Obsessive Thoughts Defined, Symptoms, Causes & Treatment Options

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – When Unwanted Thoughts or Repetitive Behaviors Take Over

People who are distressed by recurring, unwanted, and uncontrollable thoughts or who feel driven to repeat specific behaviors may have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The views and behaviors that characterize OCD can interfere with daily life, but treatment can help people manage their symptoms.

What is OCD?

OCD is a common, long-lasting disorder characterized by uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that can lead people to engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Although everyone worries or feels the need to double-check things on occasion, the symptoms associated with OCD are severe and persistent.

These symptoms can cause distress and lead to behaviors that interfere with day-to-day activities. For example, people with OCD may feel the urge to check things repeatedly or perform routines for more than an hour each day as a way of achieving temporary relief from anxiety. If OCD symptoms are not treated, these behaviors can disrupt work, school, and personal relationships and can cause feelings of distress.

OCD symptoms tend to emerge in childhood, around age 10, or in young adulthood, around age 20 to 21, and they often appear earlier in boys than in girls. Most people are diagnosed with OCD by the time they reach young adulthood.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of OCD?

People with OCD may have obsessions, compulsions, or both.

Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety. Common obsessions include:

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a person feels the urge to do in response to an obsessive thought. Common compulsions include:

How do I know if it’s OCD?

Not all rituals or habits are compulsions. Everyone double-checks things sometimes. In general, people with OCD:

• Can’t control their obsessive or compulsive behaviors, even when they recognize those thoughts or behaviors as excessive
• Spend at least 1 hour a day on these thoughts or compulsive behaviors
• Don’t get pleasure when performing compulsive behaviors or rituals but may feel brief relief from the anxiety brought on by obsessive thoughts.
• Experience significant problems in daily life due to these thoughts or behaviors

Some individuals with OCD also have a tic disorder. Motor tics are sudden, brief, repetitive movements, such as eye blinking and other eye movements, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging, and head or shoulder jerking. Common vocal tics include repetitive throat-clearing, sniffing, or grunting sounds. In addition, it is common for people with OCD to have a diagnosed mood disorder or anxiety disorder.

Symptoms of OCD may come and go, ease over time, or worsen. People with OCD may try to help themselves by avoiding situations that trigger their obsessions, or they may engage with abusing alcohol or drugs to calm themselves. Although most adults with OCD recognize that their compulsive behaviors don’t make sense, some adults and most children may not realize that their behavior is out of the ordinary. Parents or teachers typically recognize OCD symptoms in children.

If you think you or your child may have OCD, talk to a health care provider about the possible symptoms. If left untreated, OCD can interfere in all aspects of life.

What causes OCD?

The exact causes of OCD aren’t known; however, various factors are associated with an increased chance of developing the disorder. Genetics is one factor associated with OCD. Studies have shown that having a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) with OCD is associated with an increased chance of developing the disorder. Scientists have not identified any one gene or set of genes that definitively lead to OCD, but studies exploring the connection between genetics and OCD are ongoing.

Researchers have also found that several brain areas, brain networks, and biological processes are crucial in obsessive thinking, compulsive behavior, and associated fear and anxiety. Research is underway to understand better the connection between OCD symptoms and parts of the brain.

In addition to genetics, other biological factors may play a role. For example, brain imaging studies have shown that people with OCD often have differences in the frontal cortex and subcortical structures of the brain, which underlie the ability to control behavior and emotional responses.

Some studies have reported an association between childhood trauma and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. However, more research is needed to understand this relationship.

Children who develop a sudden onset or worsening of OCD symptoms after a streptococcal infection may be diagnosed with a condition called Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)[1].

How is OCD Treated?

The first step is to talk with your health care provider about your symptoms. Asking questions and providing information to your health care provider can improve your care.

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask you about your health history to ensure that other illnesses or conditions do not cause your symptoms. Your health care provider may refer you to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or counselor, for further evaluation or treatment.

Treatment for OCD typically includes specific types of psychotherapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy), medication, or a combination of the two. A mental health professional can talk about the benefits and risks associated with different treatment options and help identify the best treatment for you. Sometimes people with OCD also have other mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphic disorder, in which someone mistakenly believes that a part of their body is abnormal. Therefore, it is essential to consider these other disorders when making treatment decisions.

It is essential to follow your treatment plan because psychotherapy and medication can take some time to work. Although there is no cure for OCD, current treatments help many people manage their symptoms, engage in day-to-day activities, and lead entire, active lives.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy[2] can be an effective treatment for adults and children with OCD. Research shows that certain types of psychotherapy, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other related therapies (such as habit reversal training), can be as effective as medication for many people. For others, psychotherapy may be most effective when combined with medication.

Research shows that a specific type of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) effectively reduces compulsive behaviors, even for people who did not respond well to medication. With ERP, people spend time in a situation that triggers their compulsion (such as touching dirty objects), and they are prevented from engaging in their typical compulsion (such as handwashing). Although this approach may cause anxiety at first, compulsions decrease for most people as they continue treatment.

Medication

Your health care provider may prescribe medication to help treat OCD. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are the most common medication prescribed to treat OCD.

SRIs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are often used to treat depression, and they also help treat symptoms of OCD. However, SRI treatment may take up to 8 to 12 weeks before symptoms begin to improve, and treatment for OCD may require higher SRI doses than are typically used in treating depression. In addition, for some people, these medications may cause side effects such as headaches, nausea, or difficulty sleeping.

People respond to medication differently, but most people with OCD find that cure, often combined with psychotherapy, can help them manage their symptoms.

Your health care provider can adjust medication doses over time to minimize any side effects or withdrawal symptoms. However, do not stop taking your medication without talking to your health care provider first. Your health care provider will work with you to monitor your health and adjust the treatment plan safely and effectively.

The most up-to-date information on medications, side effects, and warnings is available on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website[3].

Other Treatments

In 2018, the FDA approved transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), most commonly used in treating depression, as an add-on treatment for adults with OCD. You can learn more about brain stimulation therapies, including TMS, on the NIMH website[4].

Beyond Treatment: Things You Can Do

You can do several important things to manage stress and anxiety associated with OCD.

• Create a consistent sleep schedule
• Make regular exercise a part of your routine
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet
• Seek support from trusted family and friends

Where Can I Go for Help?

If you’re not sure where to get help, your health care provider is an excellent place to start. Your health care provider can refer you to a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, who has experience treating OCD and can evaluate your symptoms.

We Level Up Mental Health Treatment Center provides world-class care with round-the-clock medical professionals available to help you cope. In addition, we work as an integrated team providing information about obsessive thoughts and other aspects of treatment. Make this your opportunity to reclaim your life. Call today to speak with one of our treatment specialists. Our specialists know what you are going through and answer any of your questions.

Your call is private and confidential, and there is never any obligation.