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OCD: Some sufferers feel the compulsion to wash their hands over and over. Photo: Jennifer Soo
Milton’s first memories of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are from when he was ten years old. He remembers sitting on the floor with the compulsion to put a Lego block in his mouth in the attempt to swallow it, hoping he might choke.
Now he’s 46 years-old and draws on his struggles with OCD to help others an an ambassador for The Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria.
OCD affects between two and four per cent of Australians. It’s severity can vary, for chronic sufferers it can seriously impact their ability to lead fulfilling lives.
The obsessive compulsiveness stems from persistent, intrusive and distressing thoughts, images or urges that enter the mind. It can be classified as a mental illness and an emotional disorder that can be triggered at any time during one’s life.
Milton says realising he was gay was his trigger, “I was fraught with renouncing thoughts about my sexuality, I was scared I would go to hell for being gay and conflicted by the suicidal thoughts I was having because that would send me to hell too.”
In his late teens Milton became an alcoholic, while seeking treatment for his addiction, his OCD was also diagnosed.
“For years there was a great lack of understanding and support in the health system for OCD sufferers, while progress is being made with groups like ARCVIC, I believe the human element in treatment for more extreme cases is still missing,” asserts Milton.
Milton has sought a number of therapies and treatments over the years but still battles daily with the illness.
“My compulsions range from contamination concerns, repeatedly checking to see if my fly is done up and when I’m driving,” says Milton.
Anxious about the safety of others or being left with a flat battery, he admits to repeatedly checking the park brake is on and the interior light is off before exiting the car.
He also acknowledges his OCD can make communication and relationships difficult, “I can ask the same question over and over, it’s like my brain doesn’t hear the answer the first time. Sometimes I say nothing, to avoid that repetitive loop,” confesses Milton.
Milton believes OCD is an illness that deserves greater awareness to assist in lifting the stigma, “I know I will struggle with my OCD for the rest of my life however since working with ARCVIC and being able to share my story with other sufferers I have felt an overwhelming sense of worthiness that I’ve never had,” says Milton.
Clinical psychologist, Dr Alison Mahoney, works at the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, specialising in OCD.
“There’s no definitive answer for what causes OCD, however a number of biological, genetic, chemical and environmental factors can contribute to activating the illness,” Mahoney says.
She explains symptoms of OCD can include; repetitive or obsessive thoughts or ritualistic behaviours such as; checking, touching, hoarding.
The person uses these behaviours as coping mechanisms in an attempt to reduce the focus from what they’re worrying about.
If you are living with someone with OCD, Mahoney recommends education; “you can be of great support, when you understand what OCD is. However while you think they need help, they might not want it, so gentle encouragement goes a long way.”
“There are many ways to treat OCD; medication, books, and a wide range of different therapies and programs that can help,” says Mahoney. “Be supportive but don’t be an enabler, try not to involve yourself in the compulsion or obsessive behaviour.”
Mahoney recommends OCD is best diagnosed by a mental health professional or GP qualified in the area.
While there is no cure for OCD, Mahoney stresses, “a number of options are available to significantly improve quality of life, reduce anxiety and assist with making the illness more manageable. Combined with a great support network, people who suffer from OCD can certainly regain control of their lives, there is no need to suffer in silence!”
*Dr Alison Mahoney is the author of a new program for Australians suffering from OCD. From August 2013, this online program will be accessible nation-wide to all Australian’s that suffer from OCD. To register for the program email svhvirtualclinic@stvincents.com.au or for more information on OCD contact 1800 18SANE (1800 187263).
13 comments so far
A workmate calls it CDO. Similar to OCD but the letters have to be in alphabetical order…
Commenter
JB Hotsauce
Location
Date and time
July 17, 2013, 10:18AM
I first became fully aware of my propensity towards obsessive thinking when I was 19 and it then really plagued me and somewhat ruined the next 5 years of my life.
On visiting a psychiatrist at the end of those 5 years he diagnosed obsessive thinking within minutes. Working with the psychiatrist helped me in many ways and I improved greatly over the years but I think I finally understood obsessive thinking when visiting a website for the OCD Recovery Group.
Two things listed there which helped me understand were as follows
I had long known that episodes would flare at times of high stress in my life. The website explained the phenomenon as if my mind was a tennis racket and the worry a small rock. In normal times the rock will fall through the strings without incident but at times of stress the strings became much tighter together and the rock gets stuck. As it takes hold the rock gets bigger and the strings tighter and it seems like it will never shift. What I learned is that it is a certainty that as the stress level reduces so will this process unwind and the strings will widen and the rock fall through. It may take time though and obviously it helps to do everything possible to get that stress level down.
The other thing I learned was not to engage with the worrying thought. To do so is like to be in quicksand and the more you engage with the thought the more you are sucked into the quicksand. Resist, resist, resist that overwhelming temptation.
twitter @CraigHudson1
Commenter
Craig the speculator
Location
Raby
Date and time
July 17, 2013, 12:52PM
Ergh. I couldn’t imagine going to a support group. To be exposed to all the potential mind viruses, general contamination is bad enough without mental contamination. I can’t imagine a support group being supportive without being able to talk about your worries and I can’t imagine wanting to know the worrying thoughts other people have in case they get added to my personal arsenal. Just me though.
