Do you wash your hands excessively until they are cracked and dry due to continuous washing and exposure to soaps?
Do you find yourself repeatedly counting in twos or in repetition without noticing?
Or constantly check that your kitchen appliances are off?
Is your work station overly organised and neat?
Is your wardrobe colour co-ordinated and organised in a way where all your clothes face the same direction?
Do you hoard things, paper, tins or glasses?
Do you spend more than two hours a day cleaning, sorting, checking or counting? If this sounds like you, you could be suffering from OCD.
OCD is an anxiety disorder where the brain gets stuck on a particular thought or urge and can’t let go. People with OCD can suffer from obsessions and/or compulsions.
The frequent upsetting thoughts are called obsessions, these are often intrusive or even inappropriate and can increase levels of anxiety.
To try to control them, a person will feel an overwhelming urge to repeat certain rituals or behaviors called compulsions. People with OCD can’t control these obsessions and compulsions. Most of the time, the rituals end up controlling them.
Due to the lack of understanding and awareness, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) knows that many people don’t realise how debilitating OCD can be – or where to get help and information.
For this reason, SADAG will be hosting a live Facebook Friday chat today at 1pm and 7pm with two of SA top experts on this topic:
1pm chat: Johannesburg based, SADAG board member and cognitive behavioural therapy psychologist, Kevin Bolon, who has a special interest in OCD, phobias (fear of flying) and other anxiety disorders.
7pm chat: Cape Town-based psychologist and CBT therapist, David Rosenstein, who has a special interest in anxiety disorders, especially OCD and social phobia, runs an OCD support group in CT.
To join the chat, log in to the website www.sadag.org.
