Somatic OCD, a sub-type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), involves obsessions and compulsions related to the body and bodily functions. Somatic OCD can cause a person to ignore important parts of his life and ruin their work life, relationships, and friendships. A person’s life can be affected by this type of OCD as it influences the way our body reacts to particular situations. The obsessions and compulsions caused by somatic OCD can affect your life in various ways. People who suffer from somatic OCD most of the time have health concerns of OCD. In this blog, we will see what somatic OCD is, its symptoms, causes, and treatment plans.
What is Somatic OCD?
A person who has obsessions and compulsions surrounding their automatic bodily functions is one suffering from somatic OCD. An individual with somatic OCD has no control over his body functions like the pace of breathing, the speed of their heart rate, or the number of times they blink in a minute. They will then begin to worry about whether they will ever be able to notice the sensation. Alternatively, they may feel anxious that something is wrong with the sensation known as somatic OCD breathing: What if I forget how to breathe?
Somatic OCD is also called sensorimotor OCD. Living with somatic OCD can be extremely stressful and uncomfortable, but exposure therapy is an effective way to manage your symptoms. Obsessions and compulsions both can be seen in somatic OCD that comes straight out of your intrusive thoughts.
Read More: A Brief Guide to different types of OCD
Other Common Subtypes of OCD
It is not uncommon for an individual suffering from one OCD subtype to also suffer from other subtypes. Treating co-occurring sub-types simultaneously is indispensable in finding out the right way to manage both types. The subtypes of OCD include the following:
- Harm OCD
- Health Concern OCD
- Pure Obsessional OCD
- Relationship OCD
- Sexual OCD
Example of Somatic OCD Symptoms
If we have to discuss somatic OCD symptoms, we need to understand what obsessions and compulsions are in OCD. Unwanted and recurring intrusive thoughts, ideas, feelings, and cravings that are frequently connected to particular themes are called obsessions. Compulsions are actions taken in an attempt to counteract or lessen the tension that obsessions generate.
Read More: OCD in children: Signs, Causes and Treatment
Somatic Obsessions
While somatic OCD symptoms differ from person to person, they are characterized by obsessions with one or more body functions that lead to elevated degrees of anxiety, guilt, humiliation, or embarrassment. Here are some common somatic OCD obsessions:
- Why is my breathing so loud?
- How many times is my heart beating every minute?
- What if I have a heart attack?
- Why can’t I stop focusing on how my nose moves when I talk?
- How often am I blinking?
- How do I know when to swallow? I’ve never thought about this, but now I’m worried I’m not going to swallow correctly.
- Am I making eye contact when I’m speaking?
- Am I blinking the normal amount of times?
- My breath doesn’t feel deep enough. I’m not breathing correctly. This is a sign of somatic OCD breathing symptoms.
- Am I chewing the right way? What if I forget how to chew?
- Where are my eyes looking?
- I can’t stop noticing my breath(can cause somatic OCD shortness of breath).
- How will I ever live a normal life if I can’t stop thinking about my breathing?
These are the OCD somatic symptoms. Now, somatic compulsions provide more danger to the sufferer’s brain.
Read More: OCD And Depression: Understanding The Connection
Somatic OCD Compulsions
This subtype of OCD affects different people in different ways. People with somatic OCD perform behaviors known as compulsions, which are any mental or physical acts meant to counteract the obsessions and the anxiety they cause because somatic OCD obsessions can be very upsetting and cause a great deal of depression and acute stress for the person experiencing them.
Some of the feelings of compulsions include:
- Constantly think about why I am having these obsessions.
- Is it normal to think about this?
- Finding a distraction to avoid thinking about these obsessions.
- Count the number of times you are having these sensations.
- Asking for reassurance that what you are feeling is normal.
Read More: Is OCD Ruining My Life? – What To Do?
What Causes Somatic OCD?
No exact cause has been found for somatic OCD, but some factors are found to be the reason for the development of this subtype of OCD. There are always two reasons for OCD triggers. One is what causes OCD, and the other is what triggers the symptoms of OCD in a person. Research is still going on to find the causes of OCD, but one thing is clear: The main cause is a stressful or traumatic event.
Some of the events that cause the development of somatic OCD in a person include serious illness of a loved one, death of a loved one, serious personal illness, or hospitalization. Some of the events include a new relationship, engagement or marriage, a breakup, separation, or divorce. It can also develop because of pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy loss, difficulties at home, work, or school, neglect, abuse, or assault. It rarely develops because of starting a new job, but it can be caused by losing a job.
Read More: What Causes OCD in The Brain’s Neurobiology?
Is Somatic OCD Dangerous?
Focusing on normal body sensations is not necessarily harmful, even though somatic OCD can bring a person a great deal of anguish. However, if someone tried to change these feelings unnaturally, like making themselves breathe quickly for long periods, somatic OCD might become harmful. The illness may also be harmful if there are other behavioral compulsions, such as taking drugs to change bodily feelings (it can cause addiction and ultimately substance use disorder). Furthermore, if somatic OCD is not treated, a person may experience elevated stress levels, which are associated with several detrimental health consequences, including bipolar disorder.
Risk Factors of Somatic OCD
Somatic OCD can cause many other mental health issues if it remains untreated. It will ultimately affect your daily life. Risk factors for somatic OCD include:
- Having anxiety or depression
- Being at risk of having a medical condition, like having a family history of a disease
- Having a lower socioeconomic status and educational attainment
- Having stressful life events, trauma, or violence
- Having experienced past trauma, such as childhood sexual abuse
- Having a medical condition or recovering from one
Read More: Can OCD Be Caused By A Traumatic Event?
How to Stop Somatic OCD?
It is recommended that individuals with Somatic OCD seek therapy from a mental health professional who specializes in treating OCD. Somatic OCD is one of the several OCD subtypes that can be stopped and handled with treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the basic option for managing somatic OCD. If you want special and specific treatment, then there is Exposure to Response Prevention (ERP) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, which can be used to treat Somatic OCD, as it does all other forms of OCD.
Therapeutic Approach
Psychotherapy or talk therapy is usually used to treat OCD, while medication is a rare solution. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used for somatic OCD treatment in which you can find out about your negative thought patterns and manage your emotions and feelings that worsen the symptoms.
Then, there is exposure and prevention therapy (ERP), which focuses on using exposure therapy to reduce the indications of somatic OCD. In this, when you are exposed to your triggers, you learn the coping mechanism to control your sensations and feelings.
Psychiatric Medication Management
Medication is another effective treatment for somatic OCD. The medicine that is used to manage depression is somatic OCD medication. All the medications that are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are for somatic OCD. They can reduce the symptoms by affecting serotonin levels in the brain. However, some people also see benefits with other types of medications, including serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (also used for depression).
When to Seek Medical Help
The only way to get rid of this disorder is by getting medical help. Whenever you feel like having symptoms, talking to a psychiatrist is the decision to make. Now, telepsychiatry and telehealth services are available all over the world, so you can get help easily. If you are looking for professional help, Inland Empire Behavioral Group provides the best telehealth services for mental health-related issues, including somatic OCD. Contact us now and receive the care you deserve.
Read More: Overcoming Harm OCD: Signs, Treatment and Recovery
Conclusion
Although somatic OCD is not very common among people, many people with OCD experience somatic obsessions in some form. And like other types of OCD, the obsessions and compulsions in somatic OCD can impact your life far more severely than you can imagine. If you find it difficult to carry out your daily activities because of your somatic OCD symptoms, it can be helpful to reach out to a therapist to discuss your concerns. With the right treatment from Inland Empire Behavioral Group, you can learn how to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