Commenter
andrew
Location
Date and time
July 17, 2013, 3:31PM
@andrew
“I couldn’t imagine going to a support group.”
I am not sure that I understand what you mean by “support group”. IRL, as part of my recovery from Major Depressive Disorder, I spent a couple of years going to a weekly therapy group. It was run by a clinical psychologist and I can assure you that “mental contamination” (whatever, if anything, that means), was not allowed.
On-line I am one of six volunteer administrators of a world-wide (12000 members), 700 posts/day) forum which supports people who are dealing with mental illnesses. It is very tightly moderated/administered – posts which contain unhelpful references to “mind viruses” and “mental contamination” (again I am guessing as to what you might mean by those phases – neither are used by mental health professionals) are taken down.
@Craig, I hope that the OCD Recovery Group continues to help you and I wish you well in your recovery.
Commenter
Dr Kiwi
Location
Date and time
July 17, 2013, 5:48PM
As a sufferer of “Major Depressive Disorder” please don’t wander into an OCD discussion and think you understand what’s going on and talk for everyone. OCD, particularly contamination OCD provides a range of things to worry about. You see the connections and potential formites several contacts deep. All it takes is someone to comment on the things *they’ve* noticed to give you more of your own. Eg I wash a lot of the items I buy from the supermarket I’ll be touching or cutting into.. the ham in plastic, the packet of bacon because the the handling all and sundry, the placement on the conveyor belt full of bacteria from the underside of wet meat packets from the meat section etc. If someone else with this brand of OCD hasn’t thought of that before I’ve now given them a mind virus. Someone noticed I was a “germ freak” and told me they always worried about the tops of cans of drink because they’re touched, exposed etc while they’re being stacked and then you put your mouth straight on it. I had never previously thought about that.. Now I have that mind virus. There are thousands of these small things to worry about (even though yes, they’re “stupid”, “irrational” worries that really aren’t going to hurt you, but that’s the illness.) I don’t care what mental health professionals call them.. I think it’s a fantastic descriptor for a thought that propagates itself, I’m a big boy, I don’t need sooking with some diminishing jargon. I personally think I’ve found several of the best illnesses to worry about, hard to detect, have symptoms that are perfectly able to be brought on psychosomatically.. I could never in good conscious discuss these fears in front of another OCD sufferer.
Commenter
andrew
Location
Date and time
July 18, 2013, 10:44AM
I am however wholly ignorant of what goes on at an OCD group therapy session, maybe you’re not allowed to talk about your specific worries and it’s mainly how people are going and looking at coping strategies without reference to specific concerns. My understanding of therapy is of course the ability to speak about your fears and concerns, hence my not-unfounded suspicions. I once went to an OCD support forum online. It was like seeing a crushing tsunami of broken thoughts rushing at me I’d managed to remain ignorant of, concerns I hadn’t even thought were possible but now know are perfectly possible to unhappily ruminate on.. My worries are legion but I can’t compete with the combined strength of all the OCD sufferers on the net. Then again not all OCD is the same, and not all OCD sufferers are going to be susceptible to mind viruses. Even I can think other people’s concerns are “silly”, (just as I think my own are). But some portion are going to be in my wheelhouse. Long and short of it, I’m interested in what Craig has to say (and wish him well), not what someone with no personal experience on the matter opines about. I don’t even know how you could be “contaminated” with depression in a depression support group. (And I actually had psychiatrically diagnosed depression thank you very much). It’s wholly and utterly irrelevant to my comments. You might as well be talking about a scrapbooking support group or Knitting Anonymous. (Not to minimise depression of course, just in terms of difference, point of reference and lens with which to understand my words.)
Commenter
andrew
Location
Date and time
July 18, 2013, 11:11AM
@andrew, I did not intend to invalidate your experience of what is possibly contamination OCD.
If you have not already done so, I suggest that you talk with your GP. S/he will be able to draw up a “Mental Health Care Plan” with you. That will entitle you to a number of Medicare-subsidised sessions with mental health professionals.
In the case of contamination OCD, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is often beneficial (see: http://psychcentral.com/lib/ocd-symptoms-of-contamination-fears/00010583). So, working with a clinical psychologist with experience of using CBT with his/her clients may help you.
All the best – recovery from OCD of whatever form is possible.
Commenter
Dr Kiwi
Location
Date and time
July 18, 2013, 11:32AM
Great article! Too many people line their pens up neatly then say, “Oh, I’ve got OCD!” when it is a vastly different thing. Putting things in order, rows, whatever is quirky, but that’s it.
Commenter
NewsHound
Location
Work
Date and time
July 17, 2013, 3:18PM
A simple test: if you can decide to deliberately not put things in order every now and again (or not wash your hands or whatever) and not feel mentally distressed or like something bad is going to happen as a result.
Commenter
not OCD
Location
Date and time
July 17, 2013, 4:18PM
It really bugs me when people who don’t have OCD or know anything about it claim to have it because they think it makes them seem interesting.
It is disrespectful to those who are suffering from this dreadful disorder every day and would give anything to make it go away.
Commenter
Washer and checker
Location
Date and time
July 18, 2013, 11:54AM
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