Let's debunk the myths about OCD
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears ( obsessions ) that lead to repetitive behaviors ( compulsions ). These obsessions and compulsions impact life activities and cause great emotional distress.
Although it is a disorder that can be very serious and very disabling, it is often trivialized. Thus, many films and series present people with OCD as manic, extravagant people, who have to do actions such as touching the same thing several times or jumping over colored tiles to stay calm, without thinking that this representation does nothing more than belittle a disorder that causes a lot of suffering and perpetuates the stigma towards these people . And all of this contributes to the loneliness of those affected, who often do not dare to say that they have OCD for fear of the reaction of others.
Let's dismantle the main myths or false beliefs about OCD:
OCD is obsessions
FALSE. OCD is a mental disorder characterized by recurrent, persistent, unwanted and intrusive thoughts, impulses or images (obsessions) and by repetitive behaviors or mental acts that people with this disorder feel driven to do (compulsions, rituals) in order to reduce or avoid the anxiety caused by the obsessions ( MSD Manual definition).
Maria dels Àngels Giralt Ruiz
People with OCD are eccentric and antisocial.
FALSE. Movies have shown a personality profile that does not correspond to reality, showing people with OCD with behaviors that deviate from the norm: strange, extravagant and unwilling to socialize with other people. But OCD is actually a mental disorder and not a personality trait. Being one way or another depends on the type of personality of each person, OCD does not determine who we are, but it does condition it, especially depending on the degree and type of OCD that the person has. In addition, people with OCD often hide their obsessions and compulsions to avoid stigmatization and situations that are not comfortable for them. On the other hand, OCD requires a lot of time and effort due to all the compulsions that must be done to try to neutralize the obsessions, which can lead to relationships breaking down or performance at work or school being affected.
"We all have a little OCD" or "we are all a little OCD sometimes"
FALSE. Expressions such as "I have a little OCD" or "I have OCD..." are used colloquially and incorrectly. OCD is not a personality type, but rather a mental disorder that interferes with the daily lives of people who have it; it is not a choice or a preference when it comes to doing things.
People with OCD enjoy doing rituals (compulsions)
FALSE. People who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, because they suffer greatly from the obsessions that OCD generates, are forced to carry out compulsions, rituals, in order to reduce the distress and anxiety that it causes them. Therefore, when they do the rituals they feel some momentary relief, but in no case do they enjoy it.
OCD has no cure, it's for life
FALSE. OCD is a disorder that has a clinical diagnosis and, therefore, an associated treatment. The treatment is based on cognitive behavioral therapy, specifically exposure with response prevention, and can be combined with a specific medication for this disorder. Therefore, a person with OCD can recover, be fully functional and not suffer from this disorder. Although it is true that people who recover from OCD will have to live with it for the rest of their lives, but without it interfering with their day-to-day lives.
OCD is all about washing hands, cleaning, or tidying
FALSE. There are many types of OCD, such as checking, mental, superstitious, relational, and contamination, among others. There are compulsions that are not observable, as in mental OCD.
OCD is easy to regulate, if the person makes an effort.
FALSE. Compulsions associated with obsessions are not voluntary choices of the person who suffers from them, but are an imperative need that arises from OCD. The person may think that if they do not do the compulsion, something catastrophic, unwanted, bad will happen. Therefore, compulsions are not easy to stop doing, since they generate a lot of suffering and must be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy of exposure with response prevention.
Featuring
