Could you have OCD and not know it? Experts warn that two-thirds of patients go undiagnosed – revealing the REAL symptoms

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an ‘invisible burden’ with two in three people left undiagnosed with the debilitating condition, experts warn.

Clinicians say that while conditions like ADHD are getting the public attention they deserve, OCD remains poorly understood by the public and often goes untreated.

They claim that while an estimated 750,000 Britons have OCD, only a third receive medical help, leaving some at increased risk of suicide.

Common misconceptions about the condition often mean patients do not realize they have the condition – and doctors may not recognize the symptoms either.

Now specialists are launching a campaign to highlight the symptoms that are often overlooked.

These include constantly questioning your sexuality, being very superstitious about certain numbers and colors, and praying ‘excessively’.

OCD is a mental disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that people find difficult to control.

Examples of this include the all-consuming fear of being burglarized, which means someone has to check that the doors and windows are locked several times before leaving their home or going to sleep.

Cases are also known to occur in new mothers who obsessively check whether their baby is breathing or worry incessantly about sterilizing bottles for feeding for fear of harming their newborn.

And while it is often joked about on social media by people who claim to be ‘a little OCD’ about aspects such as cleanliness, real-life examples of the condition can be seriously disruptive and disturbing.

Despite this, many people suffer in silence because of shame or embarrassment about their condition, says Dr Himanshu Tyagi, a neuropsychiatrist at mental health provider Priory.

He warned that in addition to what can be serious physical and mental burdens, OCD sufferers who go undiagnosed can also suffer up to £1 million in lost income over a 40-year period.

Another common form of OCD is compulsive checking to see if doors are locked for fear of being broken into

As such, he calls for greater awareness of OCD, not only among potential patients and their friends and families, but also among medical professionals.

“We are experiencing a mental health crisis, but while public awareness is growing about conditions such as ADHD, anxiety and depression, OCD remains a highly misunderstood condition,” he said.

‘Severe OCD can be as debilitating as other serious mental health conditions, and can significantly impact a person’s ability to function in everyday life.

‘Unfortunately, only around a third of OCD patients will ever receive a clinical diagnosis, partly due to limited understanding of the condition, especially in its earlier stages, or milder forms, while also likely to respond better to treatment .’

Speaking as part of OCD Awareness Week, Dr. Tyagi admits thatWithout treatment, OCD sufferers’ compulsions can escalate and intensify, becoming increasingly disruptive to a person’s life and in some cases even life-threatening.

Karen Katz, head of OCD therapy at the Priory Hospital in North London, says many people overlook how debilitating the condition can be – with some even seeing it as a positive trait linked to a desire for ‘ order or neatness’. Stock image

“Chronic OCD leads to high rates of hospital admissions and suicide attempts, significantly reduces the likelihood of people being in healthy relationships and prevents people from living normal, happy lives,” he said.

‘Often people with OCD carry an invisible burden, with compulsions or thoughts that others cannot easily see.’

‘OCD places patients with such a heavy burden because it affects people in their formative years, leaving a person without the skills necessary for everyday life, sometimes even after successful treatment.’

Karen Katz, head of OCD therapy at the Priory Hospital in North London, added that many people overlook how debilitating the condition can be – and some even see it as a positive trait.

‘The image of OCD as a positive personality trait couldn’t be further from the truth and it is important to distinguish between normal preferences for order or tidiness and OCD,’ she said.

‘OCD involves distressing, time-consuming obsessions and compulsions that significantly interfere with daily life.’

People with potential OCD symptoms, who regularly experience obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior, are encouraged to self-refer to the NHS talking therapies or contact their GP.

OCD covers a wide range of possible behaviors, with examples ranging from disturbing thoughts of a violent nature to incessant hand washing for fear of contracting a disease.

Therefore, when diagnosing OCD, doctors do not limit the type of behavior or thoughts, but rather focus on the relationship between the obsession and the compulsion.

The obsessive part of OCD is what causes the unpleasant feelings of fear or anxiety, such as when the doors to your house are unlocked.

This in turn creates the compulsion, the need to do something to relieve the suffering that the obsession has caused, even if this seems excessive and even unrelated to the original fear.

Treatment for OCD usually involves therapy, but if this is unsuccessful it is sometimes combined with medications such as antidepressants, which can combat some of the symptoms.

Experts are still trying to unravel what exactly causes OCD.

There is some evidence that it can run in families, but it is unclear whether this is purely genetic or whether it results from learned behavior during childhood.

Other theories point to a chemical imbalance in the brain and this is why antidepressants work, traumatic life events and personality types, with some evidence, that neater or more anxious people are at greater risk of developing OCD.