If as a woman you are having aggressive thoughts about an obsession and feel compelled to do something repetitive about it, you are probably suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and have come to the right place for information. OCD is a type of mental disorder that is characterized by obsessive and compulsive habits and women are at a greater risk of suffering from it than men. A detailed look into this mental disorder can help us find some answers to address the uncertainty surrounding OCD, especially in the context of women suffering from it. While we are on the subject we are also going to talk about the OCD symptoms in women during the process. Let’s start.
What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is defined by behaviors that are compulsive and obsessive in nature. There are patterns of obsessions relating to irrational fears and intrusive thoughts. These obsessions in turn lead to repeated behaviors, which lends the name to the latter part of the disorder.
The obsessions and compulsion leads to distress and duress in individuals suffering from it. It can also be irritating to the people in the surroundings of the afflicted individuals, especially if people in the surrounding environment are not educated about the disorder. This can also act as an additional trigger for the affected individual. Down below we have added how symptoms of OCD can be categorized into two forms: Obsessions and Compulsions.
Learn More: A Brief Guide to different types of OCD
Obsessions
At some point in our lives, we all have had these. But when it gets to the point where they are unpleasant and highly intrusive and are basically mentally handicapping you from doing everyday tasks until you initiate a repetitive task, you are probably suffering from OCD. OCD symptoms in women may be similar but a bit extreme. These obsessions might include but are not limited to:
- Fear of deliberately hurting yourself or someone else, especially a loved one.
- Fear of accidentally hurting yourself or someone else, especially a loved one.
- Fear of contamination from bacteria, disease, or even an infection
- The need to follow symmetry and order
Compulsions
In the mind of an OCD sufferer, acting out on repetitive behavior helps them decrease the risk of the perceived impending danger. In their mind, for example, washing their hands consecutively will lower the chances of bacterial infection. Similarly, closing the door again and again, for the sufferers, subdues the irrational thoughts. This compulsive behavior includes but is not limited to:
- Repeated checking, for example, seeing if the doors are locked or the gas is off
- Excessive clearing and washing
- Hoarding
- Asking for assurances from people around them
- Doing things in a specific order
- Aligning everything for symmetry even when there is no need
- Talking to themselves
- Repeating tasks to neutralize “Intrusive Thoughts”
- Avoiding “Trigger Hot” spaces
Common Types of OCD in Women that Exist
The OCD subtypes can manifest in different ways for men and women. But some of them are especially dangerous when it comes to OCD in women:
Harm OCD
Harm OCD is characterized by extreme fear of hurting oneself or a loved one. This one is more prevalent in women because of its relation to prenatal and postpartum stress. A mother can have a fear of losing her babies but it is accentuated when that woman has OCD. She might think irrationally that she may or may not accidentally or deliberately kill her babies. These thoughts are intrusive and unstoppable. OCD symptoms in young women who are mothers might show up as compulsions of washing their hands consecutively, so they don’t spread germs to their child or children, checking excessively if the children are breathing or not and even going as far as to stop their husbands from visiting their children.
Contamination OCD
Signs of OCD in women can also conjure up in the form of contamination fears. They will frequently complain and talk about how even the smallest of infections will turn into bacteremia, sepsis, or even septic shock, which are serious and life-threatening diseases. It is one of the most common manifestations of OCD in women and leads to compulsive behavior like cleaning and washing their body or excessive usage of sanitizer.
Relationship OCD
Relationship OCD is characterized by excessive fears about losing one’s partner due to a range of reasons, particularly due to problems with or absence of arousal and desire. Signs of OCD in Women may include obsessing over a trivial thing such as the “Relationship Status”, comparing their relationship with those of others, and might also lead to compulsive behavior such as hoards of calls or text messages to their partner just to check if everything is working out between them and their partners.
Why is it More Prevalent in Women?
Recent studies suggest that more women tend to have OCD in its various forms due to the fact men develop OCD before adolescence while women develop it after puberty or pregnancy. Men in adolescence are unlikely to report OCD to a mental health expert because of the lack of knowledge and awareness at that age, while women who are wiser after puberty and even pregnancy, are likely to report it and get an actual diagnosis for it. Men also tend to avoid reporting because of the stigmatization of going to therapy and mental disorders. Research also suggests that like many other mental disorders, the cases of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in women have also been steadily rising through the years.
What Causes OCD in Women?
Most women experience OCD symptoms in their early 20s. As they grow older, the amount of OCD symptoms in women also starts to pile on. While the real cause is unknown, we can pinpoint it to a range of different causes, which include genetics, the hardwiring of your brain, the environment around you, and even the way your body works. All of these can play a role in contributing to the existence of OCD. It can be more aggravated in women because of their frequent hormonal fluctuations due to factors such as pregnancy, menstruation cycle, or the onset of menopause.
Treatment for OCD in Women
Although OCD is a chronic disease, it can be managed with treatment that combines medication and therapy. However, diagnosis is the most initial and yet also the most paramount part.
Diagnosis
There is no such thing as testing for OCD. There is no MRI to be done but a mental health expert with extensive domain knowledge should do a diagnostic interview, which involves a series of questions and checklists relating to obsessions and compulsions.
Diagnosis is important because OCD is frequently misdiagnosed and at times a lot of other mental disorders strike a person together with OCD. OCD is usually diagnosed with other mental issues such as anxiety and eating disorders.
One thing it is misdiagnosed as is Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) which is strangely different from OCD yet shares a striking resemblance and even has a similar name. As the name suggests, OCPD is a personality disorder in which compulsive behaviors and obsessions are consistent over time whereas OCD-related behavior can fluctuate based on the sufferer’s rising or ebbing fears and anxiety. OCPD-afflicted individuals also tend to find control and symmetry in their environment and can have tunnel vision, while people with OCD have an erratic routine.
Learn More: What are some of the common symptoms of OCD in kids?
Treatment
The two most common treatments that are sought for OCD in women are:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: In a typical CBT session, the patient is required to connect with their inner thoughts (no matter how intrusive they tend to be) and they are motivated by a mental health expert to find new ways to respond to these thoughts. Patients are often required to enter situations they would probably avoid for triggers to face their fears. CBT works very well for both men and women.
Pharmacotherapy: Psychiatrists and other mental health experts frequently prescribe serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to patients suffering from OCD. There is no different medicine for women as all are prescribed the same thing.
Summing It Up
OCD in women is not something that is to be taken lightly as OCD is a major mental disorder. Globally, women are part of the workforce and also take up responsibilities at home, so having an untreated OCD individual at one of these places can be distressing for colleagues and family members, respectively. Our trained experts are highly capable of treating OCD symptoms in young women either through CBT therapy or psychiatric medication management, or a combination of these two depending on the feedback. If you feel you are suffering from OCD or have experienced some of its symptoms, please don’t hesitate to book an appointment at Inland Empire Behavioral Group.
