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Dr Orrange received her BA in Biology at the University of California San Diego and a Masters Degree in Health Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health She received her MD from the USC Keck School of…
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Obsessed: Shining a Light on OCD and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
Every week I see students, professors and other professionals with panic disorder, OCD, eating disorders, social anxiety disorder among others. Many have gone untreated and undiagnosed because of embarrassment and the long held perception that little can be done about the symptoms of OCD. As a primary care Doctor it brings me great sadness that some don't come to seek help and suffer silently. This is why I am so glad to see, finally, an open look at some of the disorders many of our DS members and my patients privately struggle with. The A & E series, "Obsessed," takes a real life look at those suffering with OCD and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (social anxiety disorder, eating disorders, trichotillomania, etc) and follows them through their struggles and treatment. What I hope this series accomplishes is letting folks know they are not alone; reach out to others who suffer the same symptoms and come get help. The mean age of onset for OCD is 21 years, right when you have just "separated" from your parents, are too old for your pediatrician and don't have your own doctor to go to.... and you feel so alone.
Why should we care so much? OCD and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders are thought to affect 10 percent of patients in a primary care setting. Quality of life is considerably decreased, as you will see in this series, due to the shame, distress, and time consumed in carrying out compulsive behaviors. Those on Dailystrength.org know there is significant interference in family relationships, friendships, and academic and work achievement. The untapped potential in those with social anxiety disorder, panic disorder and other anxiety disorders is astonishing but the devastating consequences of OCD are best summed up by a study which found that 13 percent of patients had attempted suicide secondary to OCD symptoms.
What are the treatment options? Cognitive-behavioral therapy and medications are used for the treatment and what I love about A & E's "Obsessed" is that you will get to SEE what that means, what this targeted therapy is like, and does it work for these folks. Reading about the treatments is one thing but seeing them is another.
The series premiers on Memorial Day so for those of you in our various communities: OCD, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, eating disorders, food addiction and trichotillomania please jump in and let me know your thoughts.
Dr O.
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Displaying comments 26-7 of 26
Got a Question?
1)Blondegal55 You suggested that addiction to people (specifically those in a relationship), pornography, and I'm going to add sex in general, may be part of an OCD condition or an outcropping of it. Here's the thing. Having about 10 disorders myself and trying to untangle that mess ... I would say that it is EASILY possible that OCD could cause these symptoms. Here's the problem. The SYMPTOM is not the disorder. It is possible to get some of these from other disorders. OCD like most psychological disorders is systemic. So it has an effect on nearly all of a psyche's existence. I hope that can help you with your situation in some way.
2) I am a strange case of CDO (OCD spelled right :P) I have Asperger's Syndrome. Having a little TOO much knowledge of the psychiatric world and not enough understanding I have been able to see a lot of things in my own disorders. The pertinent thing here is that I have a conglomeration of not quite full impact disorders. Including but not limited to: OCD, Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (PSDS), Bi-polar, Schizoid Personality Disorder(not confirmed), ADHD (during childhood, but seems to have been removed from the equation now), and possibly others that aren't quite clear. All this together kind of comes together to make what seems to be a BIG part of the weird person that is me. For me it's hard sometimes to NOT define myself by my disorders. In any case, my OCD is "mild" in that it's not a "unstoppable force" in my mind so much, in other words I can sometimes keep it from happening. However, once it DOES happen, all bets are off. Stressors, of course, make it harder to stop it occurring.
Either way, it's important to realize that with OCD the actual obsessive behavior ... is often something that is gratifying or even self-gratifying. One classic examples explained as I see it. Locking the door multiple time before being able to leave the presence of a door to one's home. There is an obvious gratification of making sure that your home is "safe". For most of the people in the world there's a lot of emotional investment into "stuff" this may be exaccerbated(sp) in many cases of OCD by the fact that SO much energy is devoted to putting things in the "right" place. This can thereby increase the protectiveness of "stuff". I think the rest is relatively plain to see in that one. In addition this particular process can explain a GREAT many misunderstood OCD expressions.
It is also useful to note ... OCD has a certain benefit in the brain of allowing the psyche to be oblivious to the things OUTSIDE of the obsessive target. This can have many "beneficial" effects. Like allowing the psyche to NOT be MORE stressed by additional stressors. There are of course limits to these kinds of things. And none of this is to say that OCD is a blissful heavenly place of comfort and safety .... far from it. But realistically. Compared to a sensory overload from my Asperger's I'll take an Obsessive bout any day.
I certainly can expound huh =D ttfn
Onyx
It is important to find the right therapist. Not all of my therapists even understood OCD and the latest person I tried to go to didn't know anything about OCD and suggested that I find another therapist, which was important but disappointing as I liked her from the start. I have never been through CBT. I don't know if it would help my "thinking" OCD but maybe I should continue to watch the show and see how it works. Thanks for the opportunity to talk about the show.
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Sean Cruz
dui
But what about addictive behavior such as to obsessed with another person, addiction to porn. Are these two inter-related to the obssessive-compulsive disorder? Does anyone know whether the same medication and/or therapies would also assist someone who wants to rid themselves of an addiction to another person (for example calling, texting)as well as sexual addiction, and addiction to porn)
Can anyone address whether the same areas of the brain are affected and whether the same therapies are helpful.
I understand the one component of OCD is that people experience obsessive behaviors which they cannot control, and that behavior, actually cause them stress and exacerbates the problem.
On the other hand, obsessive choices, thoughts, and behaviours involving people, sex, and porn, seem to gratify and reinforce people to want to do it again.
The main point of difference, as I see it is: the diagnosed OCD individual does not want to redo the obsession, whereas it gives them grief and upset, whereas in the obsessive personality disorder, they do receive enjoyment.
If anyone has any information on this, I'd greatly appreciate some input!
thxs
I would prefer a Carl Rodgers approach. The one time I asked him about a referal to a psychologist he didn't do a damm thing to help. Clearly, he didn't want me to supplament his excellent knowledge of drugs with a PhD.