OCD AWARENESS WEEK IS OCTOBER 11-17
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that affects people of all walks of life and all ages. It occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions or compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, images, intrusive thoughts, or urges that trigger intense feelings or distress. Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease their distress.
Unfortunately, being obsessed or obsessing are commonly used terms in everyday talk. These more casual uses of the word means that someone is preoccupied with a topic or an idea or even a person. Obsessed in this everyday sense doesn’t involve problems in day-to-day living and sometimes can even have a pleasurable component to it.
You can be obsessed with a new food you tried at lunch, but you can still meet your friend for coffee, get ready for bed in a timely way, get to work on time in the morning, etc., despite this obsession. In fact, individuals with OCD have a hard time hearing this usage of obsession as it feels as though it diminishes their struggle with OCD symptoms.
Even if the content of the obsession is more serious, everyone might have had thought at some point in their life about getting sick, worrying about a loved one’s safety, or wondering if a mistake they made might be catastrophic in some way, that doesn’t mean these obsessions are necessarily symptoms of OCD. While these thoughts look the same as what you would see in OCD, someone without OCD may have these thoughts, be momentarily concerned, and then move on. In fact, research has shown that most people have unwanted intrusive thoughts at some point in time, but in regards to OCD, these intrusive thoughts come frequently and trigger extreme anxiety that gets in the way of day-to-day functioning.
Compulsions are the second part of obsessive-compulsive disorder. These are repetitive behaviors or thoughts that a person uses with the intention of neutralizing, counteracting, or making their obsessions go away. People with OCD realize this is only a temporary solution but without a better way to cope they rely on the compulsion as a temporary escape. Compulsions can also include avoiding situations that trigger obsessions. Compulsions are time-consuming and get in the way of important activities.
How Many Adults Have OCD?
THE BEST ESTIMATES ARE THAT ABOUT 1 IN 100 ADULTS OR BETWEEN 2 TO 3 MILLION ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES CURRENTLY HAVE OCD.
This is roughly the same number of people living in the city of Houston, Texas.
HOW MANY CHILDREN HAVE OCD?
There are at least 1 in 200 or 500,000 kids and teens that have OCD. This is about the same number of kids who have diabetes.
The International OCD Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. Founded in 1986 by a small group of individuals with OCD, the Foundation has grown into an international membership-based organization serving a broad community of individuals with OCD and related disorders, their family members and loved ones, and mental health professionals and researchers around the world. We have affiliates in 25 states and territories in the US, in addition to global partnerships with other OCD organizations and mental health non-profits around the world.
The Foundation aims to improve outcomes for individuals with OCD and related disorders by:
- Providing resources and support for those affected by OCD, including individuals with OCD and related disorders, their family members, friends, and loved ones.
- Promoting awareness about OCD and related disorders to the OCD community and the general public.
- Increasing access to effective treatment through:
- Educating mental health professionals about evidence-based treatments.
- Providing a forum for professional collaboration and networking.
- Supporting research into the causes of and treatments for OCD and related disorders.
Chills on Wheels Heating & Air Contractors, Inc. proudly supports The International OCD Foundation.
For ways YOU can help, visit:
https://iocdf.org/get-involved/donate/ways-to-give/
SOURCES:
CLARK, DAVID A.; & RADOMSKY, ADAM S. (2014). INTRODUCTION: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON UNWANTED INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS. JOURNAL OF OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE AND RELATED DISORDERS. AVAILABLE ONLINE 18 FEBRUARY 2014. DOI: 10.1016/J.JOCRD.2014.02.001 HTTP://WWW.SCIENCEDIRECT.COM/SCIENCE/ARTICLE/PII/S2211364914000128