Let's learn exactly about OCD: How to get rid of obsessive thoughts and unstoppable actions?

Do you find yourself doing the same thing over and over again in your daily life, or are you bothered by the same thought? Just think, checking the door repeatedly before leaving the house to make sure it's locked, unplugging the iron, unplugging the computer , turning off the gas stove, or washing your hands a little more often, things like that happen to us sometimes. These are normal checks and precautions. But if these things become uncontrollable , annoying, and overwhelming throughout the day, and disrupting your daily routine? Then it could be a serious condition called OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), which affects your life. Let's see what this really is, why it happens, and how to get rid of it.

What is OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)? Obsessive thoughts and unstoppable actions!

OCD is a mental health condition. Simply put, it causes you to have uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts (called obsessions ) that cause you to feel very anxious . You then feel the need to do certain things (called compulsions ) to reduce the anxiety or because you are afraid that something bad will happen to you.

Obsessions (obsessive, disturbing thoughts):

These are thoughts, images, or doubts that come to your mind without your consent, that come up frequently, that bother you, that cause you great fear or anxiety . Even though you don't want these thoughts, they are difficult to get rid of and they bother you.

Some examples:

• Imagine, when Nimali comes out, she feels like she's everywhere.Germs , that they will get sick. He can't bear that thought, he gets a lot of anxiety, thinking, "I'll get sick, my family will get sick too."
• If Sameera doubts whether she turned off the gas stove, locked the door, or closed the window before leaving the house, she can't get that doubt out of her mind. Fearful thoughts like, 'If I don't do it right, the house will catch fire, thieves will come, everything will be destroyed because of my fault' keep coming.
• Kasuni wants everything on her desk, including books, pens, and files, to be arranged symmetrically , like a string. If it moves a little, or if someone changes the order, she feels very uncomfortable, thinking, 'Everything is messed up, something bad is going to happen now, I can't handle this.'
• Ravi sometimes thinks that he will hurt someone he loves, or that he will say/do something wrong, something inappropriate, or something that will hurt someone without control. When these thoughts come to him, he feels very ashamed, afraid, and bad about himself.
• Chamari believes that certain numbers (e.g. 13) and colors (e.g. black) are 'unlucky'. If they see that number, or if they have to wear clothes of that color, they have a great fear and anxiety that something bad will happen to them or their family that day.

Compulsions (Rituals – actions that you feel compelled to do and cannot stop):

These are the actions or mental rituals that you do to reduce anxiety caused by those obsessive thoughts, fears, or to prevent the bad things you think are happening, even though you sometimes think they don't make sense, but you feel compelled to do them.

Some examples:

• Nimali , who is afraid of germs, washes her hands about fifteen times a day to reduce that anxiety , sometimes for several minutes, until her hands are dry. If she doesn't do that, she feels no relief. When she comes back from outside, she washes her body as well, and she washes all the clothes she has worn.
• Sameera , who is suspicious about the gas stove and the door, leaves the house and boards the bus, wondering, "Did I turn off the stove?" When she comes home, she checks the stove, doors, and windows. Sometimes she is late for work or an important trip because of this.
• Kasuni doesn't let his desk get messy. He arranges the books by height, by color, by letter direction. This can take hours. He doesn't feel like doing anything else until it's exactly "right."
• When Ravi has those bad thoughts, he recites in his mind, "Don't do that, I'm a good person" about a hundred times ( mental ritual ). Or, he does something good that he does as a habit (e.g., chanting the Itipiso verse) a few times to "neutralize" that thought.
• If you see the unlucky number, you will be in trouble., thinking of 'cancelling' it, he mentally says the number he thinks is his lucky number seven times, or the roads with that number open up, no matter how far away.

In OCD, these thoughts ( obsessions ) and actions ( compulsions ) become entangled in a stressful cycle that puts a lot of pressure on the mind. This is very different from the usual checking or tidying up. Because OCD causes a lot of disruption to a person's daily life, work, and relationships, and they spend most of their day focusing on these things.

The good news is that treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ( CBT ) can help break this cycle. Some people may also need to use medication .

If you feel like you have these symptoms, and if your life is being disrupted by disturbing, uncontrollable thoughts and the resulting urges to do things, the first thing you should do is talk to a parent or an adult you trust, a doctor , or a mental health counselor, and find out about it.

Common forms of obsessions

Obsessions are not just thoughts, they are thoughts that are disturbing, anxiety- provoking, and difficult to control. OCD causes these thoughts to keep coming to mind. They can be about anything, but the most common obsessions are:

• Excessive fear of germs , illness, injury to self or others, and accidents.
• Frequent thoughts about things that are considered bad, immoral, wrong, or sinful from a religious or moral perspective.
• Excessive concern with whether things are even , straight , in a certain order , “ just right .”
• Thinking that certain colors or numbers are bad or unlucky, or believing that they have special mystical meanings.
• An uncontrollable fear that something bad you think will happen (e.g., someone getting hurt) will actually happen.

Common forms of compulsions

Compulsions are behaviors or mental rituals that a person with OCD feels they must do, causing a strong urge to do them. These can be actual actions or mental acts.

Some examples:

• Repeated washing (hands, body, clothes), cleaning.
• Repeatedly erasing what you write, rewriting, starting over from the beginning.
• Repeating words, sentences, or questions mentally or out loud.
• Constantly checking to see if the door is closed, the lights are turned off, the gas stove is turned off, something is clean, and a task is completed properly.
• To touch, tap, or step on something in a particular way, or a specific number of times.
• Having things "just right" in a specific order, doing everything according to a specific ritual.
• Avoiding numbers, colors, places, and people that are considered unlucky.

