Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

How These Obsessions Are Killing Me?

I couldn?t touch any doors or countertops in public areas. I knew it didn?t make any sense, but I was terrified of germs that could kill me. I almost couldn?t go out in public I was so afraid. If I had touched any thing, would have to wash myself for hours. Sometimes I washed so much that my skin would become red, raw and bleed.? People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are entrapped in recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) or rituals (compulsions), which they feel they cannot control.

Rituals such as hand-washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed in hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these rituals, however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. The disturbing thoughts or images are called obsessions, and the rituals that are performed to try to prevent or dispel them are called compulsions

A lot of healthy people can identify with having some of the symptoms of OCD, such as checking the gas-stove several times before leaving the house. But the disorder is diagnosed only when such activities consume at least an hour a day, are very distressing, and interfere with daily life. OCD can start at any time from preschool age to adulthood (usually by age 40). One-third to one-half of adults with OCD report that it started during childhood. Although No specific genes for OCD have yet been identified, research suggests that genes do play a role in the development of the disorder in some cases. Childhood-onset OCD tends to run in families. When a parent has OCD, there is a slightly increased risk that a child will develop OCD, although the risk is still low. When OCD runs in families, it is the general nature of OCD that seems to be inherited, not specific symptoms. Thus a child may have checking rituals, while his mother washes compulsively.

OCD is usually considered to have both psychological and neurobiological components. Having insufficient levels of serotinin (a neurochemical found in brain) is one of the neurobiological factors. Among the psychological factors Freud?s (an Austrian psychoanalyst) theory of suppression of mental traumas in the past or childhood leading to such chronic anxiety states is one of the main ones.

Many of the important homeopathic medicines are often used very successfully in treating such chronic anxiety disorders. Among them are Syphillinum, Carcinocin, and Nux Vomica, Pulsatilla and although not mentioned in classical texts, in my own clinical experience Sepia finds a great place in treating OCD when symptoms aggravate at the menstrual nisus. And homoeopathic treatment is much more than these medicines, at times a thorough psychoanalysis is necessary to understand the origins OCD.

While treating such disorders Modern homoeopaths like psychoanalysts, dig deep into the patient?s psyche. They understand Sigmund Freud?s uncovering of the sublimated and unconscious nature of psychological disorders and Carl Jung?s interpretations of how these sublimated psychological patterns contain symbolic representations of transpersonal unconscious materials. They also understand Wilhelm Reich?s perspective as to how these impressions are locked into actual physical states. And in measure as this is so, they are able to apply them with success for the relief of persons suffering from OCD.