AN INSIGHT INTO:

OBSESSIVECOMPULSIVE
DISORDER

3 5 78
INDEX

12
10 15
15 17

3 What is OCD?
5 The Numbers
7 Signs & Symptoms
8 Fear Factor
10 My Experience
12 Treatment
15 How You Can Help
15 Resources
17 Famous People With OCD

Having OCD is like being

allergic to life every waking
moment is spent in a state of
mental hyper-sensitivity.
UNKNOWN

What is OCD?
OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) is a type of anxiety disorder. People who are
affected by OCD often experience intrusive and uncontrollable thoughts and/or a need to
perform ritualized behaviour patterns. These obsessions and compulsions cause severe
stress, and can also take up a lot of time. They interfere with a persons normal routine,
activities and relationships. About 1-2% of the population suffers from OCD, and it affects
men and women equally.

Is the door locked? I think it is... I just checked, but I could have seen
it wrong. Someone could have gone out and came back in while
forgetting to lock the door. I should check. I should check 3 more
times...

"The biggest fear I

have is being
triggered. And if I'm
triggered and I get
some sort of weird
thought in my head
that can't go, then
my day is stopped.
My life stops."
~ Howie Mandel

OCD is a serious
mental illness,
affecting both
genders and people
of all races and
ethnicities.

WORRYING is a huge aspect of OCD. Those with OCD may

feel afraid about bad things happening to them or people
they love, or may need everything just right and check
multiple times to make sure. Others may have a fear of
contamination, and could worry about their parents or siblings
getting sick. Some individuals may need to do or say things a
specific number of times, or ensure everything is clean to
prevent something bad they think could happen in the future.
The worries are intense and can be triggered again and again.
Worrying can take up many hours of the day or even the
entire day for people with OCD.

The Numbers
And some facts.
About 1-2% of the Canadian
population is affected by
OCD.

About 1 in 40 adults suffer from

OCD - of all psychiatric disorders,
OCD is the fourth most common.

Over 90% of individuals with OCD

(who receive treatment) have
obsessions and compulsions.

It is estimated that less than 10% of OCD

sufferers are receiving treatment.
Children with OCD often tend
to have other disorders too,
including ADHD, anxiety
disorders, and depression.

1/3 to 1/2 of individuals find that signs

of their OCD began in their childhood.
Children who are only 1.5 years old
have been found exhibiting symptoms
of OCD!
Did you know?
Around the world, for those between
the ages of 15 and 44, OCD is a top 20
cause of illness-related disability.

OCD is not a disease that

bothers; it is a disease
that tortures.
J.J. KEELER

Signs and
Symptoms
Do you have OCD? Does someone you know have OCD?
Some common symptoms of OCD
include:
Anxiety
Depression
Irrational fears
Checking behaviour
Intrusive and uncontrollable thoughts
Excessive repetitive behaviour

Individuals with OCD cannot control unwanted thoughts or behaviour,

and this causes distress. Those with OCD may have obsessions
(thought-related), compulsions (action-related) or both.

Obsessions
There are usually 5 categories of obsessions:
Obsessive doubts - Having persistent doubts that a task has been completed
Obsessive thinking - A continuous chain of thoughts that target future events
Obsessive impulses - Having a strong urge to perform certain actions
Obsessive fears - Thoughts of having lost control over self
Obsessive images - Continuous visual pictures of a real or imagined event
4 factors most commonly associated with obsessive characteristics:
Being unable to control mental processes
Worrying over the loss of motor control and impulses
Being afraid of contamination (exposure to germs, dirt, or
diseases
Checking behaviour (going over previous actions to make sure
behaviour was done properly)

Compulsions
Compulsions can be mild or severe. An example of a mild compulsion could be having a
superstition, such as refusing to walk under a ladder. Severe compulsions are fixed and
ritualized - if not done properly in a certain way or number of times, anxiety can result.
OCD sufferers believe their rituals are 'necessary' and perform them in order to prevent
something in the future from occurring.
Common rituals include:
Repeating (the person must do everything by
numbers)
Checking (a compulsive checker will think
checking and rechecking is necessary)
Cleaning (washing repeatedly)
Hoarding
Avoidance (avoiding certain objects or places
because of superstitious or irrational reasons)
Urges for perfection
Placing objects in a particular arrangement
People with OCD also have a continuous need for reassurance.

Fear Factor
Many people with OCD live in fear and try to hide their obsessions and compulsions from their family
and friends. According to the Canadian Psychological Association, Up to 30% of people with OCD will
refuse behaviour therapy or drop out of treatment prematurely. They feel that they are defective, are
ashamed of their thoughts and actions, and are afraid to ask others for help. In a society where we
publicly fight against cancer, why is this not the same for mental illnesses as well?

"I've been afraid of

being labeled 'crazy'."
~ Howie Mandel

I have CDO. Its like OCD, but all the letters are in alphabetical order,
AS THEY SHOULD BE.
Despite the fact that this joke could be very funny for many people,
joking about OCD or other mental illnesses instills the belief that
someone can easily overcome OCD and just get over it. It can lead to
the idea that people who cannot quickly overcome OCD have something
wrong about them, which is completely false.

