‘I have to count the rupee notes six times to be sure’. I cannot tolerate my things being shifted here and there. They have to be in the order I have set.

‘He keeps collecting the covers of the things. They have filled these big cupboards, which are already overflowing. He says, "It will be needed in the future!"

"She cannot come out of the toilet even after 30 minutes." A bath takes more than an hour and you finish one soap in 2 to 3 days. So much water is wasted! We are not able to use the bathroom or toilet, because she is not coming out! ’

"I cannot prevent those sexual thoughts from coming to my mind again and again." I get very upset. I am not able to concentrate. I feel so guilty and ashamed of that thought. I am unable to stop that thought, but I try to control and avoid it.

I am unable to keep knives and scissors in my home. I am afraid I might use it to harm others. I get panic at the sight of any sharp objects and I throw them out’.

There are many similar statements from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients. In fact, if we allow it, OCD patients can go on and on for hours talking about their suffering due to the intrusive obsessive thoughts, images, urges, impulses, and compulsive behaviours.

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Obsessions are thoughts, images, or urges that repeatedly occur in one's mind even though that person does not want them. Such thoughts, images, urges, which are perceived as irrational and unnecessary, cause intense distress, anxiety, and fear. In order to reduce the distress, the person indulges in some neutralizing behaviours, which may be illogical many times, which give relief temporarily for a very short time. Again, the obsessions occur and the person feels compelled again to do the same neutralising behaviors, which are called "compulsions" or "compulsive acts." When these repetitive patterns become frequent and severe, they cause intense distress and interfere with the day-to-day functioning of the individual. This is the core feature of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Luckily, it is one of the eminently treatable conditions, like depression. In fact, many OCD patients get depressed and present with both. At the OCD Clinic of Vazhikatti Mental Health Centre, all of our clinical team members are interested in and experienced in treating OCD. We offer family counseling, individual behavioural therapy, exposure and response prevention (ERP), pharmacotherapy with tablets, illness education, and self-help groups. Many of the OCD patients who came to our OCD clinic were chronic, with severe impairment due to delayed and irregular treatment.

If the condition is complex and severe, one may need in-patient treatment with the family members staying with the patient and supporting the treatment. With proper illness education and family counselling, with in-patient treatment when necessary, the majority of the patients make remarkable recoveries.

To know more and seek help from one of the best OCD treatment centres in Coimbatore, call 9842253053 or 0422-4397671 or email vazhikatti@gmail.com or visit Vazhikatti Mental Health Centre in-person.