5 Myths About OCD Debunked

OCD is an issue that leads to intrusive obsessions and repetitive compulsions that affect many aspects of your life. It isn't easy to control without a proper diagnosis and treatment, especially when you don't know what to believe.

At Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS, Dr. Elia R. Gonzalez-Rodriguez provides expert OCD treatment in the form of medications, therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. She specializes in mental health disorders and provides you with the information you need to overcome OCD effectively.

What is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a prevalent mental health problem characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors. The intrusive thoughts are obsessions, while the repetitive behaviors are compulsions.

The obsessions are often uncontrollable and affect every aspect of a person's life. To alleviate the anxiety of obsessions, people usually perform compulsions. These cause a lot of distress and impact a person's life significantly.

Obsessions vary from person to person but often include fear of germs, overthinking symmetry, fear of misplacing objects, and aggression toward others.

The compulsions often follow the obsessions, including extreme hand-washing or cleaning, arranging objects in a particular order, checking things repeatedly, repeating words, or praying under one's breath.

Five common OCD myths

OCD is a common mental health disorder, but people still misunderstand it. Many myths and false information are circling OCD, which makes it challenging to manage. Not knowing what to believe only increases anxiety.

Whether you care about someone with OCD or you were recently diagnosed, it's essential to understand the truth about the condition. The first place to start is debunking common myths about OCD, which include:

1. Myth: OCD is only about over-cleanliness and organization

The truth is that OCD revolves around many different obsessions, not just organization and germs. It's a much more complicated issue that stems from fear and anxiety of getting or spreading germs, leading to excessive cleaning or hand washing, affecting your life.

It isn't merely about being overly clean or organized; it's a deeper problem that stems from fear of something that leads to compulsions to ease anxiety.

2. Myth: Compulsions are always physical

Although some compulsions are physical, including washing hands frequently or obsessively cleaning, some are mental. These compulsions include counting to a certain number all the time or repeating a conversation in your head to ease uncertainty.

It's challenging to spot mental compulsions because only the person with OCD knows they are happening – but that doesn't make them any less real.

3. Myth: OCD is just a phase that everyone has

Some people believe OCD is just a phase – but that isn't true. It's a real mental health issue that requires a professional diagnosis and treatment. The condition worsens without professional treatment and doesn't just disappear.

4. Myth: Everyone experiences OCD in the same way

OCD is different for everyone who's living with it, and it can change over time. Symptoms may worsen and get better, even with treatment. Although some people experience the same obsessions and compulsions, it affects each person differently.

5. Myth: You can't have an everyday life with OCD

OCD affects your life significantly, but it's possible to live a normal life with treatment. Early detection and a professional diagnosis provide the help you need to live a successful life.

Professional treatments like psychotherapy, medications, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) control symptoms and tame obsessions and compulsions. Over time, you understand why you think the way you do to control OCD and your life.

Call our team at Pacific Phoenix TMS today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rodriguez-Gonzalez for OCD treatment, or request a consultation on our website.