OCD is a treatable illness, whether it is through therapy or medication. People can learn to cope with
their OCD and live free from the burden it brings. However, until the stigma of OCD goes away, many
sufferers will continue to waste years of their life trapped behind bars of fear.

My Experience
The presence of OCD has impacted my life enormously. I did not show many signs or symptoms of
having OCD until I started middle school. However, my mom had spoken to me about several events that
occurred when I was little which may have indicated that I had already developed the illness. One time,
she said I insisted on making the pillow cases in the guest room match. Personally, I remember I had to
make sure my slippers were placed in a specific way outside of my bedroom before I went to bed.
Throughout my middle school years, my rituals became increasingly prominent and disruptive in my daily
life. I believe this was because I had started a new school in an enhanced specialty program, and I put
myself under a lot of stress to do well in each and every aspect of the school environment. I would go to
bed, but then I would think about if the door was locked or not and I would make myself go back
downstairs to check all the doors. Sometimes I had to go through this routine multiple times in a night
before finally being able to relax. A huge wave of panic would come over me, and unless I did my ritual, it
was impossible for me to feel okay. I washed my hands every time I touched an object I thought was
dirty, (which was almost everything) until they were cracked and dry. I checked the homework site over
and over again to make sure I did all my homework, and I often stared at the homework list for a long
time, thinking there was something I was missing. I was obsessed with perfectionism, and had a need to
gain control over my life. I had a chair that was exclusively for me, and I was extremely afraid of anyone
ever sitting on it, or even touching it. I remember coming home from a school trip, and finding out my
mom had sat in my seat. I went berserk, running upstairs screaming and then curling up into a ball while
crying. That day, I reached my breaking point.
In the summer before I entered the eighth grade, my mom and dad suggested I should go to therapy
and visit a psychologist to see if I had OCD. I refused to go, however they still booked an appointment
near the beginning of the school year. I was afraid, and anxiously anticipating the appointment. I thought
that the psychologist would think there was something inherently wrong with me, and I did not want to
talk to a stranger about my rituals. The day soon came, and I found myself sitting in an office with my
mom, a psychologist, a social worker, and a social worker-in-training. They asked me several questions
about germs, my rituals, and asked my mom if I had exhibited any strange behaviour in the past or
present. That day at school, I broke down crying, finally letting go of all the emotions that had been
building up inside of me. After that first appointment, I began to regularly see my counsellor (and
social worker-in-training) once a week. For the first few appointments, we wrote down and went through
all of my OCD rituals and fears. I ranked these rituals based on the amount of panic I had about trying to
overcome the fears behind them. For the next two years, I worked to overcome many rituals, starting
with the one that I felt most comfortable attacking. For example, if I was in bed and I wanted to check
the door, I was not allowed to go down and see if it was locked. My counsellor taught me several muscle
and breathing techniques for relaxation. We also talked about how it was not necessary to continuously
check the door (specifically for that ritual), as I live in a safe neighbourhood, and it is always locked after
someone comes home.
Each step I took in overcoming OCD was a big challenge, and I cannot thank my counsellor enough for
encouraging me and helping me learn to cope with my OCD. She was there for me, right from the very
first time I walked into her office. The therapy I underwent made a significant and positive difference in my
life, as I no longer practice many of the rituals I once had. The burden of OCD has been reduced, and I
now have the opportunity to enjoy my everyday life I can even speak to people about my experience!

Nothing helps people heal

faster than someone who
truly understands their pain.
I understand because I hurt
too.
MATT R. - OCDNI.CO.UK

11

Treatment
No one should suffer from OCD.
Individuals with OCD can learn to
cope with this anxiety disorder
through therapy or medicine.
Therapy/Counselling
The type of counselling used to treat patients with OCD is cognitive-behavioral therapy.
It refers to two treatments: exposure and response prevention and cognitive therapy.
Recently, these two treatments have been used together.

Exposure and Response Prevention

Cognitive Therapy

For this type of therapy, a person must expose

him/herself to their obsession, however they
cannot carry out their ritual act. An example
could be exposing themselves to an object they
fear and believe is contaminated and not
performing their ritual of washing their hands.
They may need to write a list of their
obsessions, compulsions (rituals), and things
they avoid, and then rank the amount of anxiety
each item on the list causes. Often, therapists
encourage their patients to expose themselves
to the obsession that causes the least amount
of anxiety first, and take a ladder approach to
overcoming their other obsessions.

Cognitive therapy is usually done with exposure

and response prevention. Once patients create a
list of situations which cause them moderate to
severe anxiety and perform their exposure
assignments, they must pay attention to their
thoughts and feelings in these situations.
Cognitive therapy places a focus on the
interpretation of participants obsessions, their
belief of the truth behind them, how they feel
about them, and exploring the reason(s) for
having the obsessions. The consequences of
having or not having compulsive behaviour are
also delved into. The thought record is a useful
tool in cognitive therapy, and it helps people
identify and challenge their negative
interpretations of distressing thoughts.

There is the option of self-help therapy, however it is not recommended for those with severe OCD.

