out of their own control. They become anxious with these continuous obsessive thoughts.

Patients with OCD compulsive repeat the activities like cleaning hands, bed-sheets, etc., that may also include some rituals. These activities do not give them any pleasure or satisfaction but still they repeat the same continuously.

Cause – 

The study to know the cause of OCD is still in progress. After a long research, exact cause is not confirmed. Some study suggest there is mismatch message transmission between two parts of brain or superficial and deeper parts of brain; some studies suggest genetic deformity.

Research also suggest a history of trauma to brain may show symptoms of OCD. While few study say there may be specific environmental or behavioral factors that trigger the condition in particular patients.

According to one study, there is disharmony with one hormone named serotonin. This hormone is responsible for our behavioral activities and works as our mood stabilizer. The study suggests that brain does not respond properly to the serotonin and this may result in OCD.

There are few chances of hereditary pass on of the disorder from parents to their siblings. In some families more than one family member can be the sufferer of the condition.

Types (Dimensions) of OCD – 

Four types or categories are studied with various symptoms of OCD.

1. Contamination: The mostly observed type of OCD is Fear of Contamination. Person thinks his/her hands are contaminated and with this anxiety goes on washing hands repeatedly for at least 50 -60 times a day.

Similarly, disinfects the things with disinfectants that feels to be contaminated, i.e. washing the dinner plates many times, or sterilizing the articles or even can throw them if more anxious about the contamination.

Changing clothes often is one of the symptoms included in this type of OCD.

2. Symmetry and balancing: Keeps things in symmetry, if found them asymmetrical can be violent or impulsive or can get disturbed. Always wants the belongings to be aligned in a proper way.

If the objects are not arranged in balanced formed may feels something is incomplete, and may become restless until keeps the things in an order.

3. Hording Disorder: Hording is a habit of a person to store food or things. Hording disorder is said when the person stores things in excess and unmanageable manner.

The person may collect and store those items that are of no use for him and is unable to discard them. Or patient may think that throwing of these useless thing may harm to someone else or to self.

Person, with Hording disorder may buy things for multiple times though not needed. These people may collect particular items like pins that may harm self or others.

Subtypes of OCD may include like shrugging, or unnecessarily clearing throat.

OCD in Children – 

About 2 to 3 % of children can suffer from OCD. More commonly children of age 14 – 15 are affected. Generally genetic cause may be predominant in children. In some, stress factor can trigger the condition.

Some children may show symptoms of OCD after streptococcal infection that causes autoimmune disorder PANDAS – Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection. Here it could not be said that PANDAS are the cause of OCD.

Symptoms –

Patient with OCD may have any or many of the following symptoms, and these symptoms are not caused by any drug or medication or alcohol.

• The patient might be scared to touch the things due to fear of contamination.
• The patient may be washing hands many times a day, may be for 50 to 60 times.
• May avoid shaking the hands with others due to anxiety.
• May arrange the things in order.
• Patient might require the things in symmetry, like if there is scratching on right hand must scratch the left also at the same place.
• May perform the same task repeatedly for a specific time, like for 5 times or seven times, etc.
• May count certain numbers in specific pattern either loudly or to himself/herself.
• May be checking if no one is harmed by him/her, due to fear of harming self or others.
• Patient with OCD may have some of these repetitive actions like blinking eyes, shrugging their shoulders, etc.
• May collect the things that are of not use or already he/she is having it, may purchase the same for many times.
• May store the things that patient thinks may harm self or others.

Symptoms that are seen in children – In children also, extreme anxiety may be seen related to contamination with dirt and germs. Some violent thoughts to harm others or self can be the important symptoms in children with OCD. Things to be in order or in symmetry and repeated washing hands can be as prominent as seen in adults.

Treatment –

Many ways to treat the condition are Cognitive therapy such as thinking, remembering, knowing, judging and problem solving; For children, family therapy has prime role, where parents and school staff have to give special attention to the child with OCD.

Another one is Exposure and response therapy.

In Homoeopathy there are a bunch of medicine that have important indications on this mental plane.

Dr. Nilam
M.D. Homoeopathy
Mob. 7820929645