OCD Sufferers Often Feel Isolated

Dear Dr. LeCrone:

I have suffered in silence and isolation for many years with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

One of the reasons for my reluctance to admit my problem and seek help stems for the humor many people associate with this terrible problem. The media is often guilty of portraying OCD sufferers in a comical, belittling fashion that leaves the viewer with a less than serious view of the disorder. Please cover this topic in your column.

-A reader in New York

Dear Reader:

Your observation is often correct in regard to people’s perception of this mental disorder. Let me briefly try to cover some of the high points of this problem.

I sincerely hope that you will seek help for this often debilitating condition. Don’t let the shortcomings of society stop you from beginning treatment.

Research estimates that 2 percent to 3 percent of the population suffers from OCD. This anxiety disorder affects men and women equally and can occur in both children and adults.

The exact cause of OCD is not presently known, but mental health researchers believe that a genetic, biological component underlies this problem as it is often seen in close relatives.

OCD is commonly seen in association with depression, and the symptoms of OCD are made worse by stress. Some professionals have observed that people suffering from this disorder are resistant to and easily upset by change.

Thoughts, images, and persistent ideas that start spontaneously and don’t easily stop are characteristic of people with obsessions. These obsessive ruminations are recognized as irrational by the excessive worrier but nevertheless are very disturbing to them. Examples include fear of performing a violent act, behaving inappropriately in public or doubting one’s own character.

Compulsive behaviors result from obsessive thinking and include such things as repeated checking, excessive hand washing or showering, hoarding and ritualistic repeating of some behavior or the compulsive need to order and re-order something, such as books on a shelf or cans in a pantry.

Such famous people as Samuel Johnson and Charles Darwin are said to have suffered from OCD.

Current treatments for OCD include psychotropic medication, psychotherapy and behavior modification. Many times a combination of these treatments relieves the suffering of a person experiencing this terrible malady.

Dr. Judith L. Rapport has written a classic book on OCD entitled The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Washing. The Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, www.ocfoundation.org is another excellent resource.