Medicine
There are a variety of medicinal treatments for helping individuals cope with OCD.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)

SSRI's must be prescribed by a doctor. About 70% of
people who take an SSRI will show reduced symptoms of
OCD. If an SSRI is needed, a doctor may prescribe a
fluoxetine, such as Prozac, or a tricyclic antidepressant, for
example clomipramine. About 80% of people taking
clomipramine have reported positive results (reduced
symptoms). For many drugs, it may take up to 12 weeks
before there is a significant improvement of symptoms.
Aside from SSRI's, there are also some antidepressants
that are available to patients.

Secondary Medication
There are drugs that can be taken that are specifically
meant for mood stabilization, and reducing anxiety and
OCD symptoms. They are called secondary medications,
and are taken in combination with SSRI's.

Doctors may choose to monitor a patient's reaction to the medicine prescribed; evaluating
its effectiveness and the dosage needed. If the patient is in counselling, their doctor may
also need to monitor their progress. This is called ongoing treatment.
An alternative treatment to medicine is herbal treatment.

Benefits of Therapeutic or Medicinal Treatment

According to the Canadian Psychological Association
- 76% of people who complete treatment (13-20
sessions) will show significant and lasting reductions in
their obsessive and compulsive symptoms
After effective treatment, OCD sufferers will have
notably less anxiety.
Individuals can take charge, instead of their OCD, and
lead a happier life.

13

If you think someone you know

has OCD, don't let them suffer!
WAYS TO HELP:
LearnmoreaboutOCD.Lookattheresourcesbelow!

DONOTaccommodatetheperson'sOCDbehaviour.
Encouragetheindividualtotalktotheirdoctor,andiftheyare
diagnosedwithOCDbyapsychologistorpsychiatrist,helpthem
findaplacethatofferssuitabletreatment.

Learnhowtorespondiftheyrefusetreatment.
BeyondHelptobuildawarenessofOCD.Passonthis
booklet!

RESOURCES:
Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada
www.anxietycanada.ca

The Obsessive Compulsive Foundation

http://ocfoundation.org

OCD Education Station

www.ocdeducationstation.org

15

Did you
know?

Famous People With OCD

Did you know that these famous people have OCD?

David Beckham

Justin Timberlake

Charlize Theron

Cameron Diaz

Howie Mandel

Megan Fox

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jessica Alba

Howard Stern

17

OCD is not an illness to be

overlooked. If you have a suspicion
that someone has OCD, please
take action now and make a
difference in that person's life
today. OCD sufferers are not alone.
As a society, we will bring change.

Works Cited
"5 Things OCD Is Not." Web. 20 July 2014.
<http://blog.iocdf.org/2013/03/01/5-things-ocd-is-not/>
A. Clark, Dr. David. "Psychology Works Fact Sheet: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder." Canadian Psychological
Association, 1 Jan. 2009. Web. 20 July 2014.
<http://www.cpa.ca/docs/File/Publications/FactSheets/PsychologyWorksFactSheet_ObsessiveCompulsive
Disorder.pdf>.

"Facts about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder." Beyond OCD. Web. 3 Aug. 2014.
<http://beyondocd.org/ocd-facts>

"Family Tips." OCD Foundation. Web. 21 July 2014.

<http://www.ocfoundation.org/EO_FamilyTips.aspx>

Fisher, Luchina, and Sheila Marikar. "Charlize Theron and 8 More Stars with OCD."
ABC News. ABC News Network. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.
<http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/charlize-theron-stars-obsessive-compulsive
disorder/story?id=15972302>

Haddad, Jessica, Eric Strauss, and David Muir. "Germs: 'No Deal' for Host Howie Mandel." ABC News. ABC News
Network, 24 Nov. 2009. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.
<http://abcnews.go.com/2020/howie-mandel-public-obsessive-compulisve-disorder-fear-germs/story?id=9
153966>

"Howie Mandel on OCD & ADD." Psychology Today. Web. 3 Aug. 2014.
<https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pills-dont-teach-skills/201104/howie-mandel-ocd-add>

Jensen, K. Thor. "10 Celebrities Who Suffer From OCD." Mandatory. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.mandatory.com/2013/03/07/10-celebrities-who-suffer-from-ocd/7>

"OCD Joke." Choke on a Joke. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.

<http://www.greatcleanjokes.com/2379/ocd-joke/>

"OCD NI." Matt's Story. Web. 3 Aug. 2014.

<http://www.ocdni.co.uk/matts-story/4582005346>

"OCD Statistics and Facts." HealthyPlace. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.

<http://www.healthyplace.com/ocd-related-disorders/ocd/ocd-statistics-and-facts/>

"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about

Children's Health. The Nemours Foundation, 1 Feb. 2012. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.
<http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/ocd.html#>

"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)-Treatment Overview." WebMD. WebMD. Web.

3 Aug. 4.
<http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/tc/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd-treatment-overview>

"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Information Guide." CAMH. 1 Jan. 2001. Web. 2

Aug. 2014.
<http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/health_information/a_z_mental_health_and_addiction_information/obses
sive_compulsive_disorder/obsessive_compulsive_disorder_information_guide/Pages/obsessive_compulsiv
e_disorder_information_guide.aspx>