You’ve probably heard people casually throw around the term “OCD”, as if it’s an adjective and not a serious mental health condition. Maybe it’s in a conversation with a friend who says, “I’m so OCD about cleaning,” or you’ve seen it on social media with pictures of an overly organized closet or a person loaded down with cleaning supplies. But the truth is: OCD is so much more complex than just being neat or tidy. The casual use of the term has led to many misconceptions. It’s worth taking the time to clarify what OCD actually is, and what it isn’t.
Common Myths About OCD
- Everyone With OCD is Super Clean and Organized
This is what so many people believe, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Some people with OCD have fears about contamination that cause compulsions related to cleanliness but that’s just one of a multitude of ways that people are affected by OCD. You may be surprised to hear that many people with OCD may be messy or unconcerned about excessive cleaning.
OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts that cause a lot of anxiety. Compulsions are rituals or regimented behaviors that people feel compelled to perform to alleviate their anxiety. Cleaning or washing may be part of the picture for some, but OCD can show itself in a million other ways. Some might have obsessive fears about saying, texting or posting the “wrong thing” and offending someone, accidentally hurting someone, or worries that if they don’t do things “just right”, harm may come to their family or friends. Most rituals may have nothing to do with washing, cleaning or organizing.
- If You’re Particular About How You Like Things, you have OCD
Let’s face it, we all like things in our lives to be a certain way. Whether it’s how you arrange the décor in your home, how you organize your pantry or desk, or how you like to dress. This doesn’t mean that we all have OCD.
For people with OCD, having things in a certain way is less a preference than a need. They may feel they need things to be a certain way, as the only option to reduce overwhelming anxiety. They may experience severe mental and psychological distress when things are “out of place.” The distress is typically generated by unwanted thoughts about catastrophic consequences if things are not “just right.” The brain can get stuck in a loop causing intense anxiety that won’t end unless they perform the ritual, in this case arranging things. It’s not about fulfillment in having things a certain way, its about alleviating unbearable discomfort.
- People With OCD Could Control it If They Just Try
The idea that someone with OCD can just stop doing rituals if they really wanted to, is the most destructive misconception out there. It’s akin to expecting that someone with asthma would be fine if they just learned different breathing techniques. Most people with OCD understand that their fears are irrational, but the distress that comes with the intrusive thoughts is very real. For those suffering daily, performing rituals is not an issue of choice. It is their only option for relief. OCD is a neurological condition. Like any brain-based condition, it requires appropriate treatment to help individuals learn to manage it.
- You Can Always See OCD Symptoms
Here we go back to cleaning and organizing. While you might notice these issues in someone close to you, you’d be surprised to know that for many with OCD, the rituals they perform are invisible. Also triggered by unwanted and distressing thoughts, many people alleviate their anxiety by performing mental rituals. This may be feeling compelled to have a “good thought” to replace a “bad thought”, repeating a certain phrase to themselves a certain number of times, or until it feels “just right” to ensure that nothing bad happens, or mentally reviewing their behavior or conversations, over and over, to “ensure” they didn’t do something “wrong” or hurt someone.
Despite being invisible, these rituals can become all consuming, leaving people stuck in a silent war, that may cause them to avoid socializing or pursuing professional opportunities. You may have a friend or even a loved one, and never know that they are struggling with OCD. Many people are misdiagnosed with anxiety, because untrained professionals will miss this very common manifestation of OCD.
- OCD is Very Rare
This is simply not the case. The lifetime prevalence of OCD in the U.S. is estimated at 2.3%. This means that millions of people have OCD. There are two primary reasons that people hold this misconception about how common it is. First, while the stigma around mental health issues is slowly declining, there are so many myths and misunderstandings about OCD, that it continues to carry a lot of stigma. People who suspect they might have it may not speak about it or seek treatment due to unwarranted shame.
Secondly, due to a lack of training and knowledge among mental health professionals, it’s likely that OCD is vastly underdiagnosed. Many with OCD will see multiple therapists before getting a proper diagnosis. If you think you’ve never met anyone with OCD, you may have to reconsider.
- OCD Is No Big Deal
Because OCD is often trivialized on TV, in movies and social media, we can all think of a sitcom that’s made fun of someone who’s overly clean or organized, people have the impression that it’s more of a lifestyle choice, or personality quirk, than a serious disorder.
In reality, people may spend hours a day performing rituals or suffering with intrusive thoughts. At it’s most severe, OCD may cause people to stop driving, avoid school or work, and become isolated at home, where anxiety and compulsions continue. It is a complex disorder that can cause debilitating distress and make ordinary, mundane tasks feel impossible. OCD can cause people from all walks of life to be impaired in their daily functioning. We generally view people afflicted with complicated medical conditions with care and compassion. Those struggling with OCD deserve the same understanding and support.
Here’s the Good News
While it can cause significant distress or impairment, OCD is also treatable. Getting educated on the subject always helps. Once you understand that OCD is not an annoying personality trait and it’s not all about being clean or organized, maybe you’ll see it differently the next time someone jokingly says, “I’m so OCD.” It’s a real, mental health disorder that warrants awareness, understanding and often specialized treatment. There are many well-trained and qualified professionals ready to help.
So many are fighting a daily war against anxiety and fear that they may be hesitant to share. It’s time we start taking OCD seriously. If you think you might have it, or know someone who does, consider reaching out. There is a large community of people who understand and are ready to support you.