Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report

In this report, we are going to talk about a type of anxiety disorder called obsessive 
compulsive disorder. As the name suggests, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is 
related to having obsessions about certain things, people, or situations, then turning 
them into compulsions.

This is a serious form of anxiety that is often misdiagnosed as other things, like weird 
quirks or sometimes ADHD. However, it is important to be more informed about this 
mental illness so you can recognize the symptoms in yourself or others, and be sure the 
individual gets the right treatment.

Keep reading to learn more about obsessive compulsive disorder and what you can do 
about it.

1. What is OCD?

The first question you might be asking yourself is what exactly OCD is. Obsessive 
compulsive disorder is actually much more common of an anxiety disorder than you 
might think. With this type of anxiety disorder, people tend to have certain things they 
become ‘obsessed’ about, but it can be different for each person. While one person has 
anxiety when a row of objects is not evenly distributed, another person is obsessed with 
cleanliness. 

There are also a lot of different levels of OCD from mild to severe. In people with mild 
OCD, they can sometimes just be someone who seems to like things neat and orderly, 
while someone with severe OCD becomes obsessed with something so much that it is 
very clear they are struggling with a mental illness. 

As you will soon see, many of the treatment options available for obsessive-compulsive 
disorder are similar to other types of anxiety, from seeing a therapist to taking 
medications, and even lifestyle or home remedies.

Not only do people with obsessive compulsive disorder have obsessions with things, but 
they often have difficulty focusing on any one thing. This sometimes causes confusion 
with doctors who might first diagnose them with ADD or ADHD until they exhibit more 
signs of having OCD. 

Understanding the Obsessions

A big part of having obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is the obsessions. These 
are often referred to as compulsions. This is when someone with OCD has certain 
thoughts or impulses that will keep happening over and over again. The person feels 
that they can’t be controlled. This is when you might see someone who needs to turn 
the light on and off 3 times before entering a room, or who has to use a dish towel to dry 
their hands in just the right way, or they start over and try again.

While often confused, obsessions and compulsions are different. The obsession is the 
thing that is causing them anxiety, such as uncleanliness or disorder. Then the 
compulsions are where they need to do something to make the anxious feelings go 
away, such as turning off the lights, clicking their heels, or neutralizing the situation in 
some other way. This is when rituals begin for someone with OCD. It is their way of 
coping.

2. Types of OCD

Now that you understand a little more about what obsessive-compulsive disorder is and 
how it works for different people, you can get a better handle on the types of OCD. 
Similar to other forms of anxiety, there is not just one type of OCD for every individual 
with this anxiety disorder. Mental health and mental illnesses are very complex, 
affecting different people in different ways.

The following disorders are related to OCD, but slightly different in the reactions and 
level of anxiety experienced.

Hoarding

A common trait in people with obsessive compulsive disorder is to hoard, sometimes 
called hoarding disorder. It is important to know that not all people who hoard 
belongings have a mental illness. This can just be a habit for some people. However, 
you should also be aware that this can be related to an anxiety disorder, usually with 
some form of OCD.

People who hoard as part of their OCD will feel like more belongings give them comfort, 
with the more items they collect, the better they feel. It is another way of handling their 
anxious feelings, similar to people who might knock exactly 4 times before entering a 
room or have to wash their hands in a very specific way. Hoarding disorder also causes 
the person to believe it will have disastrous consequences if they get rid of anything.

Body Dysmorphia

This is a topic that in the past was nearly unknown to people who didn’t go through it, 
but is becoming much more mainstream. Now people are understanding more about 
what body dysmorphia and how it affects people. What you might not realize is that it is 
another form of obsessive compulsive disorder.

Body dysmorphia starts with someone who is nearly constantly looking at themselves. 

They are not vain – quite the opposite. They are anxious about how they look and their 
mind morphs what they look like into something they don’t like. Someone with body 
dysmorphia might get an eating disorder, because even though they have an average 
weight, they see an obese person in the mirror. 

As you might imagine, people with body dysmorphia not only have a higher risk of 
eating disorders, but they also tend to get a lot of plastic surgery as well. This is 
dangerous and even more reason for someone with OCD to get help.

Hair Pulling

Someone with obsessive compulsive disorder might also have hair pulling disorder, 
sometimes referred to as trichotillomania. Instead of habits like making sure the towels 
are folded just right or doing other routines, this individual pulls out their hair to make 
themselves feel better. Like other compulsions, they feel like they have to do it over and 
over again, and can’t control it. 

