Can An Online OCD Test Be Useful, When Psychiatrists Aren't Available?

By Ollie M. Buhr


OCD tests are a very important part of the diagnosis procedure, this should come ahead of what your friends or family tell you. If you think that someone you know shows the tell-tale signs of OCD its extremely important to get a proper diagnosis from a qualified physician, the symptoms are not usually seen, until the teens as children are eccentric as part of their normal growing up process, so to properly diagnose a child who may be suffering from OCD is extremely difficult. If the thought of going to a professional person may be too expensive then there is another option, you could take an online test.

If you think that, there is a possibility you may be suffering from OCD you should make a plan to consult with a professional psychiatrist. One of the treatments that is available is CBT (Cognitive-Behavioural-Therapy), this is favoured by most people as there is no use of any medication required, which means fewer risks are involved. Medication is the second step, but only if the first step has not worked for you, as some of the medication used is very powerful, antidepressants and antipsychotics are used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder and along with this, there are some side effects. This is where seeing a licensed mental health therapist is crucial to the recovery procedure.

The lab tests will screen individuals for things like drugs and alcohol, just so they can be ruled out for causing the symptoms to arise. The psych evaluation is one of the most important tests. This is going to be an in-depth question and answer session between the patient and doctor. Questions about thoughts, patterns, feelings and symptoms are going to be asked. Sometimes friends and family will be brought in to answer questions, but this depends on the person.Diagnosis.In order for this disorder to be diagnosed by a doctor, there are certain pieces of criteria that have to be met. First of all, individuals must have obsessions and compulsions that are bothersome. The patient may also need to understand that these are excessive and have no valid reason for happening. Those obsessions and compulsions also need to play a large role in the life of the patient and interfere with their daily activities or routines.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is one useful technique for dealing with OCD, and is also generally a good first choice for most people as it doesn't require medicine and hence has much fewer risks associated with it. Medicine is also an important treatment technique for many people, but should never be considered for a first treatment option. Generally the kinds of medications that are prescribed for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are powerful anti-depressants and anti-psychotics that can be accompanied by fairly serious side-effects. This is where seeing a licensed mental-health therapist becomes crucial to the recovery process.

Psychotherapy is effective for many people because it retrains the mind to control thought patterns. This also helps diminish compulsive behaviors by gradually exposing the patient to the things they fear the most. There are a lot of different techniques that therapists use with their patients. Sometimes this treatment can be stressful; it varies with each person and their reasons for having the disorder.Other treatment options are available to explore. Residential treatment and psychiatric hospitalization are both options for people who want to be watched by professionals. These put them in a safe environment where they can learn which treatments are best for them. Deep brain stimulation and ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) are other options available as well. Some individuals even try out self-help and home remedies, which can be effective.

Every individual has certain habits and routines in their daily lives. If certain patterns of repeated behavior interfere with the day to day life, medical help should be sought. The individual might be suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder, an anxiety disorder where the individual has obsessive thoughts and displays compulsive behaviors. Double checking if the door has been locked can be considered a compulsive disorder if the person starts doing this every now and then. Even if the person attempts to control the behavioral problem on his own, he might not succeed. Obsessive compulsive disorder treatment can help people break free from their unreasonable urges.People who are under the grip of OCD tend to experience the following: Obsessions - Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced at some time during the disturbance as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress. Some of the most common examples include:Fear of dirt or contamination by germs,Fear of causing harm to others,Fear of making a mistake,Repeated doubt,Unacceptable,sexual thoughts,Need for order or symmetry.

Obsessions are ideas or thoughts that come into the mind and will not go away. Generally these thoughts are unwanted ideas that most people would never act out on, like hurting a loved one. Most of these thoughts make absolutely no sense and will come at all times during the day and night.Some obsessions are fears, some are sexual and some are aggressive. Some of the most common obsessions include: fear of being touched, thoughts of being in a car accident, images of hurting a loved one, repeating pornographic images, hair pulling and skin lesions from picking at the skin. These have the ability to cause a lot of anxiety for people because they are so persistent and won't seem to go away.

Despite the person's realizing that these thoughts are irrational, these thoughts are irresistible to the person affected by the OCD.The diagnosis of OCD has been described in medicine for more than 100 years. OCD occurs fairly equally among people, regardless of culture. The largest onset group by age is typically 15-24 years old however OCD can be triggered at almost any age. Individuals with OCD are more likely to also develop an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia, or other behavioral concerns such as depression.While there is no known specific cause for OCD, family history and bio-neurological disorder in the brain are thought to be factors in who will get the illness. People who have relatives with OCD are generally at a somewhat higher risk of developing the disorder themselves. It is thought that an imbalance of the chemical serotonin in the brain may also contribute to the development of OCD. 50-60% of those who reported having OCD stated a stress event was occurring or had occurred around the time of onset, and almost all state that stress increases the symptoms of OCD.

Some common compulsions in children include: clearing the throat, twitching, rituals that have to be followed exactly, counting items, repeating things, washing hands, showering often and many more. Compulsions are not always as common as obsessions are. Just because a child is cleaning their room often and washing their hands doesn't necessarily mean they have OCD. Sometimes these symptoms will go away as a kid grows up; it all varies based on the individual.

Each person is different with the types of symptoms they have, but this can change as an individual grows older. Even if one symptom occurs during the adolescent years of a child, they could gain many others as they grow into a young adult. The severity of OCD will depend on the person, their experiences and where they live as well. Sometimes OCD can easily be controlled by someone when they know how to calm themselves, but it can easily become uncontrollable and a huge hazard to health.Family members should keep a close eye on loved ones that have OCD. There can be times when the severity of the symptoms rises and the individual ends up hurting themselves or someone else. In order to avoid this, treatment from a doctor should be sought after. Medication is an immediate treatment that can help balance out the serotonin inside the brain. This is often the best treatment option for sufferers because it calms them down and greatly reduces their levels of anxiety.




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