By saying that OCD is all in their head, you are sending the message that OCD is not a legitimate disorder and that they are making it up. Or if they just demonstrated enough willpower, they could get over it. As a result, the person may doubt whether they have a disability and avoid seeking treatment.
“Just ignore the thoughts.”
An essential part of OCD recovery is learning to face discomfort and anxiety rather than ignoring it. Instead of telling your loved one to ignore the thoughts, encourage them to acknowledge the thought instead.
Ask them what you can do to make things easier during this difficult time. They may feel that things will never get better, especially if they are finding treatment hard or their symptoms come back. You can offer hope. Remind them that most people with OCD do benefit from treatment.
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
These individuals tend to be overly controlling of their environments or relationships, wanting others to conform to the strict rules they set.
Background: People who have an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) tend to manifest a need for excessive control over their partners and other relatives, which then constitutes a principal problem in their relationships. This behaviour probably relates to an unmet need for safety in their childhood.
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.
People with OCD can also experience episodes of anger. OCD is a chronic, distressing condition, so feeling angry makes sense. In fact, anger is a common human emotion that everyone experiences. But intense anger, particularly when it turns into aggression, can be distressing for people with OCD and their loved ones.
These obsessions and compulsions can range in severity, but what causes OCD to get worse over time is not properly managing the condition earlier on. Stress, trauma, avoidance, or even something as seemingly innocuous as a change in routine can all contribute to the worsening of OCD.
Attend to the intrusive thoughts; accept them and allow them in, then allow them to move on. Don't fear the thoughts; thoughts are just that—thoughts. Don't let them become more than that. Take intrusive thoughts less personally, and let go of your emotional reaction to them.
It's what is called “pure-O” OCD, in that there are no observable ritualistic behaviors such as checking or hand washing. The most common horrific thought is that of impulsively harming someone. Sufferers may be afraid that they will stab or shoot someone, commit suicide, or molest a child.
If you or a loved one has OCD, these symptoms likely include bouts of anger or rage. You're not alone in this: One small study found that 50% of patients with OCD experience anger attacks.
People who have OCD often overestimate the potential for danger and the consequences of making an error or not doing something perfectly. For example, if you have OCD you might believe that the likelihood of being fired is extremely high and that if you make any mistake at work, even a small one, you could be let go.
Not only do OCD sufferers have to deal with being perceived as selfish and likely annoying, they themselves often feel guilty for “having” to manipulate people and situations in order to follow what their OCD is dictating.
At its most severe, however, OCD can impact someone's ability to work, go to school, run errands, or even care for themselves. People with severe OCD have obsessions with cleanliness and germs — washing their hands, taking showers, or cleaning their homes for hours a day.
Harm OCD is a subset of classic obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The condition is characterized by having aggressive, intrusive thoughts of doing violence to someone, as well as the responses the person uses to cope with these thoughts. OCD makes the individual feel that they can't trust their own mind.
The onset of OCD is not limited to the original meaning of trauma; rather, traumatic experiences such as unexpected exposure to contaminants or various stressful life events often cause the onset of OCD.
OCD obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive and cause distress or anxiety. You might try to ignore them or get rid of them by performing a compulsive behavior or ritual. These obsessions typically intrude when you're trying to think of or do other things.
This means that someone experiencing this mental health condition might display patterns of alternating clingy behavior and a tendency to push their partner away. They might fluctuate between praising their partnership and considering their relationship doomed to fail or riddled with problems.
Research suggests there may be a link between sexual dysfunction and OCD, as OCD is associated with lower sex drive, lower satisfaction with sex, worse sexual functioning, disgust with sexual activities, dissatisfaction with a sexual partner and fear of having sex.