Resolving Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD Once and For All

“Resolving Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Once and For All”
By Jose Ma. H. Zaldarriaga
We live in an eccentric world. Perhaps, we have all heard of cases of some people
repetitively washing their hands because they are so afraid of germs and the prospect of
getting sick. A brilliant industrialist and director-producer was so concerned with
avoiding diseases that he would wash his hands several times a day, sometimes for as
long as an hour because doing so relieves him of undue anxiety. A legendary American
singer and performer would purportedly refuse to take his makeup off even in bed and
has undergone over 30 cosmetic surgery operations as he was rarely, or never, satisfied
with his physical appearance. History has likewise seen the awe-inspiring performances
of a musical genius who has never managed to fight to all the emotions h felt inside
whenever he had tom look at his audience.
It is, indeed surprising to know that the persons just mentioned are Howard
Hughes, Michael Jackson, and Ludwig van Beethoven, respectively, all towering figures
in their respective fields. True, it is some level of eccentricity which serves as a common
denominator of the three. But surely, such peculiarities do not merely arise from him air;
there has to be a root cause or factor which has helped trigger their onset and has helped
perpetuate their recurrence.
Many people who are extremely preoccupied with tidiness and order are usually
simply categorized as perfectionist. And those who consistently feel the need to repeat
certain actions (e.g., cleaning a desk) over and over again are simply thought of as neat
freaks. There is sometimes, however, a cheaper explanation as to why these strange
practices persist even without the necessity. Not many people may be aware of it. But
recurrent cases of repetitive actions or ritualistic exercises which seem to have no logical
basis may actually be symptoms of Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
OCD, the fourth most commonly diagnosed mental disorder which means that the
sufferer chronically experiences a high level of tension or worry. OCD is characterized
by intrusive and sudden thought which typically produce feelings of uneasiness, worry, of
fear. The thoughts usually revolve around nervous rituals or the desire to perform or redo
particular action. Someone who is OC may also be plagued by inappropriate thoughts
related to violence or sexual activity, which seem to come from nowhere. Also, aversion
to certain numbers is yet another symptom. What makes this disorder particularly
distressing is the usually incessant urge to perform repetitive behaviors aimed at easing
the anxiety caused by the intrusive thoughts.
As the term suggest, OCD is composed of both obsessions and compulsions. The
former refers to the intrusive thoughts whereas the latter refers to the rituals performed to
“satisfy” these obsessions. Possibly one of the most common recorded obsessions is an
irrational fear to catching a disease.
Sometimes, OCD can cause one to be plagued by baseless fears over things which
seem to have nothing frightening about them. Oftentimes, however, obsessions simply
take the form of recurrent urges to perform nervous rituals which generally include
redoing a specific action for fear that one has yet accomplished it fully. In other words,
these thoughts focus on real activities which an ordinary person would do only once or
twice. An example would be repetitively opening and closing a door or checking its
locks.
From a biochemical perspective, the root of OCD is an abnormally with the

neurotransmitter serotonin. It has long been believed that serotonin regulates anxiety.
This is consistent with the fact that most OCD sufferer are prescribed selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressant drugs which cause more serotonin to be
available to neighboring nerve cells.
In the Philippines, Cure Research’s “Statistics by Country for Obsession-

Compulsive Disorder,” reveals that at least a million people have OCD This value is of
course a modest estimation; many more remain undiagnosed either because they are
unaware of their condition or (because they) are in constant denial.
Only psychologist and psychiatrist are qualified to diagnose OCD. People may
commonly and instinctively believe that the most appropriate treatment for the disorder to
a deliberate attempt on the part of the sufferer is to embrace his obsessions as irrational
and have the courage to reject performing baseless compulsions. When the case is not
severity, a person’s resolve may be complemented by a kind of OCD treatment called
“exposure and response prevention.” In the same article, Yapchiongco cites an example
in which someone obsessed with the avoidance of germs will be exposed by a
psychologist to a surface that he believes is infested with them, say a public telephone.
After being made to touch the unclean surface, the client will not be allowed to wash his
hands. Je, thus, has to control his anxiety by preventing his obsessions from getting the
better of him. In this case, the therapist helps the individual control the need to perform
from the rituals.
As the disorder is diagnosed and advances, treatment is complemented with the

use of medications such as SSRIs—clomipramine, paroxetine, and sentraline among
others. Dr. Wilfredo Calma, a veteran psychiatrist working at Tarlac General Hospital,
states, “Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy are most effective in addressing cases of
OCD before they get worse. When left unchecked, it can progress into a very debilitating
disorder which can take its toll on the person’s family, career, and social life.”
We the scientific community still have much to learn about OCD. The
mechanisms—biological, emotional, and social—behind it are not yet fully understood.
This, however, does not mean that appropriate treatments to alleviate the disorder are
lacking. As Dr. Calma reiterates, OCD is treatable by the present means we have. OCD
does exist and, especially if evolves into a great cause for concern, should not be
neglected.
Submitted by: Belardo, Je-Anne

Danila, Camille

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“Resolving Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Once and For All”

By Jose Ma. H. Zaldarriaga

From a biochemical perspective, the root of OCD is an abnormally with the

In the Philippines, Cure Research’s “Statistics by Country for Obsession-

As the disorder is diagnosed and advances, treatment is complemented with the

Submitted by: Belardo, Je-Anne

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