Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), is a condition where you can feel stuck in a cycle of unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviours that you feel compelled or driven to do, despite not wanting to. You might notice that certain thoughts pop into your mind over and over, even when you try to ignore them. These thoughts may make you anxious or uncomfortable, and to ease that feeling, you may find yourself doing specific actions or routines, like checking, cleaning, counting, or repeating things until they feel “right.” Even if you might know the thoughts don’t make sense, or the behaviours may take up a lot of time, it can still feel almost impossible to stop. Everyone who struggles with obsessive thinking or compulsive behaviours knows how difficult it can be to carry out your daily activities, engage in your relationships and live the life you want to live with these symptoms.
There are a range of excellent evidence-based treatments available to treat OCD. Our OCD therapists in Melbourne are here to help, so if you find yourself struggling, please contact us to find out more. We offer counselling in Footscray and psychologists in the Western suburbs of Melbourne.
Symptoms and impacts of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCD can feel quite debilitating at times, but there are some organisations that provide resoruces to help. The Mental Health Foundation in Australia offers OCD support groups both online and face-to-face and other resources to support people living with OCD. Mental Health Online is an Australian organisation that also offers free online modular programs which you can work through at your own pace, to support understanding and management of OCD. These programs are based on Cogntitive Behavioural Therapy, which is a leading evidence-based treatment for OCD. Other therapies that might help are Acceptance and Comittment Therapy, or Psychodynamic-Informed Therapy.
Symptoms of OCD
- You have unwanted thoughts that keep popping into your mind
- These thoughts make you feel anxious, scared, or uncomfortable
- You feel a strong urge to do certain actions or routines to feel better
- You repeat things like checking, cleaning, counting, or arranging
- You feel like something bad might happen if you don’t do these things
- You know the thoughts don’t make sense, but they still bother you
- You spend a lot of time on these “rituals”, even when you don’t want to
- You feel relief for a moment, but the worry comes back
- You avoid situations that trigger your thoughts or fears
- You feel frustrated, embarrassed, or exhausted by the cycle
- You feel tired or drained after doing rituals or fighting thoughts
- You have trouble sleeping because your mind won’t switch off
- You feel a heavy or tight feeling in your chest when anxiety spikes
OCD can impact our…
- School
- Work and career development
- Relationships
- Leisure activities
- Hygiene and cleaning
- Quality of life
- Mental health
- Overall level of functioning
So, what can I do?
If your thoughts feel rigid, repetitive and intrusive, or if you are feeling trapped or controlled by behaviours you feel compelled to complete, it might be time to seek help. Not all obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviours are a sign of OCD, but if you’re worried about it – it might be time to seek support.
Please get in touch with us, as we have a range of helpful therapies that can help and can help match you to the right psychologist to support you.
Medicare rebates are available, and we offer telehealth psychologists if you don’t want to leave home. We also have Workcover psychologists and TAC psychologists in Footscray.
Psychology FAQs
Have a question? Take a look below… these are some of the common questions we get.
Ready to talk?
Please get in touch today to have a chat to our friendly team so we can match you with an appropriate psychologist. If you are an existing client, you can book online.