An expert from resolves one of the most common doubts about this mental health condition.
Officially, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association presents us with a section in which we find obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other related disorders.
What does this mean?
That there are different disorders that are associated with or have similar characteristics to OCD; however, Officially, there is only one type of OCD.
Despite this, Research has shown that there are specific symptoms that differentiate OCD in people and it is important to take them into account., since these characteristics that differentiate them are key when defining the course of management and treatment. Although the therapy that is most recommended to manage the different forms of OCD is exposure therapy, It is essential to identify the particularities of each case in order to be able to work specifically on each person’s condition.
This presents us with a very important scenario, and that is that obsessive-compulsive disorder goes much further than what many imagine; This condition is not limited to exaggerated cleaning habits, as some may think.
Although this behavior can be part of some forms of OCD, Thinking that it is reduced to that leaves out a series of other symptoms and manifestations of this condition that are usually very important for the people who experience it.
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So, although there are no different specific diagnoses, there are different manifestations of this disorder, and they are usually categorized in the way we present below:
- Those related to cleanliness and the need to control hygiene.
- Those who seek to maintain symmetry and order.
- Those related to forbidden, harmful or taboo thoughts and impulses.
- Forms of OCD that have to do with hoarding, when the need to collect or keep certain objects is related to obsessions or compulsions.
What other things should be taken into account?
Since we know that OCD is not divided into different sub-diagnoses, but can present different symptoms, it is also important to remember that In no person does the condition manifest itself in a similar way. This occurs because different health conditions, both physical and mental, are the result of various factors such as psychological, biological and social, so OCD does not always look the same.
Although we separate them into categories, this does not mean that they occur separately or that people only have obsessions and compulsions related to a single trigger. A person can have obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors related to different categories than those we already mentioned.
And finally, in each category there may be different elements related to the person’s OCD so, although on paper we can see different categories, In practice it can be a little more difficult to identify exactly what triggers each person’s OCD.Therefore, it is best to visit a therapist who can perform a proper evaluation, and then start with a treatment plan that helps manage the condition. .