Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that can develop within people of all ages. Whether they are adults, teenagers, or even infants, people of all ages can be affected by this disorder, and it generally occurs when someone gets caught in a vicious cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
Many people tend to have different kinds of obsessive thoughts, and there have also been times when they tend to develop tendencies to behave compulsively at some point in their lives. However, this alone does not necessarily mean that the person in question is suffering from this mental disorder, as there are many different factors to consider when determining whether someone is suffering from OCD.
Additionally, there are different types of OCD as well, each with its own traits and characteristics, which we shall be talking about in this article.
What Is OCD?
As discussed earlier, although there are many people in this world who have compulsive behavior and obsessive thoughts, it does not necessarily mean that they are suffering from OCD. In order to be medically diagnosed with OCD, this cycle of obsession and compulsion must be very extreme, to the point that these thoughts consume most of your time.
In addition to that, people who may be suffering from OCD tend to suffer from an intense amount of distress which can often get in the way of a person’s way of living as well. In order to cope with all of these compulsions and obsessive behavior someone may be exhibiting in their daily life, they tend to develop certain coping skills to help them reduce the anxiety which comes with these thoughts.
This pattern of having these extreme thoughts which cause your distress and anxiety and then resorting to your coping mechanisms in order to lessen this feeling is what is known as OCD.
Different Types of OCD
In a nutshell, obsessive-compulsive disorder is a psychiatric condition that is known to cause people to have distressing thoughts which become repetitive as time goes by. These thoughts often lead to the need to perform something based on their compulsive behavior.
There is a common misconception that there is only one type of OCD that exists; however that is not the case. Medical professionals and psychiatrists classify OCD into different groups, and the classification largely depends on the obsessions and compulsions which can vary from person to person.
Here are some of the most common types of OCD that a person may be suffering from.
1. Organization
Quite possibly, the most noticeable classification of this psychiatric disorder involves people suffering from obsessions about things being precisely positioned and kept in their designated places. Additionally, the object which has been kept in place must also be symmetrical as well.
An example of someone suffering from this type of OCD may be that they may feel the need to have all of the paintings located in their house to be at a certain level. If a person does not follow these compulsions to make sure that everything is kept just right, it could lead to a significant amount of distress and anxiety being built up within that person.
2. Contamination
This sort of OCD exists within the person in the form of two distinct ideas. The first thought the person suffers from is the constant fear of the possibility that if people are within a certain proximity of them or if they touch them, they can spread some sort of non-viral illness.
The second one is that everyday objects lying around the vicinity, certain thoughts and words are capable of “contaminating” a person as well, making them feel unclean. Due to these thoughts that are constantly running through their brains, people suffering from this type of OCD feel the constant need to wash their hands and frequently clean items to avoid spreading this contamination that they feel they are suffering from.
3. Intrusive Thoughts
People suffering from this form of OCD tend to have distressing thoughts, which oftentimes pop up unexpectedly in their minds at completely random times.
These sudden thoughts can take the form of obsessions, which may involve causing harm to someone they are associated with, or they can also have thoughts in their head which involve the notion that even thinking of such stuff can give birth to the possibility of it actually occurring.
Wrap-up
OCD is a psychiatric mental disorder that can cause a considerable amount of distress and discomfort to be built up within someone.
Due to this, it is important to consult with a medical professional or consider treatment if you are suffering from any type of OCD, such as West Coast Ketamine Center!
