What comes to your mind when you hear “OCD”? Compulsive hand washers? People who can’t tolerate the slightest bit of disarray? Whatever it is that comes to your mind, the odds are, you have at least a faint idea what Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is about.
OCD presents itself in many different ways, and is far more than the common misconception that OCD is merely a little hand washing, or a lot of hand washing. Although this is a valid OCD compulsion, such perceptions fail to bring to light the distressing thoughts that precede these behaviours and the stress the compulsions can cause the sufferer.
In addition to the more common “contamination” and “symmetry and ordering” forms of OCD, there is also a primarily obsessional Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder without overt compulsions, commonly referred to as “Pure O”. However, “Pure O” or “Purely Obsessional” is a misnomer, as this implies that symptoms only involve obsessional thoughts. But in truth, sufferers of this form of OCD experience compulsions, but these compulsions are turned inwards into their minds.
Pure O obsessions usually manifest as intrusive, unwanted thoughts, impulses or mental images. The compulsions for Pure O mainly exist in the form of mental rumination and reassurance seeking. Intrusive thoughts and images tend to revolve around specific themes like: safety and harm thoughts about self and others (Harm OCD), over-concern for religious purity (Religious OCD), worries about sexual orientation (Sexual Orientation OCD), worries about relationship decisions (ROCD), fear of being involved in pedophilia (POCD).
An example of Harm OCD is that of a man who has an image of shooting a child while driving to work. He responds by taking a different route to work, one that avoids all playgrounds, parks, and schools where children may be present. He repeatedly asks his wife if she thinks he can do such a thing. He had an intrusive thought about harming someone, he ruminated on whether or not he could actually carry out the thought, and he decided to just avoid situations like that all together. He struggled with a “what if” question. “What if I actually carry out this thought”? He couldn’t be sure so he had to constantly seek reassurance from his wife.
It is important to note that what ignites the experience of Pure O is NOT the experience of intrusive thoughts, but one’s reaction to them. Pure O sufferers often report that their thoughts make them incredibly anxious and that they can’t get them out of their heads. It is rooted in the false assumption that humans have control over their thoughts, which we do not. Pure O OCD sufferers often make the false assumption that they should be able to control their thoughts and that those thoughts should not be there. Secondly, the OCD sufferer thinks that because the recurring thoughts are present, they must mean something about him or her.
Then follows the analysis (mental compulsions) and battle to prove or disprove the intrusive thought in order to gain an answer to the “What if” question and get relief from the anxiety.
People with Pure O OCD can get much better through Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP). ERP is when you voluntarily expose yourself to the source of your fear over and over again, without acting out any compulsion to neutralize or stop the fear. This forces your brain to recognize how irrational the fear is. ERP therapy varies depending on the nature of a person’s OCD. Other treatment options include cognitive behavioral therapy and medication. It is important to seek the help of a professional when looking for treatment.
There are also some things you can do by yourself. These include managing stress by eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Also, you can learn techniques for coping with worry like analyzing the probability of what you are worried about actually happening and deciding how to cope with the worst-case scenario, should it happen. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness meditation and progressive muscle relaxation are also very effective to help combat the worry associated with OCD.
-Uju
Thank you for this!❤️❤️