Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder services offered in Phoenix, AZ

Everyone has things they obsess over, but for those with OCD, obsessions are more extreme. OCD obsessions are frequent and cause severe anxiety where a person cannot function. The exact obsession varies from person to person with OCD, but they are broken down into the following categories:

Contamination
Fear of germs, dirt, chemicals, bodily fluids, or environmental contaminants is a common form of OCD. This may cause the compulsion to repeatedly wash hands or avoid certain situations.

Responsibility
This OCD obsession can cause a person to deal with extreme anxiety of possibly doing something to cause harm to themselves or others, such as car crashes.

Violence/Harm
This OCD fear can cause horrific images in a person’s mind or cause continuous worry of inflicting violence on themselves or a loved one. A person with OCD struggling with this obsession may constantly worry that a loved one will get hurt somehow.

Sexual
Sexual OCD obsessions can also cause unwanted sexual images or thoughts in a person’s mind. It can also enact the fear of being too sexually aggressive towards a person or acting on a sexual-related impulse.

Spiritual/Moral
A person dealing with spiritual or moral OCD obsessions tends to deal with the constant worry that they will do something to upset God or do something morally wrong. They may deal with the compulsions of asking for forgiveness over and over.

Symmetry/Perfectionism
This OCD obsession can lead to a person being fixated on evenness and exactness when it comes to numbers, arranging items, or being concerned with ensuring things are done correctly.

Self-Doubt
Self-doubt obsessions can make a person feel as if they forgot to do something or something isn’t done right, such as locking the door before the house. This obsession can cause a person to repeatedly perform a task or action to ensure completion.

Compulsions a person with OCD has relates to their obsession or is a behavior that comforts the person and reduces their anxiety. Common compulsions related to OCD obsessions can be:

• Repeatedly washing hands or heavily sanitizing an area
• Excessive bathing
• Being overly careful or refusing to partake in certain activities
• Checking things multiple times
• Arranging items in a certain way or constantly counting items
• Doing things in a certain order
• Counting while doing things to end on a number that feels “safe”

While the cause of OCD is unclear, some factors contribute to this disorder. Perfectionists or those with a strong sense of responsibility may likely develop OCD. Some may also develop this disorder through learned behavior from a family member or because of genetic factors. People with OCD may have low serotonin levels, impacting how a specific part of the brain communicates with its deeper structures. Consulting with a medical professional may help you determine what has caused your OCD. 

Other than performing actions or rituals, there are a few physical symptoms people with OCD may have. They can include:

• Eye blinking
• Head jerking
• Nose sniffling
• Shrugging their shoulders.

These actions can be brief and repetitive in those with OCD.

Your psychiatric professional will sit down with you and perform a psychiatric evaluation to look for the following:

• If there are evident obsessions and compulsions
• If these obsessions and compulsions cause extreme anxiety or distress
• If the obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and hinder responsibilities such as work, school, or social life. Another sign We will look for is if these obsessions and compulsions are time-consuming.

Mild OCD may be manageable, but when untreated, it can affect the quality of your life. Symptoms can gradually become serious, interfering with family time or work productivity. You may spend hours obsessing about your fears and refuse to spend time with family or friends.

Here's a scenario:

If you have a fear of germs, your compulsion can escalate, from washing hands to throwing away clothes to eliminate germs. Over time, OCD can cause you to:

• Suffer depression

• Miss work or school

• Stop doing activities you usually enjoy

• Have panic attacks or suicidal thoughts