Depression and OCD: rumination that intensifies suffering

Depression and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) are often related. It has been proven that many patients with this last psychological disorder usually take a long time to seek help and receive adequate treatment. This situation generates great suffering and even social avoidance, so it is very common for almost 60% of these people to develop major depression.

When someone suffers from more than one mental condition we talk about comorbidity.. Thus, one of the clinical realities where other psychological dimensions most often converge is, without a doubt, in obsessive-compulsive disorder. In fact, the most frequent are all those that fall within the anxious-depressive spectrum, as well as eating disorders.

We are undoubtedly facing a fact that is as common as it is worrying. There are many people who deal daily with their obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.those that they cannot control and that at the same time conditions them, limits their lives and fuels discomfort.

An early diagnosis and an intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, can significantly improve the daily life of these patients.

However, There are many who have not yet taken the step. There are thousands of men and women who, right now, live conditioned by their perfectionist tendencies, by their fears, their insecurities and by behavioral rituals that, little by little, will form the opaque veil of depression.

Depression and OCD, how are they related?

When we talk about OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) it is common for more than one person to think of Jack Nicholson’s character in Couldn’t be better. In this film we learned about the complicated life of the writer Melvin Udall, basically orchestrated by a wide repertoire of compulsive behaviors:

Those related to hygiene (such as washing your hands with very hot water).Those linked to security (such as locking it 5 times, not stepping on the line of the tiles…).Those of order and planning.Those referring to rituals, such as turning off and opening the lights a specific number of times, etc.

Thus, something that happens to most of us is that we tend to see these types of disorders as something distant. It’s what we see on TV, what happens to others but never to oneself.

We have a very poor culture about psychological conditions And hence, many times we are not aware of how they start, how they are established in our lives without us realizing it.

To understand the link between depression and OCD, it is important to start by knowing how this latter disorder manifests itself.

How does obsessive-compulsive disorder manifest?

Until not long ago this condition was classified as an anxiety disorder. In the latest edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental DisordersDSM-5, OCD now appears with its own entity.

The psychological and behavioral markers that define obsessive-compulsive disorder are the following:

Dysfunctional beliefs that do not always have a basis in reality (If I touch that red seat I will catch a deadly disease). Feeling that everything they do is unfinished or done incorrectly.The person feels dominated by thoughts that they cannot control: such as fear of being attacked, of being contaminated, of failing, of harming oneself, of the obsessive need to have everything under control…All these mental knots intensify anxiety in an intense and devastating way.To alleviate it, it results in repetitive (compulsive) behaviors. Likewise, It should be noted that there are different typologies of obsession and compulsionsuch as, for example, cleaners, verifiers, repeaters, hoarders, ritualizers, pure obsessives and those who have compulsive thoughts related to sex.

Depression and OCD, why are they related?

Currently, We have a good number of studies that tell us about the relationship between depression and OCD . One of them, the most recent, is the one carried out in the Baskent University, in Türkiye, by Dr. Ebru Yurda.

In this work, they point out such notable aspects as the following:

Major depressive disorder is the most common comorbid psychiatric condition associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).The symptoms of OCD are the cause of depression, and not the other way around. What’s more, It is estimated that about 60% of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder suffer or will suffer from depression.The anguish associated with the manifestations of OCD usually plunges the person into a state of progressive suffering.. The loss of control over one’s own thinking, the obsessive need to carry out a series of rituals or compulsive behaviors, conditions them completely. This causes them to experience feelings of anger, shame, frustration, etc. We also cannot leave aside something common: Obsessive thoughts are often directed toward oneself, acting as a destructive force for self-esteem. and as the foundation of depression itself. In many cases, social isolation is even chosen.

What type of intervention can improve the lives of people with OCD and depression?

There are effective techniques for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Now, when we talk about depression and OCD, we are generally dealing with a person who has taken a long time to ask for help. In fact, it is common for them to be referred after a first suicide attempt.

In these cases, it is common to resort to treatment with antidepressants in addition to psychological therapy. However, We must not be mistaken, drugs will relieve the symptoms but they will not solve the problem. Because the central problem is obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors or rituals.

Therefore, In these cases, the most appropriate thing is to address the disorder through cognitive-behavioral therapy.. The success rate in this type of psychological condition is high, however, the process takes time and, of course, requires the patient’s own commitment.

Whatever the case, there is a solution and the quality of life improves significantly.

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