Part Two: OCD and OCPD

Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), also called anankastic personality disorder, is a personality disorder characterized by a general pattern of concern with orderliness, perfectionism, excessive attention to details, mental and interpersonal control, and a need for control over one's environment, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency. (sources: Wikipedia, American Psychiatric Association)

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder where people feel the need to check things repeatedly, have certain thoughts repeatedly, or feel they need to perform certain routines repeatedly.  (sources: Wikipedia, American Psychiatric Association )

The clinical condition of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of obsessions and compulsions. While both OCPD and OCD are marked by ritualized behaviors, they were distinguished by the presence of obsessions in OCD and not in OCPD. 

In the spectrum of OCD, below are medical definitions that are useful:

Obsessive thought- A continual thought, concept, picture, or urge which is experienced as invasive and not proper, and results in significant fear, distress, or discomfort. (source: Psychology Dictionary)

Compulsion- An uncontrollable impulse to perform an act, often repetitively, as an unconscious mechanism to avoid unacceptable ideas and desires which, by themselves, arouse anxiety. (source: Stedman's Medical Dictionary)

Compulsive Rituals- A series of acts a person feels must be carried out even though he or she recognizes that the behavior is useless and inappropriate, commonly seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Failure to complete the acts causes extreme tension or anxiety. (source: Mosby's Medical Dictionary)

We all have unacceptable intrusive thoughts but on the extreme end, some people have trouble shaking them off, and the thoughts become over-important and obsessional. They overestimate the 'threat' posed by these thoughts. There is also a feeling of a responsibility to act and they even start to believe that they might be responsible for harm if they do not react to prevent it. They therefore feel compelled to take action to counter the threats and control the thoughts. They respond by trying immensely to get rid of these 'threatening' thoughts. The resulting compulsive actions can become ritual behaviors, carried out repetitively in an attempt to gain control over a perceived threat. (Reference: The Psychology book, DK) 
Compulsive behaviour rituals are attempts to control intrusive thoughts. (Paul Salkovskis)

For a better understanding of the above terminology, I will use my own personal experience with Contamination OCD as an example:
If I touch an object in public that I feel is 'unsanitary', I will stop what I am doing and I will immediately look for a place to wash my hands. 
Washing my hands is the compulsion- I must act now otherwise I am in danger of being 'contaminated'. My focus is nothing other than wanting to clean my hands.
For. e.g If I used a door knob in a shopping mall, intrusive thoughts start to flood into my mind and I can actually feel the germs on my fingers and palm. Examples of intrusive thoughts that I have: "What if the person before me that used this door knob had some sort of an infectious disease... I have to wash my hands now!"
After I wash my hands, another intrusive thought kicks in, "Did I wash my hands properly... Why did I touch the sink after I washed my hands?! Now I have to start all over again!"
These endless obsessive thoughts continue on and on repeatedly, until I am satisfied that I am clean and there is no sign of dangerous germs lingering on my hands. Instead of ignoring these thoughts, I entertain them by washing my hands and then it becomes a habit and a compulsive ritual. In the past I tried to ignore the compulsion to wash my hands immediately, however intrusive thoughts build up in my mind and I get an overwhelming urge to wash my hands. This causes me to panic and sometimes even have an anxiety attack. The dark thoughts of catching a fatal disease are so profound and realistic that the only way to relax these thoughts is to wash my hands. 

What is the difference between Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? 
(References: ocdeducationstation.org, anxietyhouse.com.au, ocd.about.com)

-With OCD, anxiety about feared consequences of forgoing compulsive behaviors is prominent, whereas in OCPD, the focus is on “doing things my way, the right way”. Individuals with OCPD become annoyed if their orderliness is disturbed.  They see their behavior as being OK and typically believe there is nothing wrong with wanting to do things their way.  In contrast, individuals with OCD do not like what is happening to them and are overwhelmed with the thoughts and fears that intrude into their minds.

-The thoughts, behaviors and feared consequences common to OCD are typically not relevant to real-life concerns; people with OCPD are fixated with following procedures to manage daily tasks. 

-Often OCD interferes in several areas in the person’s life including work, social and/or family life. OCPD usually interferes with interpersonal relationships, but makes work functioning more efficient. It is not the job itself that is hurt by OCPD traits, but the relationships with co-workers, or even employers can be strained.

-Family members of people with OCPD often feel extremely criticized and controlled by people with OCPD. Similar to living with someone with OCD, being ruled under OCPD demands can be very frustrating and upsetting, often leading to conflict. 

-If you have OCD, you will usually seek help for the psychological stress caused by having to carry out compulsions or the disturbing content or themes of your obsessions. In contrast, if you have OCPD, you will usually seek treatment because of the conflict caused between you and family and friends related to your need to have others conform to your way of doing things. The threat of losing a job or a relationship due to interpersonal conflict may be the motivator for therapy.

-Finally, whereas the severity of OCD symptoms will often fluctuate over time, OCPD is chronic in nature, with little change in personality style.

