OCD, obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors, that’s what we think about this common health condition. But what OCD is about?
We normally perceive it as aggressive thoughts, the frequent urge of cleaning a surface or washing your hands. However, it’s way beyond just compulsive thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health condition that can affect anyone. OCD even takes in thoughts on religion and sin. No matter what, the condition can grow severe and uncontrollable with time.
One of my friends suffered from severe OCD. It all started with having intrusive thoughts but later got worse. It not only affected her mental but physical health as well. Ultimately, she had to go to a renowned psychotherapist in Lahore for treatment. After several months of therapy, she started recovering and got better. Her treatment is still going on but now she has learned to understand and manage her condition.
But this is not the case with everyone. Many people keep on suffering in silence and are not aware of the condition. This is a clinical condition that is misunderstood to a greater extent. Yes, there are many myths about OCD which results in poor understanding of the condition among sufferers thus affecting their overall health.
Common Myths About OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
Let’s talk about these commonly believed myths about OCD and see how it is affecting us!
1- We all suffer from little OCD
This is probably one of the most prevalent myths about OCD. Many people believe that all of us suffer from a little OCD and it’s completely normal. This misconception probably arises from the poor understanding of OCD symptoms among people. However, this is not what we all think of because OCD is a complex mental health condition. It can be difficult to navigate but you can’t just call your habits a little bit of OCD and then normalize it.
2- All OCD sufferers are obsessive when it comes to cleaning
Well, this is not true as well. Because OCD is a broad spectrum condition that is not only associated with obsessive-compulsive and cleaning behavior of individuals. OCD is much more than cleaning. Organizational or cleaning OCD is just a type of OCD and takes in other things as well. Contamination, organization, thoughts, ruminators, and checking are some of the common types of OCD. Only your physician can let you know about the type of OCD you are suffering from and help you go through it.
3- OCD has its roots in your childhood
Many people tend to think that OCD has its childhood and anyone who suffers from OCD has a traumatic and dysfunctional home. Well, this is not true by any means as OCD has little or nothing to do with your childhood experiences. There can be different reasons behind OCD. There is even scientific evidence saying that OCD even has a genetic cause and can run in your family. In short, we can’t blame a single factor for OCD.
4- Stress can cure OCD
Next in the list of OCD myths comes the role of stress. Many people think that stress can be the root cause behind OCD and people suffering from it can deal with it just by working on stress management. However, this is not possible at all. An individual’s experience with OCD can be different from another one and stress management can’t help them to get away with it. Sometimes, there is therapy or other treatment options but only your physician can suggest you the one based on your existing condition as well as the type and severity of OCD.
5- Kids rarely suffer from OCD
Well, this is also another myth about OCD saying that kids are less likely to be affected by OCD. However, the stats on disease reveal that there are no exceptions to OCD and anyone can get it. It can strike a 4 years old child. So, your age doesn’t set you an exception to developing OCD. For kids, parents can help them with an early diagnosis by keeping an eye on their behavior patterns and seeking out medical help accordingly. This will help them with the early diagnosis and better management of the condition.
Bottom Line!
Well, OCD is a common yet poorly understood condition. There are a lot of people who don’t know and understand about it. Clinical expression of the disease can also vary and it can even come without symptoms. This contributes to delayed diagnosis of the condition. If we want to help ourselves or others with the disease, we need to stay more informed. We can educate ourselves and others living with the condition and help them to get treatment which ultimately will improve their quality of life.
