By Kyla Izquierdo
Everyone has heard phrases like “I like to have everything organized on my desk, I’m so OCD!” be said all around us. Movies, TV shows, and other media often portray excessive orderly and germ-conscious people as people who are diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – however this is not always an accurate representation.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is classified by the presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both, that greatly impacts a person’s quality of life.
- Obsessions are: recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images
Obsessions are not simply worries about real, everyday problems; they are defined as feeling distressing and uncontrollable. These might include but are not limited to thoughts of germs or numbers.
- Compulsions are: repetitive behaviors or mental acts
Similar to obsessions, compulsions are neither routines nor addictions. Rather, they are characterized by abnormal behaviors that are persistent and cause a great deal of anxiety if not done. These might include but are not limited to the acts of washing hands or organizing.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder does not always manifest in the ways that most people think. OCD is a very real, sometimes debilitating disorder that is not just a phase or little quirk. Though the term is often misused and misrepresented, there is lots of ongoing and upcoming research and awareness on the subject that will hopefully reduce even more of the stigma around OCD.
If you or someone you know appears to be suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/
Source: https://iocdf.org/about-OCD/
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