Daily struggles with OCD

1. Living with OCDThis a project for a high school AP Psychology course. This is a
fictionalized account of having a psychological ailment. For questions
about this blog project or its content please email the teacher, Laura
Astorian: laura.astorian@cobbk12.org

2. Definition
• OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is defined as a
medically manageable mental illness identified by
excessive thoughts that lead to repetitive behaviors

3. Statistics
• About 3.3 million Americans have
OCD every year.
• 1.2% of people in the world have
OCD.

4. Obsessions
• Obsessions run the lives of affected people and cause
anxiety.

5. Obsessions
• Society’s casual use of the word “obsession” makes this
disease seem less severe. However, the “O” in OCD
stands for an obsession that disrupts everyday
functioning.

6. Obsessions
• Some common obsessions include:
• Contamination
• Losing control
• Harm
• Perfectionism
• Unwanted sexual thoughts
• Religious obsessions

7. Compulsions
• Compulsions are repetitive thoughts or actions that a
person has or does in response to an obsession.

8. Compulsions
• Compulsions provide a temporary solution to an
obsession, but disrupt the lives of affected people.

9. Compulsions
• Often people with OCD do not want to do the act
motivated by an obsession, but have no alternative way to
release the anxiety linked to it

10. Compulsions
• Some common compulsions include:
• Washing and Cleaning
• Checking
• Repeating
• Mental Compulsions

11. Treatment
• Exposure and Response Prevention, a type of Cognitive
Behavior Therapy, is common. This is where the patient
goes to a medical professional’s office and is faced with
their fears and encouraged not to act on their obsessions.

12. Treatment
• Sometimes medications are used if ERP fails, or are used
in conjunction with ERP. These medications are
antidepressants such as Prozac or Paxil.

13. My Feelings
• I feel held back by this disease. I could do so much more
if it were not for my OCD.

14. My Feelings
• I hate having cracked hands from washing them so much.
I feel self conscious every time someone brushes my
hand.

15. My Feelings
• I am afraid of starting a committed relationship and
settling down because I feel like no one can live with
someone who thinks and acts like I do.

16. My Feelings
• I feel trapped in my own head because I force myself to
do compulsive things even though I don’t want to.

17. My Feelings
• ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) helps some,
but it’s hard to face the things that make my mind go
crazy.

18. My Feelings
• Taking medications is annoying sometimes because I
wish I didn’t have to take them. I wish I could just think
about other things to distract me from my obsessions.

19. My Feelings
• I hate when people joke about having OCD. This disease
ruins my life on a daily basis, and is a very serious
illness.

20. My Feelings
• I spend a lot of time every day just thinking about things
that happened and my reactions to them. I feel crazy with
how much I obsess over every little thing in my life.