Statistics has been open about the fact that one out of five Americans suffer from OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, however, many people still remain oblivious about it. Perhaps this lack of interest of the society to find out more about OCD and sympathize to sufferers is also due to the sufferers' own doing. Many of these sufferers even deny to themselves that the illness does exists fearing that they may be viewed as insane, so much more those people who do not have first hand experience with the disease.
In many cases, OCD has destroyed the lives of its sufferers not necessarily because of it being an illness per se but because of how sufferers deal with it. While OCD is known to be highly treatable with a lot of treatment mechanisms available publicly even, sufferers do not see the need to go to these places and be treated. A quarter of them think they can overcome the disorder all by themselves. Another quarter thinks that that professional treatment is in fact effective; however, its cost is too much to handle. Another quarter denies to themselves that they do have the illness. The last quarter comprise those who do not even know that they have the illness.
Because of these attitudes, the acceptance and understanding of society towards the disorder has been growing very slowly. At this rate, many sufferers are already suffering from both their illness and bad societal perception. As portion of society mocks them and imagine them crazy, they began to hid from the limelight and choose to be isolated and alone. This behavior has resulted to severe depression in many cases and depression as we all know, is a very silent yet very efficient killer.
A big portion of these OCD suicides are caused by the absence of interaction between the sufferer and the people around him or her. The lack of peers to talk about their problems pushes them to deal with them alone. This feeling of isolation coupled with repetitive thoughts, compulsions and obsessions will eventually push the sufferer to feel extra sensitive towards anything that will compromise the performance of their OCD related rituals. Such a compromise, sometimes, is enough reason for them to take their life.
The single most important thing which can be done to avoid these scenarios from ever happening is to encourage family members and people around an OCD sufferer to aide the sufferer in their emotional needs, most especially in making them secure that seeking for professional help does not equate to them being crazy. Such an act from family members are in fact small and easy compared to the burden that OCD sufferers carry, so there is no reason why family members will find this very difficult to do.
While it is true that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD has the capability to destroy a sufferer's life, still, for all long as the support group of the suffer is strong and supportive, it can be assured that no such things will happen. You should sign up as a support group member too!
In many cases, OCD has destroyed the lives of its sufferers not necessarily because of it being an illness per se but because of how sufferers deal with it. While OCD is known to be highly treatable with a lot of treatment mechanisms available publicly even, sufferers do not see the need to go to these places and be treated. A quarter of them think they can overcome the disorder all by themselves. Another quarter thinks that that professional treatment is in fact effective; however, its cost is too much to handle. Another quarter denies to themselves that they do have the illness. The last quarter comprise those who do not even know that they have the illness.
Because of these attitudes, the acceptance and understanding of society towards the disorder has been growing very slowly. At this rate, many sufferers are already suffering from both their illness and bad societal perception. As portion of society mocks them and imagine them crazy, they began to hid from the limelight and choose to be isolated and alone. This behavior has resulted to severe depression in many cases and depression as we all know, is a very silent yet very efficient killer.
A big portion of these OCD suicides are caused by the absence of interaction between the sufferer and the people around him or her. The lack of peers to talk about their problems pushes them to deal with them alone. This feeling of isolation coupled with repetitive thoughts, compulsions and obsessions will eventually push the sufferer to feel extra sensitive towards anything that will compromise the performance of their OCD related rituals. Such a compromise, sometimes, is enough reason for them to take their life.
The single most important thing which can be done to avoid these scenarios from ever happening is to encourage family members and people around an OCD sufferer to aide the sufferer in their emotional needs, most especially in making them secure that seeking for professional help does not equate to them being crazy. Such an act from family members are in fact small and easy compared to the burden that OCD sufferers carry, so there is no reason why family members will find this very difficult to do.
While it is true that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD has the capability to destroy a sufferer's life, still, for all long as the support group of the suffer is strong and supportive, it can be assured that no such things will happen. You should sign up as a support group member too!
About the Author:
Megan Baggel is a suicide survivor from Illinois. She attempted to kill herself after becoming spotlight in a college party and interrogated about her phobia to germs. After the incident, her family enrolled her to a CBT OCD treatment facility wherein she finally recovered from her OCD disease.
No comments:
Post a Comment