Many people with hair pulling disorder will show visible signs of bald spots or thinning 
hair from doing it so often. They might pull single strands, large chunks, just twirl their 
hair or even eat it in some cases.

Skin Picking

You should also be aware of skin picking disorder, or excoriation. This is similar to hair 
pulling, but the individual is picking at their skin instead. This is regularly seen in people 
with OCD, where they need to keep picking their skin when they have anxious thoughts. 
Some people only do this mildly with other anxiety disorders, but it is very closely 
related to OCD.

3. Signs That You Might Have OCD

With the information you have read so far in this report, you might already have an idea 
about whether or not obsessive compulsive disorder is something you might have. 
However, you should know that many people have signs of some anxiety disorders, and 
might have something else entirely. 

Here are some of the common signs and symptoms to look out for that are often seen in 
someone with OCD:

Feelings of Fear and Concern

The first category of symptoms for having OCD include the general anxiety symptoms. If 
this is all you experience, you might have something like generalized anxiety disorder, 
but it may also be related to obsessive compulsive disorder if you have obsessions or 
compulsions as well.

Pay close attention to how you feel and what makes you anxious. This is more than just 
feeling butterflies in the stomach when you have to speak in front of a crowd or being 
shy around certain people. You feel extreme feelings of fear, anxiousness, and concern, 
often from nothing at all. Some people are triggered, but many just have an 
overwhelming sense of dread that consumes them.

When you have anxiety at random times that is not always brought on by something, 
and you then feel like you need to do something to deal with it, it can be your first sign 
that you have some level of OCD.

Having Certain Obsessions

The next symptoms are more closely related to obsessive compulsive disorder instead 
of other forms of anxiety. The obsessions are all those thoughts that come into your 
mind when you start experiencing anxiety. These become overwhelming and hurtful to 
you, consume your mind, and make it hard to focus on anything else. It is also 
extremely hard to get rid of them until you develop compulsions.

With obsessions, it can be anything from being obsessed with things being symmetrical 
or the same color, to fearing things like dirt, leaving the stove on, or the direction 
something is facing. It is really complex where it can be a lot of different things. If you 
notice that when you get out of your car, you check to make sure the key is in your hand 
and not in the ignition, not once or twice, but 5 or 10 times, it is possible you have OCD.
 
Rituals or Compulsions

Along with obsessions, you may also have compulsions. These are the rituals you start 
doing because of the obsessions your mind has created. With obsessive compulsive 
disorder, you might need to be extra clean, washing your hands for 5 minutes exactly 
every time, or get into a habit of checking something over and over again. It may be 
knocking a certain number of times before entering a room, counting when doing certain 
things, or constantly arranging things until they are exactly right.

If you have a nighttime routine of checking to see that the front door is locked so many 
times it starts reducing how much sleep you get, it could be that you have OCD.

Keep in mind that you may also experience panic attacks, just like many others with 
anxiety disorders. This is often the result of not being able to complete your rituals, 
which then causes the anxiety to increase and lead to the panic attacks.

4. OCD Treatment Options

By this point, you know what obsessive compulsive disorder is and what the main signs 
and symptoms are. Now it’s time to talk about how to treat it. As you will see, many of 
the treatments available are going to be similar to other anxiety disorders, with some 
variations. Therapy is the first form of treatment, so let’s start there.

Therapy For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

One of the top ways to treat this type of anxiety disorder is with therapy. Even if you 
also get help with home remedies or take medication, you should keep going to therapy. 
Therapy should not be considered a short-term solution or quick fix; it is an ongoing 
process that continues to help you manage your anxiety along with the obsessions and 
compulsions you experience.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common type of therapy for people with 
obsessive compulsive disorder. With this type of therapy, your doctor is going to help 
you manage your anxiety on a daily basis so that you can live a more fulfilling life. With 
OCD, you may start therapy on your own with individual sessions, but it is not 
uncommon to also have family or other people with OCD also participate in group 
treatment.

There are some different ways your therapist might use cognitive behavioral therapy, 
from teaching you how to focus on something else to changing your mindset when you 
get anxious feelings. They may also try exposure therapy, where you learn to accept the 
anxious feelings and worries without turning to your compulsions as a result of them. 
This is a long process and it takes a lot of work, but it can really help to improve your 
quality of life when you have OCD.
 
