Anxiety can be all-consuming and impact every aspect of a person’s life. People with anxiety often worry about everything from the possibility of a catastrophe to loneliness and relationships. While there isn’t a cure for anxiety, you can learn how to cope with these intense feelings and lead a happier, more fulfilled life. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD is an anxiety-related disorder that affects about 1 in every 100 adults. OCD can involve intrusive thoughts and preoccupations that weigh on a person and impact their mental well-being and physical health. Read on to learn more about this condition and mental health treatment for OCD.
What is OCD?
OCD is a chronic, impulsive brain disorder affecting people from all walks of life. People with OCD often have repeated, intrusive thoughts or images that cause them anxiety. These thoughts and ideas are usually focused on a single topic or item but can cover various issues or concerns.
Individuals with anxiety disorders worry about various issues but tend to worry about one thing in particular. This primary fixation can cause feelings of fear, stress, and even obsession. Someone with OCD may have concerns about:
- Losing control of situations
- Uncertainty
- Cleanliness or contamination
- Violence
These issues can be a fixation for people with anxiety, but this list is incomplete. As the obsession builds and becomes more intense and ingrained, a person may begin to exhibit signs of OCD. Mental health treatment can help address the symptoms of OCD.
How Does OCD Develop?
OCD develops when a person’s thoughts and feelings are connected to hypersensitivity in the brain that controls anxiety. People with anxiety disorders often have a higher than average level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a significant role in mood, sleep, and appetite.
An overactive serotonin system can cause anxiety and make someone much more likely to develop OCD. As the brain’s serotonin system becomes overactive, it can cause obsessive thoughts and behaviors such as repetitive thoughts, hand-washing, and intrusive thoughts.
What Is the Cause of OCD?
There are many causes of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, but researchers believe that genetics, environment, and biology all play a role. Genes may play a significant role, but the environment also has a big impact. People with anxiety disorders often have a higher than average level of stress in their lives, which can make the serotonin system overactive. People with anxiety disorders often have difficulty coping with stress, making adjusting to changes more difficult. As different stressors accumulate, people can sink deeper into their despair.
How to Cope with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
There are a variety of self-care practices and mental health treatments that can help with OCD.
Stress-reducing techniques: learning how to cope with stress can help you to become less likely to develop anxiety disorders in the future. Learn ways to reduce stress and handle stressful situations effectively.
Caffeine and other stimulants: caffeine can cause anxiety in some people, even though it has been proven not to affect people with anxiety disorders. However, if you consume too much caffeine, you may want to consider reducing your intake.
Get enough sleep: everyone needs sleep, but people with anxiety disorders need more rest than the average person.
Modify your diet: certain foods will worsen your mood, while others will make you feel alert and focused.
Talking to yourself: you can use internal monologue to speak to yourself and help yourself cope. Giving yourself a pep talk or repeating a mantra can help you refocus and cope with the issue.
Meditation: meditation has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety symptoms, making you feel less anxious. Medication can be an important part of a mental health treatment plan.
The Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
The symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are similar to those of anxiety disorders. However, unlike anxiety disorders, which are associated with worry about specific things, symptoms of OCD are focused on having a general feeling of unease. Negative, self-deprecating thoughts are common among people with anxiety disorders. It’s an overwhelming need to focus on your negative emotions instead of solving the problem.
How to Find Mental Health Treatment for OCD
Because there’s no cure for anxiety, you’ll have to learn how to cope. The first step is to identify the source of your anxiety. It’s important to remember that the symptoms of OCD are similar to the symptoms of other anxiety disorders and that you’re likely to feel similar feelings.
Examine your thoughts and spend time thinking about your feelings and thoughts. While spending time with yourself, ask yourself, “What do I care about?” and “What don’t I care about?” If you don’t feel happy or calm, begin to care about what you do feel and get your feelings back.
You may even ask yourself if it’s time to research mental health treatment centers for more help. Call your doctor or mental health professional if you’re worried about how you feel. They can point you toward a mental health treatment center that can help. There is a wide range of mental health treatments and therapies available to help address each patient’s unique needs.
Mental Health Treatment in South Florida
OCD can control your entire life if you don’t take the time to seek mental health treatment. Are you ready to get help and begin to lead the life you want to lead? If you need Contact Comprehensive Wellness Centers for mental health treatment in South Florida.
