Obsessive Thinking and Anxiety

Scarlet was somewhat weird in her ways. She had an obsession about keeping her things outrageously in order. She did not like the edge of her books even an inch here and there when arranged in a pile. She was also under the constant impression and obsession that either she or the people she cares about are going to be harmed for no reason whatsoever. These things created a lot of anxiety for her and her parents and friends. All these things were a sign that she had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD. Let's take a look at what this OCD and obsessive thinking is all about.

Obsessive Thinking Patterns
Obsessive thinking and anxiety are a part of an obsessive compulsive disorder, which entails a broader picture. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental disorder featuring intrusive thoughts creating anxiety. This is also accompanied by repetition of behavior bringing about reduction in anxiety or by a combination of obsessions and compulsions; the thoughts and behavior to counter the anxiety, respectively. Each one of us has some amount of these traits, but they never overpower us. In patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder, it has an overbearing impact on their minds. Basically, the patterns of these intrusive thoughts experienced by these patients are divided into three categories:

Inappropriate Aggressive Thoughts
These thought patterns involve something like hurting other or themselves in an OCD patient. No wonder then that this thinking gives them seriously anxious moments. It also includes wishing or imagining harm upon a person close to that individual. Thoughts like these are also experienced by normal people, but the only difference is that they are able to brush away those thoughts while those suffering from obsessive thinking are not.

Inappropriate Sexual Thoughts
Those with this disorder get inappropriate sexual thoughts about anyone they know or even about complete strangers. They get intrusive thoughts of sexual acts with people of any age as well. The problem arises when they give undue importance to such thoughts, generating anxiety.

Blasphemous Religious Thoughts
These thoughts, although may seem very ridiculous and incredulous, have been experienced by people suffering from obsessive thinking. Some of these thoughts are evil thoughts while a prayer or meditation is in progress, thoughts of being possessed, fear of incorrect recital of prayers or repetitive blasphemous thoughts.

Now these thinking patterns are bound to create anxiety. Further, it qualifies for behavior (or compulsions in this regard) to reduce that anxiety in such people, which in turn, creates more anxiety for them. The reasons, however, as to why people do this are biological and psychological, of course. But one thing is clear that this does not fall under the category of personality disorders. The answer to this from the book of psychology and people like Sigmund Freud is that OCD is a symptomatic manifestation of unconscious conflicts. While the biology books say that some disturbance and abnormality in the serotonin neurotransmitter is a reason or result of this psychological disorder. But all said and done, it is not incurable. Obsessive thinking and depression can be treated. Here is more on the treatment.

Treatment
There are quite a few courses of treatment including psychotherapy as well as anxiety medication. The first line of action is behavioral therapy. This involves gradual conditioning of the person to tolerate anxiety and abstain from compulsive behavior. The medication includes selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, Serotonergic antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants and natural drug treatment like St. John's Wort and so on. In severe cases, electro convulsive therapy has been found to work effectively.

Then there are cases where there is no hope of recovery on account of all these above mentioned treatment methods. So the last resort is a psychosurgery. On similar lines, obsessive thinking in children can be cured by behavioral therapy, which has been proved to work well for them. Another technique which has produced good results for children is 'thought stopping'. It is a simple technique, wherein the individual gives an order (mentally or verbally) to himself or herself to stop and interrupt those thoughts. This also involves positive thinking techniques whenever intrusive thoughts invade your mind.

That was just a glimpse of obsessive thinking and anxiety. This was just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to the matters of the mind. There are innumerable complications, conditions and other intricacies involved in this. At the end, I feel that our minds are like entangled webs and the more you try and clear the clutter, the more confused and clueless you would be. So if you can keep it simple, nothing like it!