Taking Medications

Your doctor may also prescribe medications to help with your anxiety, which may or 
may not be combined with the therapy sessions. This is going to depend on the severity 
of your OCD. If it gets to the point where your obsession and compulsions are at risk of 
hurting you or others, that is often when medications become necessary. 

In most cases, doctors will prescribe a set of medications called SSRIs, or selective 
serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These are a type of anti-depressants that can relax your 
mind and help to ease the anxious thoughts. 

Some of the brand names you might recognizes for these medications include:

Prozac 
Zoloft 
Paxil 
Celexa 
Luvox

If these alone don’t help, you may also be prescribed a clomipramine in addition to the 
SSRIs. These can cause drowsiness and trouble with dry mouth and other physical side 
effects, so that is something you and your doctor will need to discuss.

In the most severe cases of OCD, psychosurgery might be considered. This is a type of 
brain surgery, so it is only done with people who have obsessive compulsive disorder 
that is hurting them or others, and other treatments are not working.

5. Self-Help Remedies For OCD

You should also know that there are some home or lifestyle changes you can make that 
will help you to manage your obsessive compulsive disorder. Before discussing these 
methods, it is essential that you understand you should not just self-diagnose and self-
treat your mental illnesses. It is still important to see a doctor and possibly a therapist 
for medical diagnosis and treatment.

With that being said, it can help on a day-to-day basis when you have other ways to 
handle the anxiety that leads to your obsessions and compulsions. The benefits of 
these self-help remedies are going to vary based on the individual, what you try, how 
bad your OCD is, and many other factors. That is why it’s good to try one method, then 
if it doesn’t help, move onto the next. They will be more effective when combined with 
other anxiety treatments, like therapy or medications.

Activities to Re-Focus Your Mind

The first set of self-care remedies for OCD include the activities you do to help re-focus 
your thoughts. This is important for controlling the anxiety, taking away the fears, and 
reducing panic attacks that might lead to your compulsions. 

The activities will vary based on your own needs and interests, but they might include 
being creative, starting a new hobby, or exercising. Here are some different options you 
might want to consider:

Participate in creative activities like coloring, drawing, painting, or jewelry making
Try writing in a journal, or even writing a blog or a book
Find a new hobby or interest, like collecting things or taking a pottery class
Find simple things to re-focus your mind, like fidget objects and toys

Learning to Relax Through the Anxiety

This next set of self-care strategies have to do with dealing with your anxiety when it 
starts to heighten and get close to the obsessions and compulsions. With this, you want 
to learn how to relax and calm down your mind before it gets too difficult to handle 
without the rituals you have developed.

Here are some ways to relax through the anxiety:

Breathing exercises – As mentioned in a previous section, breathing exercises can 
help a lot with someone who has OCD. There are different breathing exercises to try, 
but the main point is to breathe deeply and try to focus only on your breathing. Shift 
your mind to the experience of inhaling and exhaling, feeling the breaths in your lungs, 
watching your chest move up and down, and listening to the air as it escapes your 
lungs. The more you do this, the less you are thinking about what made you anxious in 
the first place.

Meditation – Meditation starts with your deep breathing, then goes one step further. 
You should meditate where you can be alone and in a quiet space. This can be sitting 
on your bed with your eyes closed, taking a relaxing walk, or even standing in the 
shower. Do your breathing exercise and try to clear your mind, even for a moment. It 
does take practice, but soon you will notice how much better you handle your anxiety 
when you can meditate properly.

Yoga – As far as exercises are concerned, yoga is one of the best ones for relaxation, 
especially if you have anxiety. It is also going to help you with breathing practices, 
clearing your mind, and helping with centering your thoughts. You can start slow with 
just 5-10 minutes a day with yoga. Unless you are also trying to tone your body, do a 
more gentle form of yoga like Hatha yoga. 

Taking a bath – A simple way to relax when you have a lot of anxiety from your OCD is 
to take a bath. Choose warm water and add some relaxing essential oils that calm you, 
such as lavender, rose, or chamomile. 

Simple Lifestyle Changes

Next you want to think about the lifestyle changes you can make to help with your 
obsessive compulsive tendencies. This starts with the previously-mentioned strategies 
like doing yoga and practicing deep breathing. Here are some other options:

Follow a healthy diet – Following a healthy diet is good for physical and mental health 
in general, as well as helping with anxiety disorders like OCD and GAD. When you eat 
better, your stress is reduced, you feel better physically, and you start gaining more 
clarity. Lots of vitamins and minerals can help with your focus issues as well, which is 
really important when you have OCD.

