In my opinion, the best way to help and not enable is to learn everything we can about the disorder and the proper way to respond to it. We also need to remember that it's okay to feel angry, annoyed, frustrated, and overwhelmed, as long as these feelings are directed toward the OCD and not the person we care about.
Encouraging healthy coping habits like exercising, relaxation techniques, and healthy eating can also go a long way in helping someone with OCD overcome their symptoms and reduce their reliance on compulsions or ritualistic behaviors.
Relying heavily on distraction to avoid having the thoughts. Reassurance seeking that the awareness will go away or that it's normal to be aware. Mentally reviewing how it must have felt before hyperawareness set in.
Speaking from experience, I would say that the average uncomplicated case of OCD takes from about six to twelve months to be successfully completed. If symptoms are severe, if the person works at a slow pace, or if other problems are also present, it can take longer.
Seek out any possible ways to decrease exposure to environmental stimuli. For instance, remove yourself from places that are brightly lit, noisy or overcrowded. When feasible, take a break from “doing something” and engage in a less stimulating activity.
Functional brain imaging studies have produced a model for pathophysiology of OCD which involves hyperactivity in certain subcortical and cortical regions.
These individuals tend to be overly controlling of their environments or relationships, wanting others to conform to the strict rules they set.
OCD is often related to control. The fear of losing control can result in behaviors that can disrupt your ability to function normally. If you are experiencing symptoms of OCD or the fear of losing control, reach out to your doctor or mental health professional.
In OCD, the brain gets stuck on a particular thought or urge and just can't let go. People with OCD often say the symptoms feel like a case of mental hiccups that won't go away. OCD is a medical brain disorder that causes problems in information processing.
Ways untreated OCD affects your life
Obsessive thoughts can make it extremely difficult or even impossible to concentrate. They can cause you to spend hours engaged in unnecessary mental or physical activity and can greatly decrease your quality of life.
Trauma, stress, and abuse all can be a cause of OCD getting worse. OCD causes intense urges to complete a task or perform a ritual. For those who have the condition, obsessions and compulsions can begin to rule their life.
Presentation. Primarily obsessional OCD has been called "one of the most distressing and challenging forms of OCD."
Imaging, surgical, and lesion studies suggest that the prefrontal cortex (orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortexes), basal ganglia, and thalamus are involved in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The lowdown. Stims are repetitive rhythmic behaviors such as rocking side to side, hand flapping or humming. Stimming is commonly associated with autism, but similar repetitive motions are often present in people with OCD.
You will be desensitized to the previous fear triggers and see them as they truly are — harmless thoughts and images that are simply part of the normal flow of your stream of consciousness. In other words, OCD is erased when the unwanted thoughts, images, and impulses are faced, and embraced.
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is generally believed to follow a chronic waxing and waning course. The onset of illness has a bimodal peak – in early adolescence and in early adulthood. Consultation and initiation of treatment are often delayed for several years.
OCD symptoms have been known to intensify over time, begging the question: What causes OCD to get worse? The short answer is comorbidities. These are mental health conditions that trigger and aggravate OCD symptoms. Research¹ shows that most people with OCD struggle with some other type of mental health condition.
Feeling intense stress and anxiety when things are not in a specific order. Worries about losing control over yourself and engaging in violent behaviors toward others or yourself. Unwanted thoughts and mental images, usually around taboo subjects, like aggression, sexuality, or religion.
It can easily become a form of compulsive avoidance, a refusal to acknowledge that the thought occurred in the first place and a refusal to experience feelings as they are. Active “ignoring” can trigger an additional sense of being in denial (and thus more anxiety).