My Opinion on OCD

by Glen Depke

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or better known as OCD is a widely diagnosed challenge for many individuals today. Is this much different today than it was decades ago? Is this a disease? How do you overcome this? These are just some of the questions that I hear from clients on a regular basis. I will provide my answers to these questions and more, while sharing my opinions on OCD.

First let’s look at a medical definition of OCD.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Disorder characterized by persistent, intrusive, and senseless thoughts (obsessions) or compulsions to perform repetitive behaviors that interfere with normal functioning.

First, let’s look at the words, normal functioning. Based on our current state of health and wellness of our society, I would hope that your goal is NOT normal function. “Normal” people are diagnosed with chronic disease on a regular basis. Heart attacks, cancer, autoimmune disease, diabetes, pain, digestive disorders are all a part of what is “normal” these days. So to be clear, this is not what we want.

So how do we become abnormal? We have to obsess over something different.

There have been many individuals in our world history that would now be considered obsessive compulsive. Do you think Christopher Columbus was OCD about finding the new world? How about Alexander Grand Bell and the telephone? Thomas Edison and electricity? Henry Ford and automobile production? Albert Einstein and the theory of relativity? I think you get the picture.

Heck you can ask my wife and she would tell you that I am OCD about health and wellness.

The OCD that is typically diagnosed would not be tied into inventing or discovering the new world. This is typically tied into individuals that do something excessively that would potentially lead to harming themselves in some way; physically, mentally or emotionally. This could be somebody that excessively cleans themselves, extreme hording, excessive sexual thoughts, and an aversion to particular numbers or nervous rituals.

I do not see the OCD itself as the challenge: I see the underlying core belief behind the OCD as the challenge.

Let’s understand that the deep need is in shifting the underlying core belief to something that is empowering rather than destructive. I get that this is often easier said than done, but it is very possible and I see it all the time in my clinic.

The deeper challenge is tied into the story that is being obsessed about. For the person that has OCD, I will share that the story is not yours. This is a story that you have been taught by somebody else in your life and you have created your own personal tests to confirm this story. At some point it has over taken your life and can create substantial challenges if continued.

I will also share that by the time I see a client with OCD in my office there are typically other physical challenges which hinder your ability to shift your thoughts and ideas. Most with OCD are also living with adrenal challenges, gut/brain/immune imbalances and very often some level of malnutrition. With this said, I do not feel that this is a disease but a combination of disempowering thoughts, a strong story built around these thoughts as well as the physical challenge that hinder your ability to shift your thoughts and ideas to create new, healthy and empowering thoughts.

Most are not able to simply shift their thoughts immediately. If this was the case, I feel that you would. When you take into account the multiple physical, mental, emotional and chemical aspects of this imbalance, it makes shifting thoughts and ideas much easier for most.

If you would like to discuss OCD further, feel free to leave a comment below or sign up for a FREE 20 minute phone consultation to discuss this with me personally. If you are not a current client of mine, click here to register for your FREE consultation.