6 Myths About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Despite its prevalence, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is one of the most misunderstood health conditions out there. Perhaps due to stereotypical portrayals in the media, many people have ideas about it that simply aren’t true.

Myth 1: All neat freaks have OCD. #

Fact #

• One common sign of OCD is an obsession with cleanliness such as constantly washing your hands or excessively cleaning household items.

• But a cleanliness complex can also be a personality trait, says Jeff Szymanski, PhD, executive director of the International OCD Foundation and one of the world’s leading authorities on OCD.

• And that’s part of the confusion.

• If it’s a personality trait, you have control you can choose to do it or not.

• If you have obsessive compulsive disorder, you’re doing it out of unrelenting debilitating anxiety.

Myth 2: OCD is all about cleanliness. #

Fact #

• Sure, a fixation on keeping things clean may a common compulsion of OCD, but it’s not the only one (and not everyone with OCD has it).

• Other common compulsions include hoarding items, checking and rechecking that you didn’t make a mistake, fearing something bad such as a fire or accident, and repeating routines such as going in and out of a door.

Myth 3: OCD is rooted in your childhood. #

Fact #

• Many people mistakenly believe that people who exhibit signs of OCD grew up in dysfunctional homes and have poor self-esteem as a result.
• What happened in your childhood has very little to do with having OCD when you grow up, Szymanski says.
• However, he notes, obsessive compulsive disorder does run in families and researchers believe genetics may play at least some part in its development, as well as experiences.

Myth 4: OCD is rare in kids. #

Fact #

• At least 1 in every 200 kids and teens has obsessive compulsive disorder, Szymanski says, and it can strike as young as 4 years old.

• This is about the same number of children who have diabetes but no one considers diabetes to be rare.

• If you took an average-size elementary school, you’d find four or five kids with OCD.

• In a medium to large high school, you’d find about 20 students dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder.

Myth 5: Tests can confirm OCD. #

Fact #

• Unlike cancer or diabetes, obsessive compulsive disorder can’t be diagnosed with a blood test or a scan.

• However, your doctor is likely to conduct a physical examination and order tests to rule out other medical conditions.

• If mental health professionals suspect you have OCD, they are likely to ask you a series of questions and look for three signs of OCD: whether you have obsessions, whether you exhibit compulsive behaviors, and if you do, whether they get in the way of your normal activities.

Myth 6: OCD isn’t treatable. #

Fact #

• Many people don’t seek OCD treatment because they’re embarrassed, and that may be why people think it can’t be treated.

• OCD is definitely treatable, Szymanski says.

• The first line of OCD treatment is exposure and response prevention, a face-your-fears therapy.

• Some people need a combination of behavioral therapy and medications.