When it comes to OCD, you may feel like there’s an excessive amount of information available, whether you’re trying to help a loved one or gain insight into your own symptoms. OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is a common mental health condition that affects people in Clearwater and can be debilitating for some.
Below are some frequently observed symptoms of OCD and the recommended strategies to help manage them.
- Seeking Reassurance
People who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder will often find themselves constantly seeking reassurance. This can take many forms – sometimes it seems explicit and obvious, while other times it can feel more subtle. Feeling a constant need to be reassured can interfere with close relationships, school and work life, and many other day-to-day activities. It can exacerbate feelings of self-consciousness and make people with OCD feel worthless or unwanted if they do not constantly receive the reassurance they desire. - Repetition
Repeating specific actions, words, or habits are common symptoms among sufferers of OCD. For example, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder may say a certain phrase or word during specific times of the day or in response to a particular event or action of another person. They may believe that failing to do so will bring about negative consequences that could have been prevented otherwise. Repetition can include words or actions such as tapping, knocking, or walking a certain route daily out of perceived necessity. - Tidying, Organizing, and Arranging
When many people think about OCD, they have a stereotypical impression of this mental health condition that involves a lot of tidying up, organizing, cleaning, and arranging things. However, while this is a common symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it does not affect everyone with this mental health condition. In some cases, it may not even be one of the main symptoms that a person with OCD experiences. This symptom can negatively impact many aspects of a person’s life – at home, work, and other external environments. - Difficulty with Uncertainty
Many people with OCD may feel the need to know exactly what is happening and at which points. Without this information, they feel destabilized or uncertain about themselves and the world around them. Dealing with uncertainty or unknown situations may be challenging, which subsequently prevents them from tackling new challenges or taking on new projects and opportunities. - Obsessions
Another common symptom of OCD, as the name might suggest, is developing obsessions with certain objects, places, people, or ideas. A person with OCD may become obsessed with a person they are in a relationship with, only to feel the opposite thoughts about them after a few weeks. They may become obsessed with visiting a certain place or touching a particular object daily. - Unwanted Thoughts
Obsessive-compulsive disorder can make unwanted thoughts enter a person’s mind. These could include thoughts of death and injury to themselves and family members or thoughts about uncleanliness and contamination. It is challenging to get rid of these thoughts and, therefore, can be difficult for people who are trying to carry out their daily activities, such as engaging in meetings or giving important presentations at work.
Addressing the Symptoms of OCD
As you can observe, OCD exhibits diverse symptoms that can make life difficult. Psychiatric services and counseling are just a couple of services offered at Advantage Mental Health Center that can help people manage the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in an effective way. If you are looking for mental health support in Clearwater or want to learn more about general psychiatry, speak to the Advantage Mental Health Center team for more information.
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