Navigating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in a Post-Pandemic World

June 27, 2021 by Brian Briscoe, M.D. OCD 0 comments

The pandemic has been a rather interesting time for persons struggling with OCD: the rest of the world has become “germaphobic.” And rightly so, given the contagious and lethal nature of COVID-19. Everyone, or at least most people, adopted the practice of routinely thinking about germs, wiping down surfaces, and staying vigilant with hand washing.

Below, Dr. Brian Briscoe discusses the challenges of living with OCD after the pandemic.

Decorative cardboard illustration of antiseptic gel between viruses and bacteria during coronavirus pandemic on green background

Dr. Briscoe shares, “I had a patient with OCD who stated, ‘For once in my life, it is nice to see that everyone else has a taste of what it is like to walk in my shoes, to live in my head for a little bit…’ My patient struggled with severe OCD, and the amount of mental torment and time she spent obsessing about germs vastly outweighed that which most of us without OCD experienced temporarily during the pandemic.

Any taste we had of obsessing about germs was a fraction of the mental torment that persons with OCD experience daily.

What Is OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition that affects the brain and behavior. It affects 2.2 million American adults.

OCD is often characterized by repetitive, uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts followed by ritualized behaviors.

Obsessions

Obsessions are uncontrollable thoughts, images, or impulses. They can be intrusive, repetitive, and difficult to avoid.

Even if you understands that these thoughts (or images or impulses) may be irrational, you may struggle to stop thinking about them. These thoughts run like a broken record on replay.

Compulsions

Compulsions are ritualistic behaviors that a person does to try to and stop the unwanted thoughts and to mitigate any anxiety. Compulsions and rituals vary form person to person, but some examples include:

Washing their hands excessively.
Feeling the need to check something multiple times.
Cleaning something over and over again.
Needing to complete a ritual in a certain order and if this flow is interrupted, you may feel the need to start from the beginning again.

In addition to physical rituals, some individuals with OCD may have a mental ritual. For example, a person may force himself or herself to think thoughts in a certain pattern in order to keep something bad from happening. This might sound like, “I must recite the ABC’s before I take this test so I don’t fail. If I am interrupted, I must start the ABC’s over again.”

Most people with OCD are well aware that performing repetitive actions serves only as a temporary solution. However, without a better resolution to such condition, they often regard compulsion as a much-needed escape.

You can learn more about OCD and the pandemic here:

When to Seek Help

The frequency and severity of obsessions and compulsions can vary widely over the course of your lifetime. During periods of intense stress or big life changes, you might find that your OCD symptoms are exacerbated.

When the obsessions and/or the compulsions are severe, it can impact your quality of life, generate a lot of stress, and disrupt your work and family life.

A Note from Next Step

If you or someone you know is suffering from OCD, treatment can make a big difference. To receive the best and most effective treatment for OCD cases, it’s best to seek help from mental health care professionals who are experienced in diagnosing and treating OCD.

Here at Next Step 2 Mental Health Services, we aim to provide the highest level of care, but if you don’t get help from us, please seek help from a provider near you. Life can be much more manageable with treatment.

You may call us at 502-339-2442 for an appointment or visit this page to request an appointment.