By Angelica S.

OCD stands for obsessive compulsion disorder. People who live with this experience recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions)
A diagnosis of OCD requires the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that are time-consuming (more than one hour a day)
OCD tends to begin in childhood and/or adolescence
The recurring thoughts/ideas can cause anxiety and disgust

Some Examples of Obsessions

Fear of getting contaminated by people or the environment
Disturbing sexual thoughts or images
Fear of blurting out obscenities or insults
Extreme concern with order, symmetry, or precision
Recurrent intrusive thoughts of sounds, images, words, or numbers
Fear of losing or discarding something important
Compulsions are typically driven by obsessions and/or fears (Such as the ones listed above)
Sometimes they can get so bad, having a normal daily routine is almost impossible

Examples of Compulsions

OCD is not sometimes difficult to diagnose but other related conditions include…
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Hair-Pulling Disorder (Trichotillomania)
Skin-Picking Disorder (Excoriation)
Hoarding Disorder
Symptoms are not always constant!!! They come and go
They can improve but they can also get worse
OCD can be caused by many different things that include:
Genetics- if someone in your close family like a twin, sibling, or parent has OCD it is very common to develop
Brain Structure and Wiring- Imaging studies have shown differences in the frontal cortex and subcortical structures of the brain in patients with OCD
Some show a connection with OCD to abnormalities to certain parts of the brain, but research is still in a grey area
Environment- There has been an association between childhood trauma and OCD but research again is still underdeveloped
In some cases, children may develop OCD or OCD symptoms following a streptococcal infection—this is called Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)

Ways to Cope

Eating healthy is very important
When you’re hungry, your blood sugar drops and it can make you cranky or tired
A good start to eating regularly is a daily breakfast then small meals throughout the day
Nuts and seeds are good for nutrients
Eggs, beans and meat for protein
Complex carbs like fruits, vegetables and whole grains are good at keeping your blood pressure level
Caffeine loaded drinks and foods try to stay away from (can increase your anxiety)
Sleeping as much as you can, listening to music that brings you peace are a good go to
Then working out and/or staying active as much as you can is also important
Find the little things that you enjoy and can keep you calm
That can be creating new things, listening to music, cooking, drawing, and walking outside etc
Be patient with yourself and learn to celebrate the small victories