Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by repeated images and thoughts about different things, such as fear of dirt, germs, or intruders; sexual acts; hurting loved ones; acts of violence; or being overly tidy. While you may have heard about OCD, you may not be aware of some interesting facts about it. Keep reading to find them.

Interesting Facts About OCD

Getting some information about OCD can help you deal with this disorder in a better way. Here is some more about the facts associated with OCD.

1. One Form Is Obsession with Worthless Items

Also called hoarding, this form of OCD makes people collect worthless items such as magazines, newspapers, toilet roll inner, margarine tubs, milk cartons, and plastic bags. Sometimes, it can become so bad that the mess takes over that person's home and eventually isolates them because they do not want anyone to visit them and judge them for what they have collected.

2. OCD Is Around the World

One of many interesting facts about OCD is that it is everywhere in the world and affects people belonging to different economic class and standing. More than 2.3% of Americans suffer from it at some point in their lives. 

3. OCD Is Embarrassing for the Suffer

Many people think that OCD suffers do not know that they are behaving in an abnormal fashion, but that is not true actually. Even the suffers feel embarrassed by the condition, but they just cannot do anything to change their behavior.

Therefore, they just do everything they can to conceal their obsessive routines. This makes them live a secretive life which affects their emotional and physical health in a negative way.

4. One Famous Form of OCD Is Pure Obessions

"Pure Obsessions" is often portrayed in stories and movies. It is the form of COD characterized by extremely violent and sexually inappropriate thoughts. These thoughts may be about child molestation, blasphemous images, or fears of homosexuality. They do not know how to stop these thoughts and have to deal with the torture all alone. 

5. No Real Cause Is Known

So many factors may contribute to this disorder. It is sometimes considered inherited, but stressful life events can also play a big role. Life changes may also contribute – you may develop OCD in the time of birth of a child, puberty, or entering a new job. An imbalance of a serotonin, a brain chemical, may also be involved in cases when people have OCD for years.

6. You Cannot Control OCD

One of many interesting facts about OCD is that it is uncontrollable. While you may think that people with OCD can change their behavior if they try, this is not true because they just have no control over their actions. Even when they realize that they are showing an abnormal behavior, they cannot do much to change the situation.

7. OCD Is Combined with Other Illnesses

People with OCD may also suffer from eating disorders, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance abuse, and other anxiety disorders. In the presence of other disorders, it becomes quite difficult to treat OCD. In fact, it can become difficult to diagnose OCD because its symptoms can coexist with symptoms of other brain disorders such as Tourette's syndrome.

8. OCD Is Variable

One of the interesting facts about OCD is that its course can change over time. For some people, symptoms may become less severe over time. However, these symptoms can become worse for some people.

9. Some Celebrities Suffer from OCD

Some celebrities who have lived with obsession compulsive disorder are Cameron Diaz, Daniel Radcliffe, Charles Darwin, Megan Fox, Leonardo DiCaprio, Penelope Cruz, David Beckham, Albert Einstein, Justin Timberlake, and Harrison Ford.

Treatments for OCD

You can try a number of ways to manage your symptoms in a better way. Here are some suggestions:

Helping Yourself

• Consider recording your thoughts on paper or with a microphone. This will make it easier to control your thoughts when you re-read or listen back to them. Just be sure to do it regularly for 30 minutes daily.
• Never try to use alcohol to suppress your thoughts or control your anxiety.
• Try to talk with a religious leader if your thoughts are related to religion or faith.

Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)

This helps you deal with compulsive behaviors and anxieties in a much better way. It relies on the fact that your anxiety goes away if you have to stay in a stressful situation for long enough. It means that this therapy involves facing your fear but at the same time keeping you from doing your compulsive rituals.

You will also learn relaxation techniques that you can use in stressful situations. The therapy works great for people suffering from a mild form of OCD.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

The therapy helps you learn how to alter your reaction to certain thoughts. It means that it does not rely on changing or getting rid of certain thoughts but is more about controlling your behavior in response to those thoughts. It works great in case you have obsessive thoughts.

Antidepressant Medication

You can take SSRI antidepressants to manage your OCD, even when you do not have clinical depression. Medications work better when you take them in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy, especially if your OCD is severe. You will have to change your SSRI in case the one you are taking does not improve your symptoms after three months.