Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Term Misuse, Misunderstanding and the Truth
Whenever I read a comment on social media such as "I'm so OCD about that" I visibly cringe. As a therapist who specializes in OCD treatment and knows the impact OCD can have on someone, it's bothersome to see the term minimized and thrown around like a badge of flaunting self-discipline, rigidity, or perfectionism. It seems that at least 90% of the time, the author is misusing the term, which as benign as might be intended, may leave those experiencing real OCD to feel minimized in their experiences.
The truth is OCD is a significantly impacting anxiety-driven disorder that is experienced by about 2.3% of the population according to the ADAA...and that's the cases we know about, which means it inevitably impacts even more.
The frequent and casual misuse of this term seems to be widespread. This has caused me to wonder, are we at all informed about this mental health experience? And even if we are informed, do we really understand what it means?
Let's start with some myth busting to check our understanding. Here are some common beliefs around Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:
"OCD means someone washes their hands a lot"
The truth: sometimes this is part of someone's OCD, but it's far from always the case. If there is no underlying fear that's driving this behavior, it is not OCD.
"OCD means someone likes something just so/exactly right"
The truth: OCD can appear this way, particularly in balance and symmetry OCD (a subtype of OCD), but if the behavior is not fear-driven, then this is a perfectionistic tendency or strong preference, not OCD. If this appears often in your life, you may be interested in learning about what's called Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder or OCPD.
"To have OCD you have to be a clean freak"
The truth: people who experience OCD vary in their preferences for cleanliness, order and organization, to the same extent that any other person would, HOWEVER, if cleanliness, order and organization are done compulsively because of an underlying fear, then it may be an aspect of someone's OCD
Are you catching on to the pattern yet?
OCD is a cycle of FEAR-DRIVEN internal and/or external behaviors, conducted to prevent a feared outcome. Sometimes the behavior can logically connect with the obsessive fear, and often times the connection isn't entirely clear at first glance. Folks with OCD can engage in their compulsions to avoid a feeling, obtain a just-right feeling, and/or give themselves a sense of control around an outcome. If someone with OCD is prevented from engaging in their compulsion, they may feel uncomfortable, anxious or even mad/agitated.
If you're someone who thought your behavior was indicative of OCD, ask yourself, "If I weren't able to do that behavior, would I experience any discomfort?"
If the answer is yes, it may be worth exploring more around this to determine if OCD is present.
If any of the above sounds familiar and you'd like to set an appointment, contact Foster Counseling & Therapy at 779-800-5024 or submit an appointment request through www.fostercounseling.org
To read more about OCD and its subtypes and connect with resources, check out these sites:
Written by: Katie Higgins, LCPC
