In the UK Obsessive Compulsive Disorder otherwise known as OCD affects around one in fifty adults and one in two hundred children. OCD is the fourth most common mental illness in the UK following on from depression, addictions and scoial phobias. Studies suggest that it can take someone suffering from OCD up to seven years  to present to a medical professional to talk about their OCD meaning thatthere are lots of people suffering in silence and why it often does not get picked up in childhood.

 

What is OCD?

 

Sufferers of OCD have persistant, unwanted and reoccuring thoughts about situations (obsessions), which they will try to fight off with mental or physical rituals, for example checking, excessive hand washing and counting (compulsions).

 

Examples of obsessions:

 

• Fear of unacceptable behaviour

• Disaster or death

• Fear of causing bad things to happen

• Contamination

• Fear of sexual thoughts

• Blaspheming

• Intrusive thoughts

• Unsatisfactory body image

 

Examples of compulsions:

 

• Counting

• Checking (lights, taps, iron etc)

• Measuring

• Arranging

• Washing or cleaning

• Repetative actions

• Over praying

• Hoarding

 

Treating OCD

 

Many people feel they may have OCD because of superstitions and small rituals but when it begins to over take someones life and makes them unhappy it is important to ask for help. Many people try to hide their OCD and feel embarrassed to talk about it. OCD is a commonly treated issue at Private Therapy and we are able to understand how difficult it is to ask for help, our team will be there to help you every step of the way.

Individual therapy is the most common form of treatment for OCD with regular sessions with either a Consultant Psychiatrist or with a Clinical Psychologist for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). More severe forms of OCD can be treated either with group therapy or inpatient treatment, these will always be discussed at the inital assessment if they are recommended.