OCD Causes

There are people in this world who feel that the pen stand on the table has to be kept in one particular position, otherwise their loved ones might die and thus, no matter how much others try to change the position, the former will always put it back fearing something bad. There are also people, who after every 5 minutes will go the bathroom and start scrubbing their hands saying that it's full of germs, even though they had just washed them. They scrub it so hard in order to get rid of the so-called germs, that their hands turn red. Some might even have unnecessary fears of losing things that no one will ever think of stealing. This is a disorder that some people have and it's called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. Earlier, doctors and even scientists were not sure about what were the OCD causes.

Causes, Effects, and Treatment

Doctors have come up with several OCD causes and treatments. The causes can either be due to some chemical problems in the brain or maybe, due to genetic reasons. There are also several effects of the OCD which might vary from one person to another. However, luckily, there is treatment for OCD too. Let us now see each of these in detail.

Causes
Some experts say that imbalances in the brain is usually the main OCD cause. There is a certain chemical in the brain which is called serotonin. If the flow of this chemical is blocked then the brain starts misinterpreting any message that is being sent to it. Normally, the brain filters out any unnecessary thoughts, but if there is a chemical problem, then the brain does not filter the thoughts and the person keeps on dwelling on these thoughts and in turn, they suffer from some unrealistic fear or depression.

Another OCD cause is due to strep infection. OCD due to the strep infection is called PANDAS by scientists and they might start suddenly and the effect might be quite intense. However, people who have strep infection or have had it, need not worry that they might have OCD. This is because, OCD after strep infection, is a rare case, as the scientists have pointed out.

Family history is another major OCD cause. If there are people in the family who had or are suffering from OCD, then there are chances that someone in the family may get it. It has been found that 30% of the teenagers in US, who were suffering from OCD, had a family member who was suffering from the same problem.

Effects
Some people might ask does OCD cause depression and anxiety? The answer, unfortunately is yes. The person who is suffering from OCD usually suffers from depression and also from obsessive thinking and anxiety. They are always anxious that they will get infected by some germs, or that someone might come and rob the house. Some people also become obsessed with religious beliefs and even moral ideas. Some become 'cleanliness freaks' (more than what is needed). One of the signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder also include increased levels of suspicion about everything and everyone. So I hope that answers your question, does OCD cause anxiety and depression.

Treatment
Now let us see what are the various treatments for OCD. The treatment usually varies from therapy or self help to even medications. But, some experts have pointed out that cognitive behavioral therapy is the best treatment for OCD.

Sometimes, it might happen that the person who has this disorder, might not want to visit the doctor or the therapist as they are embarrassed about their disorder. But there's nothing to be ashamed of. Many people face such problems. And if with treatment, one can get rid of the disorder, then why not show it to the doctor.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, is a talk therapy, that teaches people with OCD, to change the way they think, on their own, using their own thinking power. It teaches people how to face their worries and fears. Then there is also Selective Serotonin Inhibitors or SSRI antidepressants which are the most common medicines used to treat this disorder. It increases the serototin level in the brain. There is also family therapy. This is carried out, since, with an OCD person in the family, it often causes some sort of problems in the family. So a family therapy session is carried out to encourage more understanding within the family.

So if anyone of your loved ones is suffering from this disorder, then do not worry. With proper care and treatment, they can be cured. Just try to be patient with that person as they themselves are confused and depressed.