Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Major Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):

1. Obsessions: Intrusive, unwanted, and persistent thoughts, images, or urges that cause distress or anxiety. Common themes include fear of contamination, harm, or intrusive inappropriate thoughts.

2. Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce anxiety caused by obsessions. These can include excessive cleaning, checking, counting, or arranging items in a specific way.

3. Impairment: Symptoms disrupt daily functioning, relationships, or work/school life.

4. Distress: Individuals recognize that their obsessions and compulsions are excessive or irrational but feel powerless to stop them.

Causes of OCD:

1. Biological: Abnormal brain activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and basal ganglia, often involving serotonin dysregulation.

2. Genetic: Family history of OCD or anxiety disorders.

3. Environmental: Stressful or traumatic life events may trigger OCD symptoms in predisposed individuals.

4. Learned Behaviors: Over time, individuals may associate certain rituals or thoughts with a temporary reduction in anxiety, reinforcing compulsions.

Short Story: Struggling with OCD

Meet Emily, a 28-year-old nurse. To the outside world, she seems like a perfectionist, always punctual and meticulously organized. But inside, Emily feels trapped in an endless loop of fear and ritual.

Every day, Emily leaves for work early, but before stepping out, she checks her front door lock. Not once, not twice, but twenty times. If she skips even one check, a wave of panic grips her: What if the door isn’t locked, and someone breaks in?

At work, she washes her hands so often that her skin cracks and bleeds. She’s terrified of contaminating a patient or catching something herself, even though she wears gloves and follows all protocols.

The worst part is the silence. Emily knows her fears are irrational, but no amount of reasoning makes them stop. She avoids social events and relationships, afraid someone might notice her "quirks." The rituals that once offered temporary relief now feel like a prison.

At night, when Emily lies awake, she whispers to herself, Why can’t I stop? A mix of guilt, shame, and exhaustion fills her heart, and she wonders if she’ll ever be free from the cycle of her thoughts and actions.

Through therapy and small steps, Emily starts to reclaim parts of her life, but the road to managing OCD is long and requires patience, understanding, and support.