As soon as Lisa parked her car in front of the grocery store, she spent twenty minutes checking her purse. She repeatedly confirmed that she had taken her money purse out of the bag and counted it twelve times exactly. However, she knew it was in the shoulder bag because she had checked it at home, in the driveway, and twice in the parking lot. Still, no matter how many times she checked, she couldn’t shake the tension inside her and repeatedly checked it again. This issue is not about Lisa being careful. This was not her being organized. The issue she has is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
If Lisa’s situation reminds you of thinking, “It’s me,” relax. You are not alone. Many women are going through the same issues. Studies have found that women are 1.6 times more likely to suffer from OCD than men. Out of every 100 women, approximately 1.5 suffer from OCD at some point in their lives, whereas only 1 out of 100 men does.
However, the best thing is that OCD is a treatable condition. Therefore, if you feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to deal with your feelings, reaching out to a psychiatrist or neurologist near me can bring clarity and relief. A neurologist has experience diagnosing and managing health problems related to the neurobiology of OCD. Keep reading to learn more in-depth about OCD in women.
How do you know if you have OCD?
Having OCD doesn’t only mean being clean and organized. There is actually much more to it. When someone has OCD, their brain remains on certain thoughts or some kind of worries. Such thoughts feel very real and actually scary. The person with them seems that he or she must do some actions again and again in order to get rid of the fearful feelings.
Consider this situation like your brain is just like a broken record that continues playing the same song. You want it to stop, but it can’t stop going. That is how OCD feels inside somebody’s mind.
Common signs of OCD in women:
- Fear of bacteria or anxiety about pollution
- Washing hands till they become raw and painful
- Checking all the doors, stoves, and electrical appliances multiple times before they leave home
- Having scary thoughts about hurting someone they love
- Needing (always) things to be “just right,” or perfectly arranged
- Counting things each time they come by them
- Feel defective or embarrassed by these intrusive thoughts
What is the reason why more women are affected by OCD?
Several factors lead to OCD among women. Hormones are a major factor, especially in major life changes such as:
- First menstrual period
- Pregnancy and after childbirth
- Menopause
Many women notice their OCD symptoms getting worse during these times. Women should know that there is no personal guilt involved in their bodies’ natural changes. The fact that differences in brain functioning can occur as a result of natural alterations in the body.
The process of childbirth and taking care of a little one is one of the hardest postpartum periods for many women. Some new moms have an obsessive-compulsive postpartum disorder (OCD postpartum), which results in too much caution related to the baby’s welfare. They may continuously check on their child while they are in bed to make sure the child is okay, or they may be constantly worried about the child’s safety.
Moreover, life stress, trauma, and genetic factors can also influence the development of OCD. Women are also more susceptible to stress, which often results in increased intensity of OCD symptoms.
Women usually keep their suffering a secret
The majority of women feel embarrassed about their OCD symptoms. They feel weak or broken. It is a feminine trait that is usually associated with caregiving and having everything under control. Sometimes, OCD can make everyday tasks seem so impossible that they start to feel guilty.
Some women spend most of their day fixing rituals but hide this fact from their family and friends. They set their alarm to wake up at early hours of the morning to have time to complete their routines before anyone else gets up or to make up excuses to avoid social situations because their OCD feels too overwhelming.
They know they are hiding, which only serves to alienate them even more and make them more fearful. However, the tag of ‘strong woman’ and ‘mental health stigma’ influences her to disguise her OCD condition.
However, it is important to note that there is no shame in having OCD. It is a medical condition, just like diabetes or high blood pressure. You did not choose to have it, and it is not your fault.
Treatment for OCD
There are several options for treating OCD, including:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps women teach them that their scary thoughts are just thoughts, not facts or predictions.
- Exposure and Response Prevention, under the supervision of a therapist, helps a person gradually confront their fears without doing their compulsions.
- Medication that can help to correct the brain chemicals that are out of balance
Holistic approaches:
Many of the women benefit from the additional support offered, which includes:
- Stress management techniques
- Breathing exercises and yoga
- Nutritional supplements
- Hormone therapy, when appropriate
- Treatment for trauma, if present
Does ocd get worse if not treated?
Yes, without treatment, OCD can often significantly lead to:
- Problems with maintaining relationships
- Work or academic underperformance
- Complete avoidance of normal activities
- Development of depression, anxiety, social isolation, or loneliness
- Fatigue because of repetitive acts
- Chronic shame concerning their thoughts and behavior.
- Money stress from lost productivity.
Nevertheless, thanks to telehealth, mental healthcare is nowadays very accessible. Online mental health services platforms, like GABA Telepsychiatry, allow women to be examined by a psychiatrist right from their homes. This is especially of great importance to those women who:
- Live in remote areas
- Busy working schedule (i.e, household work or office employee)
- Fear due to the stigma associated with mental health
Remember that seeking professional help from an OCD psychiatrist, which some may mistake for admitting weakness, is actually the proof of one’s pure strength. Do not forget how being fine also means the well-being of others who care for you.
