If you’ve been researching OCD treatment options, you or a loved one may struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is a type of anxiety disorder that involves obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are recurring thoughts, while compulsions are recurring behaviors.
The cause of OCD is unknown, and there’s no cure for the disorder. However, studies suggest that people who struggle with OCD don’t have enough of a chemical called serotonin in their brains. OCD can run in families, which could mean the disorder may be genetic, but it may also develop in people without a family history of OCD. Have you been searching for an OCD treatment center in Jonesboro, Arkansas? Reach out to Alleviant Jonesboro today by calling 870.657.0337 or contacting our team online.
What Are the Symptoms of OCD in Children?
The signs of OCD in adults differ from those in children. What’s more confusing is that each child struggling with OCD may have different symptoms. However, the following are the most common signs of OCD in children:
- Aggressive thoughts, urges, or behaviors
- An extreme obsession with dirt or germs
- A great need to know or remember minor details
- Interfering thoughts about doing self-harm, hurting or killing someone, or overall violence
- Long periods spent counting or touching things
- Long periods spent thinking about numbers and sequences
- Ongoing thoughts about doing offensive sexual acts or forbidden behaviors
- Preoccupation with exactness, order, or symmetry
- Repeated doubts
- Too much attention to detail
- Too much worrying about something wrong occurring
- Troubled by thoughts that are against traditional religious beliefs
However, the most obvious symptom to look out for is the development of compulsions. Compulsive behaviors are repetitive rituals by people struggling with OCD to ease anxiety caused by their obsessions. Behaviors like this can be excessive, disruptive, and time-consuming—and often interfere with daily activities and communication.
Giving in to a compulsive behavior relieves the anxiety and distress, but the obsession and negative emotions soon return, causing the cycle to begin again. This cycle happens to people struggling with OCD of any age, but it may be easier to observe in younger clients that make little effort to hide them. Some common compulsive behaviors to watch out for in people struggling with OCD of any age include the following:
- Asking for reassurance
- Checking to see if things are turned off or locked
- Cleaning
- Counting things
- Hand washing
- Hoarding
- Ordering and arranging things
While an adult struggling with OCD may not show any observable signs of what they’re going through, it can help to look for changes in their daily lives. Suppose they’re having trouble maintaining relationships, responsibilities, and routines. In that case, they may be struggling with a mental health issue, and whether or not it’s OCD may only be evaluated by a licensed mental health professional.
What Are the Three Signs of OCD in Adults?
Every person struggling with OCD will have a different overall experience, but the disorder’s three main elements often cause problems that impair daily living:
- Obsessions – These obsessions are unwanted, intrusive, and often distressing thoughts, images, or urges that repeatedly enter the mind.
- Emotions – Obsessions cause a feeling of intense anxiety or distress.
- Compulsions – Can be repetitive behaviors or thought patterns that a person struggling with OCD feels driven to perform due to emotions caused by obsessions.
When Should You Consider an OCD Treatment Program?
It’s vital to get professional help if you think you or a loved one are displaying symptoms of OCD. Dealing with OCD symptoms is unlikely to get easier without professional help. An OCD treatment program can help someone manage those symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Some people struggling with OCD may also have or develop other serious mental health issues, including the following:
- Depression – This condition typically causes lasting sadness and hopelessness or a loss of interest in the things you once enjoyed.
- Eating disorders – These conditions involve an abnormal attitude towards food that causes a change in eating habits and behaviors.
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) – This condition causes anxiety about various situations and issues rather than a specific one.
- Hoarding disorder – This condition involves excessively acquiring items and not being able to throw them away, resulting in unmanageable clutter.
People struggling with OCD and severe depression may also experience suicidal thoughts.
Learn More About Alleviant Jonesboro’s OCD Treatment Center in Jonesboro, AR
Contact Alleviant Jonesboro today if you’re looking for an OCD treatment center in Jonesboro, AR. Reach out to our team online or call 870.657.0337.