According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of California, around 1.2% of people have OCD. This is equivalent to more than 473,000 individuals, or more than 30% of San Diego’s population.
Despite this, more than 20% of California residents in need of mental health treatment in 2021 didn’t receive care. Whether this is due to inaccessibility in their area or a misunderstanding of how support can help them – our team at Wings aims to fill this gap. Through our comprehensive treatment approach and open-door policy to any and all who need help, we want to make a difference.
One program that we offer is our obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment. This is available for our women’s and men’s programs at all levels of care. Let’s talk about how we can provide you with the healing you deserve.
What We Treat: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition defined by intense thoughts and rituals that regularly interfere with your happiness and day-to-day functioning. These thoughts and rituals are known as obsessions and compulsions, and they’re not something the individual is always able to control.
OCD will never look the same from one person to the next. The source of a person’s obsessions and compulsions can come in many forms and can develop and evolve.
If you find yourself living in a cycle that you can’t break out of, our team at Wings Recovery is here to help. OCD doesn’t have to hold the reins in your life, our team can help you learn the skills you need to manage your OCD successfully.
How We Treat: Our Trauma-Informed Approach to Long-Lasting Healing
Here at Wings Recovery, our program is backed by our trauma-informed approach. Trauma is a leading cause of many mental health conditions, OCD included. Many people live through trauma and don’t realize how deeply it’s impacted them.
Our expert team will work with you to find the root cause of your OCD. We don’t just want to heal one facet of you, we work on a full-person approach to build a strong foundation for lasting healing.
OCD is treatable and manageable. By addressing what’s causing your OCD to worsen or intensify, you’ll be able to better recognize triggers and find new coping strategies that allow you to live life how you want once more.
Spotting the Most Common Symptoms of OCD
The symptoms of OCD consist of two things: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are the intrusive thoughts that are the source of a person’s stress or anxiety. They occur unprompted and are unwanted and distressing. Compulsions are the actions a person takes to try and alleviate the negative emotions stemming from their obsessions. These are often repetitive behaviors or rituals that lead to temporary relief from their obsessions.
Let’s discuss how different obsessions and compulsions may manifest depending on their source.
| Type | Obsession | Compulsions |
| Contamination | Excess concern about becoming ill/sick or dirtying up one’s home/safe space | Excessive hand washing, excessive cleaning, not leaving the house, taking extreme precautions when in public |
| Responsibility | Fear that a lack of forethought or preparation will lead to themselves or others being hurt | Triple-checking that doors are locked, turning off large appliances repetitively, avoiding even potentially dangerous scenarios |
| Perfectionism | Fear of judgment from being incorrect, fear of disappointing others, and/or a fear of losing important things or forgetting important events | Having strict organization systems, setting dozens of alarms, seeking reassurance constantly, hoarding items, doing tasks multiple times until they’re “perfect” |
| Violent/Sexual | Fear of suddenly lashing out at oneself or others, seeing disturbing and unwanted gorey/sexual images, fear of acting sexually upon others | Isolation, seeing reassurance from others, hiding objects that could be used for harm, developing superstitious rituals to “prevent” unwanted thoughts |
The above examples are just some of the ways that obsessions and compulsions may manifest. The specific compulsions often come from learned behaviors or develop as a result of trauma. Two people may both have primarily contamination OCD and still have no overlapping compulsions, so don’t take this list as the only possible option for symptoms.
What Causes OCD and Who’s Most Impacted by It?
While science is still learning more about the specific causes of OCD, continued research has led to several leading theories about how it can occur.
The primary factors are genetics and trauma.
If someone within a family has OCD, their descendants are more likely to have OCD. Additionally, like with many mental health conditions, trauma, and overall mental development play a hand in OCD, too. Our brains are complex yet sensitive and develop unique coping mechanisms when we’re faced with hardship. OCD is just one of many potential ways your mind may adjust to trauma.
On average, OCD will become prevalent as a teenager or young adult. This doesn’t mean that you can’t develop it later in life, however. On top of that, women are more likely to have OCD than men.
What’s the Difference Between OCD and OCPD?
Based on the acronyms alone, you may assume that OCD and OCPD are similar conditions, but this isn’t true. OCPD stands for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. While there can be overlap in symptoms, which is common amongst most mental health disorders, these are two separate diagnoses.
As the beginning of their names implies, OCD and OCPD both deal with obsession and compulsions. The difference stems from why each person has obsessions and compulsions. For OCD, these thoughts stem from anxiety and frequently cause distress. OCPD, on the other hand, specifically is derived from feeling out of control. This leads to the development of rigid beliefs in how the world and others should function.
How Is OCD Diagnosed and Managed?
In order to diagnose someone with OCD, most medical providers will first try to eliminate other possible diagnoses. This process could include a physical examination, a look into your family’s medical history, and more.
Depending on where you are seeking your diagnosis, your medical provider may refer you to a mental health specialist for further evaluation.
It’s not uncommon for the symptoms of OCD to be misdiagnosed as other mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety. This can stem from a misunderstanding of how symptoms are forming and impacting day-to-day life. OCD isn’t the only condition that comes with compulsions and obsessions, and it’s not uncommon to have OCD alongside other mental health disorders.
Start Your Chapter of Healing in San Diego Today With Wings Recovery
If you or a loved one are living with obsessions and compulsions that are taking control of your life, our team at Wings Recovery can help. We’ll work with you to find the root cause of your OCD and then equip you with the skills you need to tackle it moving forward. With long-term support and housing options, we’ll be here for you as long as you need us. If you have any questions, you can contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.
Healing doesn’t have to wait. You deserve it now. At Wings Recovery, our whole-person approach is designed with you in mind. Give us a call now at 888-790-9377 to get started.
Wings – Rising to Meet Recovery