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There's a common misconception
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that if you like to meticulously
organize your things,
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keep your hands clean,
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or plan our your weekend
to the last detail,
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you might have OCD.
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In fact, OCD, which stands
for obsessive compulsive disorder,
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is a serious psychiatric condition
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that is frequently
misunderstood by society
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and mental health professionals alike.
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So let's start by debunking some myths.
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Myth one: repetitive or ritualistic
behaviors are synonymous with OCD.
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As its name suggests,
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obsessive compulsive disorder
has two aspects:
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the intrusive thoughts, images,
or impulses, known as obsessions,
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and the behavioral
compulsions people engage in
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to relieve the anxiety
the obsessions cause.
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The kinds of actions that people often
associate with OCD,
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like excessive hand washing,
or checking things repeatedly,
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may be examples of obsessive
or compulsive tendencies
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that many of us exhibit from time to time.
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But the actual disorder is far more rare
and can be quite debilitating.
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People affected have little or no
control over their obsessive thoughts
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and compulsive behaviors,
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which tend to be time consuming
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and interfere with work,
school or social life
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to the point of causing
significant distress.
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This set of diagnostic criteria is what
separates people suffering from OCD
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from those who may
just be a bit more meticulous
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or hygiene-obsessed than usual.
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Myth two: the main symptom of OCD
is excessive hand washing.
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Although hand washing is the most common
image of OCD in popular culture,
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obsessions and compulsions
can take many different forms.
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Obsessions can manifest
as fears of contamination and illness,
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worries about harming others,
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or preoccupations with numbers,
patterns, morality, or sexual identity.
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And compulsions can range from
excessive cleaning or double checking,
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to the fastidious arrangement of objects,
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or walking in predetermined patterns.
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Myth three:
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individuals with OCD don't understand
that they are acting irrationally.
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Many individuals with OCD actually
understand the relationship
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between their obsessions
and compulsions quite well.
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Being unable to avoid
these thoughts and actions
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despite being aware of their irrationality
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is part of the reason
why OCD is so distressing.
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OCD sufferers report feeling crazy
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for experiencing anxiety
based on irrational thoughts
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and finding it difficult
to control their responses.
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So what exactly causes OCD?
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The frustrating answer
is we don't really know.
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However, we have some important clues.
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OCD is considered
a neurobiological disorder.
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In other words, research suggests
that OCD sufferers brains
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are actually hardwired
to behave in a certain fashion.
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Research has implicated
three regions of the brain
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variously involved in social behavior
and complex cognitive planning,
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voluntary movement,
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and emotional and motivational responses.
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The other piece of the puzzle
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is that OCD is associated
with low levels of serotonin,
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a neurotransmitter
that communicates between brain structures
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and helps regulate vital processes,
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such as mood, aggression, impulse control,
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sleep, appetite,
body temperature and pain.
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But are serotonin and activity
in these brain regions the sources of OCD
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or symptoms of an unknown
underlying cause of the disorder.
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We probably won't know until
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we have a much more intimate
understanding of the brain.
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The good news is there are
effective treatments for OCD,
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including medications, which increase
serotonin in the brain
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by limiting its reabsorption
by brain cells,
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behavioral therapy that gradually
desensitizes patients to their anxieties,
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and in some cases,
electroconvulsive therapy,
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or surgery, when OCD doesn't respond
to other forms of treatment.
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Knowing that your own brain
is lying to you
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while not being able
to resist its commands can be agonizing.
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But with knowledge and understanding
comes the power to seek help,
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and future research into the brain
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may finally provide
the answers we're looking for.
Harry Chen
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