Obsessive compulsive disorder
Disorders
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD)
Symptoms
Obsessions: they are recurring and persistent ideas, thoughts, images or impulses, which the person knows are not real, are not produced voluntarily and are experienced as intrusive, which is why the person tries not to have them. Compulsions: are repetitive behaviors or mental acts, which the individual is forced to perform in response to an obsession or according to certain rules that must be strictly followed. the objective of these behaviors or mental operations is the prevention or reduction of discomfort or the prevention of some negative event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental operations are either not realistically connected with what they are intended to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive
Types of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Within the TOC, eight types can be differentiated:
Cleaning: they are people who are eaten away by obsessions related to pollution through certain objects or situations Verifiers: those who excessively inspect in order to prevent a certain catastrophe from occurring Repeaters: are those individuals who insist on repetitive actions. Computers: they are people who demand that the things that surround them be arranged according to certain rigid guidelines, including symmetrical distributions. Accumulators: they collect insignificant objects, from which they cannot be detached. Mental ritualizers: they usually appeal to Repetitive thoughts or images in order to counteract their anxiety provoking ideas or images, which constitute obsessions Tormented and pure obsessive: they experience repeated negative thoughts, which are uncontrollable and quite disturbing Sexual: consists of recurrent sexual thoughts, including about to They have an exaggerated fear of being homosexual. The most common in general are those of cleaners and verifiers, being those of cleaning much more common in women.
Causes of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Although the exact cause of OCD is not known, we do know several factors that intervene:
Biologicals:
Genetic factors: it is a disorder with a hereditary component. There is a 10-12% concordance in first-degree relatives.Neurotransmitters: On the one hand, we found a serotonin deficit and an excess of dopamine.Alterations in brain structures (basal and prefrontal ganglia).
Psychological:
They feel good doing it (eg: ordering) Parenting styles Modeling: copying parenting behaviors
Social:
Rigid educational styles. Very religious environment.
OCD is a disorder that occurs in 2.5% of the population and is slightly more prevalent in women. The most typical onset in men occurs between 6 and 15 years, while in women it occurs between 20 and 29 years.
Course and prognosis:
OCD usually has a gradual onset and although it does not completely subside, since it is a chronic disorder, there are periods when the symptoms are very attenuated. The fluctuation of symptoms depends as much on the effectiveness of the treatment as on whether they have stressful situations. Thus, in periods of more stress, the symptoms are again accentuated.
Dr. Carbonell
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