Treatment
In medicine, Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional disorders (or diseases) co-occurring with a primary disease or disorder; or the effect of such additional disorders or diseases. The additional disorder may also be a behavioral or mental disorder. 

This is why it is crucial to seek medical care from a licensed Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist for a psychiatric assessment to detect if the symptoms are an indicator for a serious mental illness. The physician will evaluate the patient and measure the severity of the illness in order to provide treatment such as Psychotherapy, Medicine, Behavioral therapy and even teach Breathing & Relaxation techniques.

Please click on the links to view the symptoms for:

OCD: http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx25.htm

OCPD:http://psychcentral.com/disorders/obsessive-compulsive-personality-disorder-symptoms/

If you experience any of the above symptoms or know someone who does, it is advisable to visit a mental health practitioner for a full diagnosis.

I hope you find the information shared on my blog useful and informative. Until next time!

xoxo
Sarah Ghanam

"The Man Who Couldn't Stop. OCD, and the true story of a life lost in thought" by David Adam

In my last post, I referred to the following book:

An intimate look at the power of intrusive thoughts, how our brains can turn against us, and living with obsessive compulsive disorder.

Excerpt from the book:

*   *   *

"Those are my strange thoughts. That is my obsessive-compulsive disorder. I obsess about ways that I could catch Aids. I compulsively check to make sure I haven’t caught HIV and I steer my behaviour to make sure I don’t catch it in future. I see HIV everywhere. It lurks on toothbrushes and towels, taps and telephones. I wipe cups and bottles, hate sharing drinks and cover every scrape and graze with multiple plasters. My compulsions can demand that after a scratch from a rusty nail or a piece of glass, I return to wrap it in absorbent paper and check for drops of contaminated blood that may have been there. Dry skin between my toes can force me to walk on my heels through crowded locker rooms, in case of blood on the floor. I have checked train seats for syringes and toilet seats for just about everything.
As a journalist, I meet a lot of people and shake their hands. If I have a cut on my finger, or I notice that someone who I talk to has a bandage or a plaster over a wound, thoughts of the handshake and how to avoid it can start to crowd out everything else. My rational self knows that these fears are ridiculous. I know that I can’t catch Aids in those situations. But still the thoughts and the anxiety come."

*   *   *

End of Excerpt

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Over the years I developed a need to repeatedly wash my hands, I had constant irrational fears of harm, I would have intrusive hypochondriac thoughts and many other obsessive thoughts. I was obsessed by dirt and contamination or fatal diseases that I could catch. I could no longer go out in public. I was crippled by my own thoughts. 

I reached breaking point and attempted to understand my behavior but failed to pin point the exact condition. Until last year when I came across a book called, "OCD and The True Story of a Life Lost in Thought" by David Adam. In the book the author describes in detail the strange thoughts he was having and how he was driven towards obsessions and compulsions. He understood me! 

OCD? I always thought Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder was a fancy term for a superstitious perfectionist who kept their items tidy, conducted unusual daily routines and spotlessly cleaned the house. That type of behavior falls under the medical term: Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). 

OCPD is often confused with OCD. They are two distinct disorders- OCD is an anxiety disorder and OCPD is a personality disorder.

Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), also called anankastic personality disorder, is a personality disorder characterized by a general pattern of concern with orderliness, perfectionism, excessive attention to details, mental and interpersonal control, and a need for control over one's environment, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency. (source: Wikipedia)

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder where people feel the need to check things repeatedly, have certain thoughts repeatedly, or feel they need to perform certain routines repeatedly.  (source: Wikipedia)

People with OCD frequently perform tasks, or compulsions, to seek relief from obsession-related anxiety. I was slowly connecting the dots. Anxiety. OCD is linked to anxiety. This was the first step to my road of recovery and my quest began. I delved into books and even spoke to a therapist. 

Over the next few days & weeks I will discuss this subject in detail and also include my personal journey.

Until next time!

Lots of love,

Sarah Ghanam 

The world's most dangerous countries for women

1. Afghanistan

• Beleaguered by insurgency, corruption and dire poverty, Afghanistan ranked as most dangerous to women overall and came out worst in three of the poll's key risk categories: health, non-sexual violence and economic discrimination.
   
• Women in Afghanistan have a one in 11 chance of dying in childbirth.
   
• Some 87 per cent of women are illiterate.
   
• Seventy to eighty per cent of girls and women face forced marriages.

2. Congo

• Still reeling from a 1998-2003 war and accompanying humanitarian disaster that killed 5.4 million, Democratic Republic of Congo ranked second due mainly to staggering levels of sexual violence.
   
• About 1,150 women are raped every day, or some 420,000 a year, according to a recent report in the American Journal of Public Health.
   
• The Congolese Women's Campaign Against Sexual Violence puts the number of rapes at 40 women a day.
   
• Fifty-seven per cent of pregnant women are anaemic.