Get more exercise – You already know you need exercise for a healthy body, but don’t 
forget about the impact it has on your mental health. Just try to get outside or jump on 
the treadmill for a few minutes a day, and if it helps, increase it a little bit over time.
Limit caffeine and alcohol – Lastly, you want to reduce your stimulants which can 
provoke anxiety, such as caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, and recreational drugs. Instead, 
stimulate your mind with healthier activities and hobbies.

6. Friends or Family With OCD

You may be reading this report because you want to know more about what you can do 
for friends or loved ones with obsessive compulsive disorder, and not necessarily for 
yourself. 

With all mental illnesses, the individual needs a good support system, so just by wanting 
to help, you are already showing to be someone they can turn to. Here are some tips for 
what to do when a loved one has OCD:

Remain Nonjudgmental

This is important when you think someone close to you might have obsessive 
compulsive disorder, but it doesn’t seem like they have realized it yet. You want to 
support them and encourage them to seek out help, without making them feel pressured 
or embarrassed. When discussing it with them, remain calm and nonjudgmental. Never 
call someone ‘crazy’ or ‘weird’ or point out everything they do.

Instead, be calm and just discuss with them how they are feeling or thinking. You can 
mention calmly that you have noticed some changes and you just want to help. It may 
take a few times of approaching the subject before they start to listen. Acting out 
defensively is normal when you don’t want to admit anything about your mental illness.

If they refuse to get help, still be there to support them and stop pushing. One day, they 
will hopefully realize the problem is getting to be too much, and you can be the person 
they turn to for help.

Help Them Cope

Another way you can help a friend or loved one with their OCD is just to help them cope 
with the anxiety and obsessions. Don’t stop them from their compulsions unless it will 
harm them or others. Instead, just try to help them focus on something else. This might 
be noticing signs of anxiety and taking them for a walk to hopefully avoid the 
compulsions, or helping to calm them down when they are having a bad panic attack.

Have Normal Family Routines

This is important especially for kids and teens who have obsessive compulsive disorder. 
People with OCD have difficulty when things change. It makes it harder to focus and the 
obsessions and compulsions are sometimes more sever. Suddenly they don’t know how 
to cope with their thoughts and feelings, so it makes everything worse.

If you have someone in your home with OCD, it is important to develop family routines 
and stick to them. Try to be as consistent as you can so your child or significant other 
knows what to expect. 

Know When to get Professional Help

There are some situations where a friend or family member is exhibiting signs of hurting 
themselves or others. This is when it is okay to step in and be a little more adamant 
about them getting therapy or seeing a doctor for their OCD symptoms.

For example, someone who is developing an eating disorder as a result of body 
dysmorphia needs a doctor. This also includes a child who might be picking their skin as 
a result of their OCD, which can cause infections in the skin if they do it often enough. 
Don’t just let these things go – the sooner they can get treatment, the better off they will 
be.

7. Children Who Have OCD

For the final section of this report, let’s discuss children with obsessive compulsive 
disorder. Children that are not quite in the teenage years are going to show signs of 
OCD a little bit differently than teens and adults. It is important to look for the signs in 
your child so that you can get them help as soon as possible.

One way in which children are different than adolescents or adults is when they start 
showing symptoms and how it appears. They are often so young they don’t realize what 
is happening when the obsessions and compulsions begin. You might even miss it at 
first. Children often show signs as young as 5, so at first it can seem like a habit or a 
quirk.

Typically, your child would start obsessing about small things, like the toys in their room. 
Perhaps it seems cute that your daughter always lines up her stuffed animals according 
to their size, or that your son wants the blocks to be all the same color and perfectly 
symmetrical. However, this can also be a sign of OCD. 

Over time, children will turn the obsessions into rituals because they find it makes them 
feel better, even though they are still too young to understand why. They might want to 
wash their hands longer than normal, turn the light off and on multiple times before bed, 
or they wait until you are asleep and do other rituals in their room like counting a certain 
number of times before they can fall asleep.

Getting Treatment

The sooner you can get your kids in for therapy for their obsessive compulsive disorder, 
the better off they will be. They will typically see a child therapist that specializes in 
mental illnesses of young people. Most likely, they will be too young for medication 
unless the anxiety disorder is severe. 

It is common for children to have cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, and 
various activities and exercises to help them cope with their anxiety.


