MHM Magazine

24 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | Issue 3 | 2021 MHM D uring a pandemic and especially one revolving around germs, a virus, getting sick and death it would be remiss not to discuss Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is a mental health disorder that can affect anyone no matter their age, sex, race, sexual orientation, walk of life, etc. It occurs when an individual gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions that cause significant distress and/or impairment in their daily functioning. Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted and repetitive thoughts, images and/ or urges that for the individual feels out of their control and significantly disturbing. These are accompanied by significant feelings of intense distress in the form of anxiety, fear, doubt, disgust, an uncomfortable feeling and/or a feeling of needing things to be “just right”. Common Obsessions in OCD are: • Contamination (e.g. fear of germs and/or getting a disease (such as HIV/Herpes)) • Losing Control (e.g. fear of acting on impulse such as blurting out obscenities and/or insults) • Harm (e.g. fear of harming oneself or someone else such as thoughts of stabbing a loved one) • Unwanted sexual thoughts (e.g. forbidden or perverse sexual thoughts or images such as disturbing thoughts of having sex with children and/or family members) • Religious thoughts/images (scrupulosity) (e.g. excessive concern with morality or right and wrong and/or concern with blasphemy or offending a higher power) • Perfectionism (e.g. concerns with things being even or “exactly how they should be”) OBSESSIVE- COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD) AND COVID-19 By Shai Friedland Clinical psychologist Johannesburg shai@shaifriedland.co.za