Repeating a word over and over can make its sound strange, making us doubt its original meaning. Something similar happens with expressions like “I have OCD”: the indiscriminate use of these words strips them of their weight, transforming a serious condition into a mere everyday label. However, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a complex reality that goes far beyond simple manias or preferences for order. For those who truly suffer from it, OCD is an all-consuming condition that requires time, energy, and constant effort to regain control of the mind.
According to data from the Hospital Clínic Barcelona, OCD affects between 1% and 2% of the population, becoming a common disorder and far from being a simple eccentricity. This condition has been documented throughout history and in various cultures, indicating that it is neither a modern invention nor a phenomenon limited to specific contexts. Although it can manifest itself at different stages of life, it is most common to appear around the age of 10 or in the first years of adulthood, around the age of 20.
“Most people with OCD know that their thoughts are illogical.”
OCD is characterized by the presence of obsessions and compulsions that significantly interfere with daily life. Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, images or impulses that generate intense anxiety that is difficult to manage. “Obsessions are not common concerns,” explains Luisa Lázaro, a child psychiatrist at Hospital Clínic Barcelona. “They are thoughts that burst into the mind and cause such great discomfort that they lead the person to perform repetitive acts to calm them, even if they know that these thoughts are irrational.”
Compulsions are repetitive acts that the person with OCD performs to relieve anxiety, and should not be confused with habits or preferences. “Most people with OCD know that their thoughts do not make sense,” says Dr. Lázaro. “However, the urge to perform compulsions is so strong that they cannot avoid them. Compulsion becomes a temporary refuge to face discomfort, but it is a temporary relief that ultimately feeds the cycle of anxiety,” adds Lázaro. Compulsive rituals can range from repeatedly washing your hands to constantly checking to see if doors are closed or counting objects over and over again.
“For those with OCD, obsessions and compulsions represent a burden that affects their social, work, and family lives.”
From a medical point of view, OCD is associated with alterations in brain areas that regulate impulse control and emotional response, such as the basal ganglia and orbitofrontal cortex, which interpret common signals as threats. “It is not just a bad habit or a preference for order,” emphasizes Dr. Lázaro, and adds: “For those who have OCD, obsessions and compulsions represent a burden that affects their social, work and family life.”
The treatment of OCD, the doctor emphasizes, must be guided by mental health professionals. Cognitive behavioral therapy, particularly the “exposure with response prevention” technique, is considered the most effective method. This technique “teaches the person to face their obsessions without carrying out the compulsions, to tolerate that discomfort without giving in to the ritual,” explains the psychiatrist. In many cases, treatment is complemented with antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, to reduce the intensity of symptoms.
Although we can all have habits or routines that give us peace of mind, OCD goes far beyond simple personal preferences. “We cannot confuse a simple preference with an uncontrollable need to perform rituals,” concludes Lázaro. The use of terms like “OCD” to describe trivialities diminishes the seriousness of a condition that affects millions of people in the world. Talking about this disorder with respect and precision is essential to foster a more empathetic society, where mental illnesses receive the same recognition as physical ones. It is not about being alarmed or dramatizing, but about understanding that OCD is a reality that deserves understanding and support.
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