What causes OCD?

Question

I understand that it's a mental illness by a chemical imbalance in the brain. What causes that imbalance and what causes people that have it to act so impulsively? My Mother has it and she washes her hands up to 50 times a day and obsesses about laundry and wrinkles in her clothes. She will wash clothes when they aren't even dirty. Why??

Answer 1

I have ocd myself and my heart really goes out to your mom but also to you for having to see the devastating effects that the anxiety disorder can have on the individual as well as the family. It can just be that the chemical imbalance was always there or sometimes a stressful event brings on the illness or worsens it. It's nothing that you actually did that gave her the ocd.

In addition to the ssri antidepressant, Prozac Weekly, I'd had received cognitive-behavioral therapy (cbt) many years ago which helped me tremendously and are great for cleaning and counting compulsions (rituals) as the other individual mentioned. Perhaps there is a support group nearby not only for your mom if she is willing to get outside help and support, but also for you and your other family members. This can help you know that you are not so alone in dealing with someone with this disorder.

My father has it (to lesser degree) and his mother had it as well so it may be caused in part by genetics. The website for the oc foundation may have support groups and/or therapists in your area. For me, cbt was almost paramount to my being able to even function at my current level, doing the 'homework assignments' by practicing what one learns in therapy and trying to habituate out of the extreme anxiety and fear. The medication, however, does help with the level and duration of the repetitive thoughts (obsessions) as well. And if she is willing to get treatment, it's best done with someone who specializes in clinical psychologist, namely anxiety disorders and if using meds, a psychiatrist, as opposed to a family dr who doesn't know half as much of the proper dosage in mental health.

Answer 2

Yeah, stress can trigger OCD. Also, strep infections in children can trigger OCD. I also have it, and although it was more on the mild side when I was a kid , I found that after I used drugs, especially ecstasy, the obsessive part was kicked-in alot more . Lowered levels of serotonin seem to be the culprit, and like the last poster pointed out, that trait can be inherited. There is hope, though, especially in cases like your Mom's. Some of the most curable compulsions are hand-washing and checking. With the proper guidance, she can DRASTICALLY reduce the occurances of these compulsions. She doesn't necessarily need to take medicine either....Cognitive Therapy has been shown to be as/more effective than drug treatment for those types of compulsions.

Answer 3

no man or woman has stumbled on a unmarried, shown reason for OCD. some study shows that it may could do with chemical substances contained in the mind that carry messages from one nerve cellular to a distinct. this kind of chemical substances, stated as serotonin (say "seer-oh-tone-in"), helps to save human beings from repeating an identical behaviors over and once more suitable. someone who has OCD may no longer have sufficient serotonin. many those who've OCD can function more suitable positive even as they take drugs that boost the quantity of serotonin of their mind