3. Pakistan

• Those polled cited cultural, tribal and religious practices harmful to women, including acid attacks, child and forced marriage and punishment or retribution by stoning or other physical abuse.
   
• More than 1,000 women and girls are victims of "honour killings" every year, according to Pakistan's Human Rights Commission.
   
• Ninety per cent of women in Pakistan face domestic violence.

Article continues below

4. India

• Female foeticide, child marriage and high levels of trafficking and domestic servitude make the world's largest democracy the fourth most dangerous place for women, the poll showed.
   
• One hundred million people, mostly women and girls, are involved in trafficking in one way or another, according to former Indian Home Secretay Madhukar Gupta.
   
• Up to 50 million girls are "missing" over the past century due to female infanticide and foeticide.
   
• At last 44.5 per cent of girls are married before the age of 18.

5. Somalia

• One of the poorest, most violent and lawless countries, Somalia ranked fifth due to a catalogue of dangers including high maternal mortality, rape, female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage.
   
• Ninety-five per cent of women face FGM, mostly between the ages of 4 and 11.
   
• Only 9 per cent of women give birth at a health facility.
   
• Only 7.5 per cent of parliament seats are held by women.

Sources: Gulf News: AlertNet (http://www.trust.org/alertnet), UN agencies, IRIN News, American Journal of Public Health, World Bank, Gender Index, Human Rights Watch, International Center for Research on Women

Why do cougars exist, and why do older men date younger women?

Please analyze the chart carefully for a better understanding

Cougar explanation:
A man's testosterone level slowly decreases as he gets older and his sex drive decreases accordingly. The average women's sex drive gradually increases between the ages 36-38, which explains 'toy boy' syndrome of the older woman/younger man. Younger men have the physical performance level an older woman craves. A man's sexual performance level at age 19 is more compatible with a woman in her late thirties.

Older Man/Younger Woman:

The sex drive of a man in his 40s is compatible with a woman in her early 20s which partially explains the older man/younger woman combination. There is usually a 10 to 20 year age difference between them.

(Source: Why men don't listen and women read maps by Allan & Barbara Pease)

Are you a Narcissist?

Wikipedia: Narcissism is the personality trait of egotism, vanity, conceit, or simple selfishness

Read  http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200512/field-guide-narcissism

Narcissists love themselves, they would rather be admired than liked.

So are you a narcissist? Take below test:

Jokes aside, Please click on the following link to take the narcissist test: http://personality-testing.info/tests/NPI.php

Body Language- Extracts from Allan Pease's book

False smiles pull back only the mouth while real smiles pull back both mouth and eyes.

Science has proven that the more you smile, the more positive reactions others will give you.

Diana's Sideways-Looking-Up smile had a powerful effect on both men and women

When you fold your arms your credibility dramatically reduces

You may feel that arm-crossing is simply comfortable but others will think you're not approachable.

Skilful elbow-touching can give you up to three times the chance of getting what you want.

A light 3 second elbow-touch creates a momentary bond between two people. Touching above or below the elbow does not produce the same result and touching for more than 3 seconds will receive a negative response.

Gestures can reveal if a person is lying.

Seven of the most common ‘lying gestures' are the, ‘Mouth Cover', the ‘Nose Touch', the ‘Eye Rub', the ‘Ear Grab', the ‘Neck Scratch', the ‘Collar Pull' and the ‘Fingers In The Mouth'.

Bill Clinton answering questions about Monica Lewinsky in front of the Grand Jury

Pupil dilation is a sign that the person likes what they see
When the pupil of the eye dilates, the black section in the middle grows in size. This explains why we sometimes see a “twinkle in the eye” when a person is happy or excited. The larger black area reflects light differently.


The closer people feel emotionally to each other, the closer they will stand to each other.
There are cultural reasons too, why people will stand a certain distance from another person.


Jiggling the feet is like the brain's attempt to run away from what is being experienced.
If you are not sure whether you're being lied to or not, look under the table or desk. Glass topped tables cause us more stress than solid tables, as our legs are in full view and so we don't feel as if we are in full control.


Open legs show male confidence; closed legs show male reticence
Crossed legs not only reveals negative or defensive emotions, it makes a person appear insecure and causes others to react accordingly.


Finger pointing creates negative feelings in most listeners
Finger pointing not only registered the least amount of positive responses from the listeners; they could also recall less of what the speaker had said

Being ‘perceptive' means being able to spot the contradictions between someone's words and their body language.

And that overall women are far more perceptive than men. Research reveals that women read the situation accurately 87% of the time, while men only scored 42% accuracy. This has given rise to the term "women's intuition".

Cultural Differences
The biggest cultural differences exist mainly in relation to territorial space, eye contact, touch frequency and insult gestures. The regions that have the greatest number of different local signals are Arab countries, parts of Asia and Japan.

If a Saudi man holds another man's hand in public it's a sign of mutual respect. But don't do it in Australia, Texas or Liverpool, England!