I am a 21-year-old boy. Since childhood I have been observing my mom that she is very neat and clean in every work. As I grew up, I did not like to be dirty at all. Whenever I go out, I take a bath after returning home. I do this because I do not know what kind of people I am getting in touch with. Maybe some females might be going through go menstrual a cycle, Ugh! It is so impure.
I cannot go without bathing, whether I am too late or have a high fever. I keep washing my hands again and again. If I do not do, it makes me so uncomfortable. I feel a sigh of relief only after bathing for long hours and washing hands repetitively.
Most of the time, I feel sick due to this behaviour, but it is hard for me to change this behaviour. At the same time, it causes great impairment in daily life, getting to college late or some work. These things take away my time for more than half a day. Later, I found out through a psychologist that it was happening due to OCD.
After reading this voice of a person, you all might be curious to know about OCD. What is OCD?
Obsessions are continuous thoughts, impulses or images which cause anxiety and distress in a person. Example – Fear of pollution or germs, fear of making mistakes, excessive concern for right and wrong. Compulsions are repetitive behaviours such as hand washing and checking. It can be mental acts too, such as counting or praying that are done to prevent or reduce anxiety or distress.
Obsessive compulsive disorder is where a person has recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are severe enough to be time-consuming (more than one hour per day). It causes significant distress or impairment in a person’s day to day life. OCD is unreasonable and excessive in our daily routine. A person suffering with OCD might also avoid some places to visit, like hospitals or cemeteries. A person with OCD might face difficulty in functioning in their social, occupation and personal life.
Normal Cleanliness vs OCD
| Normal Cleanliness | Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
|---|---|
| May clean something for once and finish it. | The constant feeling of having to do it one more time. It may take more than one hour daily. |
| It is reasonable in daily routine | It is unreasonable and excessive in daily routine. |
| Normal cleanliness may not cause difficulty in functioning areas of life. | OCD causes difficulty in functioning areas of life. |
What should I do if I or someone close to me has these signs and symptoms? If you or someone has OCD, you can contact a mental health professional for further treatment. Medications and counselling can be given to a person to treat OCD.
