Study Suggests Men Experience Earlier Onset of OCD
September 8th, 2009
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health concern that can create havoc in the lives of those who experience its symptoms, and the individual manifestations of the issue may vary greatly from one person to the next. The consequences tend to be similar, however; difficulty carrying out daily life, problematic relationships, and concerns at work are common themes. A study performed in India has identified average ages for the onset of OCD, noting that men experience early symptoms before their twentieth year, while women tend to notice similar issues later into their twenties. The difference may impact the professional and social prospects of men who struggle with the issue.
© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Ann Arbor Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
-
Find the Right Therapist
-
7 Comments | Click here to leave a comment.
Comments
huh. . . I wonder why that is the case. In so many other arenas women are way more likely to notice that things are a little off sooner than a man would.
OCD is not only a difficult thing for the affected person but also for the people around the person, especially the person’s family. This goes beyond just seeking ‘perfection’ as it creates a lot of problems between the person and his near and dear ones.
OCD can be alienating and very troublesome for a person, and to know that its onset is earlier for men only makes the matter worse because as young people they will already have problems and differences with their folks at an age of early twenties. They need to be taken care of and dealt with a lot of love and affection and a strong belief in the Almighty.
My brother was diagnosed with OCD several years back and while all of us could see very clearly that something was going on with him that was not right (how many times did he need to touch that door handle again before he could walk through the door?!?)he was adverse to admitting that anything was wrong. It tore me to pieces to see how much useless energy he would have to put into these daily ministrations to make his day more bearable for him while it was driving the rest of us mad! I am not making light of the situation at all, but those who have never seen OCD live and in person have no idea how bizarrely it can present itself and how much it can wreck a life. He is in therapy now and on medications that do help him to lead more of a normal life but he still struggles daily as we all do.
There have been so many recent medical researches that have proved that men are the ‘weaker’ sex…biologically at least… one report even says that males would be extinct in another 5 million years(?). And now this report… whao… men really need to pull up their socks and work towards getting fitter and healthier ;)
When I hear someone has OCD, I look to the areas of their life in which they feel out of control. This (or these) tends to be a source of where they develop the need to control other areas of their life. By targeting the unmanageable area, the need to control lessens.
I’m responding to recent posts as OCD is a new field, and there are many misconceptions, as highlighted by Mr. Kaplowitz here.
Mr. Kaplowitz, have you not read the latest on OCD research? It is, in fact, a neurological disorder, not a disorder of control. Perhaps you’re confusing it with OCPD — that’s on axis II — it’s called, Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder, and is characterized by an obsession with rules, feeling that you know the right or wrong way to do things, and a desire to control one’s own and others’ behaviors; this is ego-syntonic, meaning that it fits with the person’s style. OCD, however, is extremely ego-dystonic, meaning that it’s uncontrollable, a nightmare for anyone who suffers from it.
How the heck did you get your masters degree and pass the licensing exam, Mr. Kaplowitz?, with your rudimentary base of knowledge? Get your facts straight.
OCD is a neurological disorder. Many people struggle with shame so intense it’s difficult for them to let people know the so-called “crazy” thoughts they have — for fear people will think they’re psychotic, which they are not. It does emerge first in boys, but there are an equal number of men and women (adults) who experience OCD. It is a terrible disorder, and can be very isolating. Thank goodness for the shows which often depict the worst case scenarios — but put a message out to the public that this exists. It often feels uncontrollable — that you can’t stop the thoughts. There’s also a type called, “Pure O,” which is strictly thoughts — no rituals — and therefore, more easily mistaken or misdiagnosed as GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), or as Panic Disorder. The distinction is that the thoughts run in a circuit, and often follow a similar theme (such as, “I’m going to hurt people I love,” or, “I’ve done something terribly wrong.”).
For those of you who suffer with OCD, a type of Cognitive-Behavioral therapy called Exposure with Response Prevention is the treatment of choice, and involves having you perform a dreaded behavior or think a dreaded thought for a minimum of 30 minutes without doing the rituals or asking for reassurance — behaviors which distract you from experiencing your fear WITHOUT the dreaded fear coming true.
It’s powerful and it does work. There’s a 99-100% success rate. Some people also take a high dose of antidepressants such as Celexa or Prozac, along with therapy designed to help decrease reactions to thoughts. No other therapy (including body oriented therapies/somatic therapies) has been shown by extensive research studies to offer the same relief. Two authors I’d highly recommend are Jeffrey Schwartz (Brain Lock) and Lee Baer (The Imp of the Mind) — specifically for Pure O type. These are excellent books, which really demystify this difficult disorder. If you see a therapist, the therapist should be specially trained in OCD (in Exposure and Response Prevention), otherwise, you end up with therapists with misperceptions.
Most importantly, it’s important to know that OCD is not the person’s fault. It’s not caused by trauma. It’s not caused by stubbornness or rigidity in personality. It’s caused by a malfunction between the caudate nucleus, (the motor strip in the brain, which encourages action; it’s the “I must do something about this,” part of the brain, and the anterior cingulate gyrus which helps people to know right from wrong. Basically, there is more activity in these areas on SPECT scans (see Daniel Amen’s books), which increases questioning, fears, and actions to quell the fears.
OCD is a difficult disorder, but one, with the right treatment, that can be greatly relieved. To those out there who have it: You are not alone. And, you are not crazy. The thoughts may feel crazy at times, but you can find help and feel better. :)
Leave a Reply
By commenting on this blog you acknowledge acceptance of this Blog's Terms and Conditions of Use.