OCD is the abbreviation of the term obsessive-compulsive disorder. People with OCD suffer from a series of unwanted thoughts and certain fears or obsessions that keep coming back to them and lead to compulsive behaviors.
People with OCD often have no control over their actions. Even if they try to control or suppress it, it will burst into something even worse and result in their compulsive behavior. Their actions to avoid OCD only add up to their stress. However, mindfulness meditation can be a huge help in such cases.
There are certain themes around which OCD revolves. For instance, people who have OCD for cleanliness would keep on cleaning things even if they have cleaned them several times. It is their obsession that makes them perform such tasks.
Let’s talk about some symptoms of OCD.
The symptoms are divided into two parts, obsessive and compulsive.
Obsession symptoms
Obsession symptoms are thoughts that are unwanted, repeated, and persistent. There are urges that they feel are hard to refuse and the images that put them into distressing situations. Whenever it is ignored, people reflect compulsive behaviors. The different types of obsessions are:
- Fear of getting dirty or contaminated with germs.
- Failure to handle the uncertainties in life.
- Organization of things in a particular order
- Urges to harm yourself and others
- Uncontrollable thoughts involving anger and fear.
Compulsion symptoms
There are also compulsive symptoms of OCD, in which people are driven to perform the tasks related to their obsession. They feel like reducing their stress but it is only temporary. Their urge to do the same task after some time would come up and put them into distress.
It is the unwanted behavior that people believe would help prevent something wrong from occurring. Some of the common symptoms are:
- Cleaning
- Washing
- Needing reassurance
- Following the routine strictly
- Counting
The symptoms work in the following manner:
- Keep washing your hands until they are chapped
- Keep checking the locks of the doors to confirm
- Keep checking the stoves
- Continue counting in your brain in some particular pattern
- Keep repeating some words or phrases in your brain
- Organizing things in the same manner without accepting a slight change.
Do’s for dealing with someone with OCD
Supporting someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder is not an easy thing. They need constant support and a huge understanding level. You need to make sure that you encourage them for certain things which helps reduce their stress. There might be some situations where they get distressed, but with your support and care, they might come out of it easily.
Encouraging them for challenging their compulsions
Your support would help them manage their compulsions and obsessive behavior. Encourage them to deal with the situations when they feel compulsive and try to control them. You can distract them from other things or divert their mind to something that keeps them entertained and busy for a while.
Appreciate their progress
The best motivation is to appreciate them at every little step they are taking towards overcoming their obsession. Celebrate the success they are achieving, it will inspire them to move forward and make more efforts for their betterment.
Help them embrace the uncertainty
You should be prepared for any uncertain situation happening around you. And also help them be prepared for the uncertainties. People with OCD feel impossible to handle the uncertainties, according to them everything has to be organized and fixed. So, your support would help them deal with uncertain situations in life.
Take them to specialist
In some situations, people need help from a specialist and instead of hyping up this thing, you must support them. Look for the best NLP practitioner and encourage them to take the therapy sessions. The best option is to go for online classes, it would be easier for them to interact online than in person.
Don’ts for supporting people with OCD
There are particular things that you must avoid while taking care of someone with OCD. You have to understand that there are certain behaviors that will trigger them and make it tough for them to cope with the disorder.
Watch your words
If you think that you tell them not to think about it, again and again, would refrain their thinking, then you are completely wrong. You need to understand that they are not doing willfully and it is something that is out of their control. So, stop saying things like, “don’t think about it”, or “avoid it”. It would not be the right kind of support and make them frustrate more than before.
Don’t avoid yourself
Self-care is very important when taking care of a person with OCD. If you do not take care of yourself, you will get tired or frustrated very easily. So, set some boundaries and focus on self-care. It is the best thing you can do for your loved one.
Don’t take it lightly
You should not take the term “OCD” so lightly in front of them. For instance, if you are talking to them, consider that it is something quite serious for them. So, avoid using terms like, “it is a very normal thing, I also have OCD”.
Don’t overlook their misery
Yes, it is the right thing to act normally with them. But you better not avoid what they are going through and try to overlook their miserable situation.
