September 28th, 2009 
RJS KOCHHAR Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD is a kind of disorder where you are psychologically forced to do a certain act repeatedly a number of times, though you intentionally never want to do it, and therefore it becomes interference in your daily life and also a concern for your health and fitness. It adversely affects your daily routine and your health and fitness regime as well.
It’s normal on occasion, to go back and double check that the iron is unplugged or your car is locked. But in OCD or OCB (Obsessive compulsive behavior) thoughts and behavior become so excessive that they interfere with our daily routine and one’s mental and physical health and fitness suffers to a great extent.
Negative remarks or criticism can make OCD or OCB worse. Be calm and stay supportive. If you or someone dear to you is suffering from OCD there is help available, be calm get the treatment and self help strategies which can reduce the symptoms, gather the will power and be determined to work on the available health care and fitness information to overcome the situation.
What is OCD or OCB?
OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behavior you feel compelled to perform. A person suffering from OCD recognizes that his / her thoughts and behaviour are irrational, even then they feel unable to resist their actions and break free. This causes the brain to get struck on a particular thought or urge and hampers your mental health and fitness and your health and fitness regime as well. For e.g., you may check the stove twenty times to make sure it’s really turned off.
Just because a person has obsessive thoughts or performs compulsive behavior does not mean that the person is suffering from OCD or OCB. Many people have mild obsessions or compulsions that are strange or irrational, but they are still able to lead their lives without much disruption. But with OCD, these thoughts and behaviors cause tremendous distress and interfere with your daily routine, job and relationships.
Some common thoughts people suffering from OCD have:
- Fear of losing or not having things you might need.
- Fear of being contaminated by germs.
- Fear of causing harm to yourself or others.
- Intrusively sexually explicit or violent thoughts.
- Order and symmetry – the idea that everything must line up ‘just right’.
- Excessive attention to something lucky or unlucky – superstitious.
Some common behavior people suffering from OCD have:
- Excessive double checking of things, such as locks, appliances and switches.
- Repeatedly checking in loved ones to ensure they are safe.
- Spending a lot of time washing or cleaning.
There are many effective treatments for OCD, ranging from therapy to self-help and medication. However the treatment for OCD with the most research supporting its effectiveness is Congnitive-Behavioural-Therapy.
If you have OCD, you can help yourself in the following ways to overcome the situation:
- Educating yourself about the disorder is a vital first step.
- It’s also important to practice congnitive-behavioural techniques you have learned from therapy, on your own. This is a challenge that requires determination, commitment and daily practice.
- Deep breathing and stress relieving techniques may help reduce the symptoms of anxiety brought on by obsessive compulsory disorder or OCD.
While determination and commitment of the person suffering from OCD to overcome it is very important, at the same time the way you react to your loved one’s OCD symptoms has a big impact. Negative comments or criticism can make OCD worse, while a calm and supportive environment can help improve the outcome of treatment. There is no point in scolding someone with OCD or telling the person to stop performing rituals.
They can’t comply, the pressure to stop will only make the behavior worse. The best way is to be as kind and patient as possible. Praise any successful attempt to resist OCD, and focus attention on positive elements in the person’s life.
I myself have been a victim of OCD, but through my determination and constant effort I have been able to overcome the problem to a great extent and now I am able to lead a normal routine life and follow my regular health and fitness regime.
I sincerely hope that the health care and fitness information about obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD furnished above would definitely help people suffering from it to overcome the behaviour and benefit.
Do share your experiences about OCD here by way of posting your valuable comments for the benefit of the readers if you or anyone else you know, had also been a victim of obsessive compulsory disorder.
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