UMFK Accessibility Office Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) - Fact Sheet
How can OCD affect my learning?
Even motivated students can struggle with OCD. Although individuals with OCD typically have average to above-average intelligence levels, they may be unable to learn the same way others do because their focus is frequently on their obsessions or compulsions. With their thoughts divided, students can be unable to recall information or retain what they are learning.
Symptoms
- Obsessions & compulsive thinking that last longer than an hour each day & that interfere with daily living.
- Obsessions are intrusive & irrational thoughts or impulses that occur over and over again.
- Obsessions can include: thoughts about harming someone, thoughts about having done something properly/right, fears about saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
- Compulsions are repetitive acts that temporarily relieve stress that are brought on by an obsessive thought.
- Compulsions can include: hand washing due to fear of germs, counting and recounting things for fear of doing it wrong, checking things repeatedly even after just having completed the task, mentally thinking of the same thing(s) over and over again.
Causes
Like many mental health conditions, the exact causes of OCD are unknown. They do believe, however, that these symptoms are related to the fact that there are certain parts of the brain that do not respond normally to the chemical in the brain called serotonin. This chemical is used in the brain to help nerve cells communicate with one another. Many scientists hypothesize that problems in neurological brain development may contribute to the presence of this condition later on in life.
Treatment
- The best way to go about treating OCD is a combination of medication & therapy. Antidepressants are often the medication that is used to treat OCD.
- CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is very helpful in dealing with this condition. CBT focuses on the thoughts that are causing the distress and then changing these negative thoughts. The point is to gradually lessen the intensity and ultimately the frequency of these occurrences.
- Aerobic exercise (or any exercise that helps increase endorphins) can also be helpful in fighting off the symptoms of OCD. This can help reduce the baseline production of anxiety causing chemicals in the brain.
