OCD can be Deadlier than you Thought

As a preteen, you may have started realizing yourself to be a potential candidate for OCD when you checked the door’s lock at least thrice before leaving home or imagined there was more dirt on a pen you shared with your classmate than on a toilet seat. Such is how OCD generally manifests, but sometimes, it can turn you into the most detested enemy you can ever have.

At its worst, you may literally begin to obsess over a pile of dust on your desk at the workplace that you saw two times in three years; you might begin to start hallucinating with the passage of time so much that the only resolve your parents would have is to get you therapy. This surprisingly common medical condition that starts with quirks may indicate a more serious problem. Right when you put it off as general OCD, it would actually be more than that.

Despite of OCD being a very common condition that is popularly assumed to not cause any damage except for irritable quirks, its diagnosis in all the reported cases is said to be linked to higher rates of schizophrenic spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Children of parents suffering from OCD are at a greater risk of developing the said conditions, states a new study that was published in JAMA psychiatry. The researchers added that there is a need for more researches to identzify risk factors that are common to OCD, schizophrenic spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.

Eating Disorders

13 percent of people with OCD develop an eating disorder such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa that share the same characteristics with OCD. Experts have also examined the similarities. It is in such a scenario important to speak to a mental health professional, who is experienced with both the disorders.

Depression

A study that was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders discovered that major depressive disorder was likely to be 10 times more common in OCD patients than those who did not have OCD. The symptoms of depression include feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, loss of interest in everyday activities and changes in weight as well as appetite.

Some people may find that their OCD symptoms get worse when they experience depressive episodes. The occurrence of OCD along with depression can have negative effects on the treatment. A study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry had found that those people who only had OCD were likely to have a better outlook post treatment compared with those people who had both OCD and depression.

Substance Abuse

OCD is one of the anxiety disorders that go hand in hand with substance abuse. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20 percent of people with an anxiety disorder tend to also have substance or alcohol abuse disorder. A person who has excessive drug or alcohol abuse may take to them to self-medicate, but this can actually worsen the symptoms of OCD.

OCD can be treated with medications, cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychotherapy, but it is important to know the warning signs as well as ways to get help to get the right treatment.