Common myths about OCD

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Is OCD just about cleaning? Is it untreatable? These are common questions people have about the condition. But first, what is OCD? The NHS describes OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) as a “mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours”. Although it usually starts in early adulthood, it can affect people of all ages. People with the condition get stuck in a repetitive cycle of obsessions (intrusive thoughts, images or urges) which can cause distress and compulsions (actions to temporarily get rid of the obsessions) leading to a temporary relief. Below, we will be busting some common myths about OCD.

Myths about OCD

OCD is a personality trait

Someone might say, “I’m a bit OCD” if they like to have their desk neatly organised. But this is not OCD unless it is attached to that cycle of obsession, distress and compulsion. OCD causes extreme, often debilitating anxiety, such as:

• the fear of harming yourself or others, either on purpose or by mistake
• the fear of contamination by disease, infection or a harmful substance
• the need for symmetry and order

To say that someone has OCD, this distress has to have an overwhelming impact on a person’s life. Generally, OCD might be diagnosed if the symptoms take up more than an hour every day.

You can’t treat OCD

There is treatment for people with OCD. The type and length of the treatment will depend on the individual. The two main types of treatment are:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), where a person will face their obsessions without performing the associated compulsion in order to break the cycle. This can have a fairly quick effect.
• Medicine, where a form of antidepressant, usually selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can be prescribed to help change the brain’s chemical imbalance. After a few months, the effects of the medicine are usually noticeable.
• Some people receive both types of treatment.

It is easy to identify a person with OCD

Identifying Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in another person is not easy. Even for healthcare professionals, it can be difficult to diagnose. This is because the symptoms of OCD are sometimes similar to those of other conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, depression, hypochondria and anxiety disorders. It is also possible to have OCD and another condition (this is called comorbidity), which can make the diagnosis trickier. Only a trained professional can diagnose OCD using detailed guidelines and their expertise. Usually, the first step is to talk to a GP who can then make a referral.

People who love cleaning have OCD

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Some people with OCD clean repeatedly, but it is not done because they enjoy it. Rather, they feel compelled to clean due to distressing thoughts and emotions. For instance, someone has an obsessive thought about being contaminated with germs. That causes distress. So, they feel compelled to repeatedly wash their hands or wash the surfaces of their house. This relieves the distress caused by the thought but only temporarily and so the thought returns and the cycle continues. Basically, if cleaning is enjoyable, the cleaning isn’t part of an OCD cycle. And as we will see next, not everyone with OCD cleans repeatedly.

OCD is just about cleanliness

The media is partly to blame for spreading this myth! As stated above, some people with OCD have an obsession regarding cleanliness. But other obsessions include:

• perfectionism
• superstitions
• fear of harm
• fear of losing control

In the same way, some people with OCD carry out cleaning as a compulsive activity but there is a whole range of OCD compulsions (also called rituals). Other examples of compulsive behaviour are:

• Hoarding items
• Counting
• Repeatedly checking (e.g., that something is locked or turned off)
• Repeating (e.g., words in their head)
• Ordering and arranging things

Stress can cause OCD

There is no evidence to suggest that stress causes OCD. According to OCD-UK, stress doesn’t actually cause OCD, but major stresses or traumatic life events could accelerate the onset of OCD. So the stress has triggered OCD in someone who was already prone to OCD, but hasn’t actually caused it. Stress will also worsen OCD symptoms. This can include problems at school, work, university, home, social settings and so on.
It’s not clear what does cause OCD, but factors include:

• Genetics: you might develop OCD if someone else in your family has it
• Brain biology: high or low levels of serotonin might be a factor

Everyone has a little OCD

OCD is actually experienced by only around 1–2% of the world’s population. It’s a disorder, meaning that it causes disruption and distress to a person’s daily life and ability to function. A person may have some obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours at some point in their life. But to be diagnosed with OCD, those thoughts and behaviours have to be at a very high level. They have to use up a lot of that person’s time, affect daily life and cause a lot of distress. They can’t just “turn off” their OCD; it is a constant.

Here at Exceptional Individuals, we hope this myth-busting article has been useful to you! If you believe that you may have OCD, please speak to a GP about your symptoms and you can use this OCD quiz.

Related Links:

How to help someone with OCD
What not to say to someone with OCD