When Precision Becomes a Mental Prison: Correcting the Stigma of OCD
In truth, what is written here is a genuine reflection of the author’s personal experience. OCD is often made into a joke. People frequently quip, ‘He’s so diligent, such a tidy guy,’ or ‘Why wash the car? It’s the rainy season, it will just get dirty again.’ Yet OCD is not merely about neatness or cleanliness; OCD is a fear that constantly haunts, intrusive thoughts that cannot be switched off, an endless cycle that drains one’s energy.
In the medical world, two main components of OCD are recognised: obsessive and compulsive. Obsessions produce intrusive thoughts that are deeply tormenting. To reduce the anxiety arising from these thoughts, sufferers typically perform compulsions, namely repetitive actions that can indeed provide relief, even if that relief is only temporary.
OCD with obsessive behaviour is usually driven by thoughts that are actually unwanted and can cause the sufferer to feel anxious if they are not acted upon. Below are several examples of the characteristics of obsessive OCD actions:
Feeling excessive fear of contamination by germs, viruses, or dirt.
Difficulty in dealing with uncertainty. For example, one may feel excessively worried when wondering whether the front gate has been locked or not.
Having the desire to arrange certain items or objects precisely and symmetrically. For instance, arranging clothes in the wardrobe by colour, or arranging books from largest to smallest.
Meanwhile, compulsive OCD is somewhat different from obsessive. Compulsive behaviour is usually aimed at reducing anxiety because the sufferer has obsessive thoughts, and these compulsive actions are often somewhat irrational. For example, washing hands repeatedly.
So why is OCD so tormenting?
The brains of OCD sufferers show excessive activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and basal ganglia—areas that regulate fear, decision-making, and habits. In addition, there is an imbalance of the neurotransmitter serotonin. As a result, even though sufferers often realise that their thoughts are ‘excessive’ or ‘illogical’, they are still unable to stop them without help.
A person experiencing OCD does not actually enjoy these repetitive habits. They tidy things or wash their hands repeatedly not merely because they like appearing clean, but because there is an excessive fear that if the repetitive habit is not performed, anxiety will arise.
The impact of this misconception is very real. When OCD is dismissed as merely a ‘tidiness trend’, the genuine suffering of those afflicted becomes alienated. Shame, fear of being considered ‘crazy’, or worry about being seen as weak leads many of them to remain silent. Not a few need years just to dare to seek professional help, due to a stigma that ignores the depth of their pain.
Correcting the stigma of OCD is not merely a matter of correcting terminology, but a form of human empathy. We need to start stopping the use of medical diagnoses as everyday adjectives and be willing to learn to understand the reality of mental health as a whole. It is time we tore down the walls of that mental prison by educating ourselves, broadening our understanding, and providing a safe and empathetic space for those who are struggling within it.