Commentary, J Trauma Stress Disor Treat Vol: 9 Issue: 6

Relating PTSD and OCD: An Overview

Asma Tabassum^*

Banasthali University, Vanasthali, Rajasthan, India

*Corresponding Author: Asma Tabassum
Banasthali University, Vanasthali, Rajasthan, India
E-mail: asmara14860@gmail.com

Received: December 08, 2020 Accepted: December 18, 2020 Published: December 25, 2020

Citation: Tabassum A (2020) Relating PTSD and OCD: An Overview. J Trauma Stress Disor Treat 9:216.. doi: 10.37532/jtsdt.2020.9(6).216

Abstract

Keywords: PTSD; OCD

Introduction

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are anxiety issues that co-occur in individuals with a history of trauma. Study shows that the probability of an individual determined to have PTSD creating OCD inside a year is about 30%.

Too, somewhere in the range of 4% and 22% of individuals with PTSD likewise have an analysis of OCD. This figure is a quite higher than the current event of OCD in everybody, which is around 1%.

The treatment for OCD may vary in the case if it occurs with PTSD, so it is imperative to examine any injury with Doctor. Prior to diving into the connection among PTSD and OCD, it's essential to comprehend the nuts and bolts of these mental health conditions.

Keywords

PTSD; Trauma; Obsession; OCD

What is PTSD?

It arises in people who have experienced or witnessed trauma (an event that causes physical, emotional, or psychological distress to a person). It may be arise due to certain reasons such as Abusive relationship, Being victimized, Accident (e.g. Car), Losing a loved one (e.g. death), Natural disaster, Relationship problems (e.g. divorce). An individual with PTSD faces constant and upsetting thoughts about the trauma, frequently remembered through flashbacks or bad dreams.

What is OCD?

While numerous individuals have tedious practices or driven thoughts, the considerations and practices of an individual with OCD are industrious and troublesome to every day working.

Obsessions

Obsessions are repeating and relentless considerations, impulses, and/or images that are viewed as meddlesome and wrong. The experience of obsessions causes considerable significant trouble and tension for an individual.

People will try (often unsuccessfully) to ignore or "push away" these repetitive thoughts, impulses, or pictures, normally realizing that they are unreasonable and from their own mind. However individuals with OCD cannot suppress or overlook their obsessions.

People will try (often unsuccessfully) to ignore or "push away" these repetitive thoughts, impulses, or pictures, normally realizing that they are unreasonable and from their own mind. However individuals with OCD cannot suppress or overlook their obsessions.

Compulsions

Compulsions are redundant practice (for example, excessive hand washing, checking, storing, or constantly trying to keep things around you arranged) or mental rituals (e.g. frequently praying, continues calculation going on in brain, or repeating some phrases constantly in mind) that somebody feels like they need to do in response to the experience of obsessive thoughts.

Compulsions are centered on attempting to lessen or take out uneasiness or prevent the probability of some sort of feared occasion or circumstance. Like obsessions, an individual with OCD realizes that these compulsions are illogical, which brings on additional pain.

Connection between PTSD and OCD

In both PTSD and OCD, a person has intrusive thoughts and later involves in neutralizing behaviors in order to reduce their anxiety from these distressing thoughts. In PTSD, an individual regularly attempts to kill or neutralize their thoughts by suppressing them or by involving in other behaviors like isolation, disengagement and evasion.

In OCD, compulsions are the neutralizing behaviors. While compulsive behaviors (such as checking, ordering, sorting, etc.) might make a person feel more in control, safe, and less anxious in the short-run. However in the long-run, such practices not only deficiently address the source of the anxiety, they may even elevate the measure of anxiety an individual encounters.

Individuals with OCD that occurs due to a trauma shows varying pattern of symptoms, involving more severe symptoms such as suicidal thoughts, panic disorder with agoraphobia, storing, self-mutilation, compulsive spending, and more noteworthy tension or sadness. Nonetheless, none of these self-announced practices are sufficient to make a proper analysis.

Treating Trauma-Related OCD

OCD was traditionally treated with exposure treatment, in which an individual is exposed to the stimuli that cause them the anxiety and then prevented from engaging in their usual compulsion. However with trauma-related OCD or OCD that co-occurs along with PTSD, we may require different therapy.

Few Specialists use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for trauma-related OCD. In this, a person is taught how to how to divert their intrusive thoughts about the traumatic event. Other forms of trauma focused therapy, include Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and Trauma Focused CBT and may likewise be helpful.