OCD is a mental health disorder that affects around three-quarters of a million people in the UK, who experience obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours that have a significant effect on their daily life.
1. What causes OCD?
Some people believe OCD is caused by personal experiences; for example, someone who experienced childhood trauma may use obsessions and compulsions as a coping mechanism. Others believe it is genetic and that if your parents had OCD, you may have learned behaviours.
2. What are the symptoms?
There are a variety of symptoms, although the main ones are experiencing distressing and intrusive thoughts, urges, or images that come into your mind repeatedly. Others experience a fear of contamination, becoming sick, or even unwanted sexual or violent thoughts.
3. Can OCD be treated?
Psychotherapy and medication can be used to help alleviate OCD symptoms when tailored in the right way. More awareness of mental health and how to treat conditions means there are now many ways to obtain support. For those looking for mental health training courses Plymouth, companies such as https://www.tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-training-courses/plymouth can help.
4. Does someone with OCD believe irrational thoughts?
Most people with OCD are aware that their obsessive and compulsive thoughts are irrational, which is what causes anguish. Despite knowing this, they remain unable to resist compulsive behaviours, which adds to their distress.
5. Can you be a ‘little bit’ OCD?
Using this phrase can be stigmatising and misleading about what it can be like to live with OCD, which is so extreme as to impact daily functioning