How does this feel to someone with OCD?

Many people with OCD understand that these obsessions and the actions they take are really meaningless. But because of OCD, they feel a lot of doubt and uncertainty. They have a strong urge to do the action. They feel that something bad will happen if they don't do it. Although at first they feel a little relief when they do the action, little by little the actions increase, the time and energy spent on them increase. But those disturbing thoughts come back again and again. This is the stressful cycle of OCD. Instead of stopping the OCD from happening, it only gets worse.

A person with OCD may suffer from these disturbing thoughts and actions for more than an hour a day. They check , create, delete, count, and start over again, until they feel like “everything is okay.” They don’t really want to think about these things or do these actions. But OCD makes it very difficult to forget these thoughts and not act on them.

OCD can affect almost every aspect of their lives. Even simple things like putting on a dress, eating breakfast, and doing schoolwork can be stressful.It can be a decision-making mess. OCD can make you think that one decision will prevent something bad from happening, or that another decision will cause something bad to happen.

A person with OCD may not understand why they think, feel, or act the way they do. They may try to hide these fears and actions from others. They may be afraid of what others will think. They may even feel like they are “going crazy” – but they are not. All of these things are caused by OCD.

Why does OCD develop? The connection between the brain and genes.

Genes and hereditary influence

Like many mental health conditions, OCD is likely to be influenced by a person's genes. That's why OCD sometimes runs in families. Genes affect the chemicals, structure, and function of different parts of our brain . In OCD, these changes cause unwanted thoughts to become "stuck" in our minds and not go away.

Changes in brain function

Research has found that certain parts of the brain are functionally altered in people with OCD. For example, the Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC) , which is responsible for “determining right and wrong,” the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) , which is responsible for “ signaling when something is wrong,” and the Striatum (particularly the Caudate Nucleus ), which is responsible for “habit formation,” are thought to be involved in OCD. Together, these are thought to form a “worry circuit.”

The effect of neurotransmitters

The neurotransmitter serotonin is particularly implicated in OCD. Changes in serotonin levels may contribute to the condition. The neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate may also be involved in the “obsessions” and compulsions .

Rituals reinforce OCD

When we practice something, when we get a reward for it, our brain gets used to doing it more and more. In OCD, when we do the compulsion , we get temporary relief . This is the reward . So the brain thinks, “Oh, this will be okay if we do it.” So the brain is motivated to do that action more and more. This makes the OCD stronger.

Treatment for OCD: A way to free your mind!

The main and most effective treatment for OCD is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Sometimes, medication is also used in addition to this.

What happens in CBT?

CBT is a treatment method that involves talking to a therapist and learning about your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

• OCD is a "trick" of the brain, meaning that it makes you feel like something bad will happen if you don't do it, even though nothing bad will actually happen.
• It is explained that doing those actions ( compulsions ) makes OCD stronger, and that getting used to not doing them weakens OCD.
• Even after learning these things, it's not easy to stop those behaviors all at once. That's why CBT teaches skills like these:
  • Coping and calming skills to cope with anxiety when it arises.
  • How to deal with obsessive/worrying thoughts .
  • How to safely face fears (Exposure and Response Prevention – ERP). ERP is a specific part of CBT for OCD. In this, with the help of a therapist , you face the obsessions that scare you, but learn not to act on them ( compulsions ).
  • How to resist the strong urge to do those things ( compulsions ).

In therapy , you practice these skills . Little by little, you face the things you fear one by one without acting on them. At first, this is very difficult, and it may feel like your anxiety is increasing. But with practice , it gradually becomes easier. The more you get used to not acting on them, the less those disturbing thoughts will gradually decrease. When you practice this way, your brain's functioning can also change for the better.

Therapy takes time. It varies from person to person. Most people meet with a therapist once a week for several months or longer. The therapist teaches you, supports you, and encourages you. Often, the therapist also talks to the parents and gives them advice on how to help at home.

If I think I have OCD, what should I do?

First, tell a parent or another adult you trust about your feelings. They can refer you to a doctor or mental health counselor . It's a great relief to know that you have OCD and that there is treatment for it.

If you find out you have OCD:

• Go to therapy as directed. Learn about OCD. The more you learn about it, the easier it will be for you to understand it.
• Practice the skills you learn in therapy . The more you practice , the faster you will be able to overcome OCD.
• Get support from those who love you. Ask your parents for help in practicing what you learn in therapy .
• Be patient with yourself. Dealing with OCD is hard and stressful . Therapy takes time and practice . But many people, like you, have overcome OCD. You can too!
• Find time for good things too. Relax , do things you love, be with people who make you laugh, and make you feel good. These will give you the strength to face difficult times and overcome OCD.

Where to get help in Sri Lanka

There are mental health clinics in government hospitals in Sri Lanka. NIMH (Angoda) is the main one. There are also doctors and counselors in the private sector. There are government-approved services like the “ 1926 ” helpline for emergency help (contact the relevant institutions for current information – as of today, May 10, 2025, the 1926 service is operational). Also, assistance can sometimes be obtained from non-governmental organizations working for mental health.

Important: Before seeking help from anywhere, check their qualifications and credibility.

Finally… freedom of mind!

OCD can be a complex condition, but it's not impossible to overcome. With the right treatment, support, and your own efforts, you too can live a normal, happy life free from those intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

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