Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder characterized by persistent unwanted and negative thoughts, feelings, and images that intrude into the mind and cause the person experiencing them a great deal of anxiety and torment, prompting them to engage in repetitive behaviors in an attempt to stop or control these thoughts (referred to as rituals). For example, checking the stove 30 times to make sure it's really turned off because you're terrified of burning down the building.

The Four Most Common Types of OCD

OCD is commonly categorized into four types, with patients suffering from one or more of these common conditions.

Washing

An individual struggling with this will continually feel as though they have touched something contaminated with germs or the like and will feel compelled to wash and re-wash themselves repeatedly. This may lead to skin problems such as dryness due to excessive washing.

Checking

This is when an individual continuously checks to ensure that everything is switched off, unplugged and locked. This sometimes necessitates a re-check of anything that was checked a few minutes or even seconds ago.

Thoughts of Accidental Harm

Another common symptom of OCD is when a person has recurrent thoughts of harming themselves or others inadvertently.

Symmetry

The symmetry OCD trait makes a person feel compelled to position and keep objects in a specific order. When things aren't in the correct place, the sufferer feels compelled to bring them back in the "right" position.

Symptoms of OCD

People who suffer from OCD are likely to have a mix of several different forms of each. The following are some of the most common OCD symptoms:

Excessive hand washing, obsessive brushing, and a severe phobia for germs.

The need to double-check everything, ensuring all doors are closed, electronics are switched off, lights are turned off, and so on.

Excessive fear of negative stuff happening or of doing something incorrectly.

Symmetry and concern for items being lined up, in a particular order, or 'just right.'

Using numbers and counting items, ticks, mantras, and other meaningless actions and behaviors in an effort to relieve anxiety (known as performing rituals)

It is also important to note many people with OCD have intrusive thoughts which causes a great deal of distress and shame. Examples include sexual intrusive thoughts, thoughts about being watched or followed, and intrusive thoughts of “going crazy” or experiencing psychosis.

Causes of OCD

OCD is thought to be caused by a variety of factors, according to experts. A combination of genetic, neurological/biological, environmental, or cognitive-behavioral factors is one of the most common causes.

The root causes of OCD are most likely a combination of the above factors.

Treatment for OCD

Treatments can include individual mental health therapy, medication, family therapy, or group therapy. Research has shown Exposure Response and Prevention, a form of the cognitive behavioral model, to be very effective in reducing symptoms of OCD.

It's normal to feel scared, sad, anxious and disconnected after a traumatic experience. However, if the distress persists, you might have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In any occurrence that causes you to fear for your life, PTSD may sprout. In men, military fighting is the most common cause of PTSD, while most women and children attach rape and other reasons to PTSD. Any event or series of events that leave you feeling hopeless and helpless and emotionally broken can cause PTSD, especially if the event feels unpredictable and uncontrollable.

People who have directly experienced a traumatic incident, those who have witnessed the event, and those who pick up the pieces afterward, such as emergency and law enforcement workers, may all be affected by PTSD. It can also happen to friends or family members of those who have been through a traumatic event. Whatever the cause of your PTSD, you can learn to control your symptoms, lessen traumatic memories, and move on with your life by finding care, reaching out for help, and learning new surviving skills.

Signs and symptoms of PTSD

While everybody deals with PTSD in their own way, below are significant symptoms to look out for:

The tendency to have unwanted thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares or extreme mental or physical reactions when reminded of a traumatic incident.

Avoidance and numbing, such as avoiding something that reminds you of a trauma and losing interest in events and life in general.

Persistent hyperaroused conditions like poor sleep, irritability, hypervigilance, feeling jumpy or easily frightened, angry outbursts and violent, self-destructive, or reckless behavior.

Constant negative emotions like feelings of alienation and isolation, trouble focusing or recalling, exhaustion and hopelessness, distrust and betrayal, and remorse, shame, or self-blame.

What treatments are available for PTSD?

Many people experience some PTSD symptoms in the weeks following a traumatic incident, but the majority of people recover on their own or with the aid of families and friends. As a result, recovery normally does not begin until two weeks after a traumatic event. Even if proper care does not start right away, it is critical to get whatever assistance is required within the first few days and weeks.

If a person becomes highly distressed resulting from a traumatic incident, he or she should seek medical help. If a person's PTSD symptoms last longer than two weeks, a doctor or mental health professional may suggest that they begin PTSD medication.

Psychotherapy is the most common treatment for PTSD, but medications can also be used in some cases. In general, rather than using medication as the first and only solution for PTSD, it is preferable to begin with mental health therapy.

Anxiety is described as a state of mind that is more than just anxious or worried. Although stress and anxiety are normal reactions to being under pressure, they usually subside once the stressful situation has passed.

Anxiety is something that everybody experiences from time to time. When anxious feelings don't go away, happen for no apparent cause, or make everyday life difficult, it may be a symptom of an anxiety disorder.

People with anxiety are often misunderstood or ridiculed even by their loved ones or family members, usually due to ignorance. Probably in an attempt to cheer anxiety sufferers up, people resort to saying stuff like "please get over it," "calm down," or "just relax," and they end up worsening the case instead.

Signs and symptoms

Anxiety symptoms aren't always clear because they grow slowly over time, and because we all experience anxiety at various periods in our lives, it's tough to tell how much is too much. Although each anxiety disorder has its own set of symptoms, there are a few that are common:

Psychological: extreme fear, worry, obsessive thinking or catastrophizing

Physical: racing heart, panic attacks, tightening of the chest, quick breathing, restlessness, or feeling tense.

Behavioral: total avoidance of circumstances that make you feel anxious, impacting your study, social or work life.

These are only a few of the symptoms you might be experiencing. They're not meant to give you a diagnosis; you'll need to see a doctor for that, but they do serve as a reference.

What causes anxiety?

Anxiety isn't triggered or created by a single factor but by a mixture of elements. Elements, such as personality traits, difficult life experiences, and physical health, all play a role. Other factors include a family history of mental illness, continued traumatic activities, and the development of anxiety disorders resulting from one or more stressful life events.

Triggers of anxiety include work stress, living arrangement changes, pregnancy, giving birth, family and relationship problems, major emotional shock following a stressful or traumatic event, verbal, sexual, physical or emotional abuse or trauma, loss of a loved one, drug abuse and a host of others.

Treatments for anxiety

Your doctor can recommend making lifestyle changes for mild symptoms, such as getting more exercise and lowering your stress levels. Mental health therapy has also been shown to be an extremely effective treatment in anxiety disorders.

The important thing in treating anxiety is finding someone you are comfortable with, whether that’s a primary care provider or a psychotherapist. It’s hard enough opening up to others and being vulnerable, but with anxiety it can make it much less likely to reach out when needed.