Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions).
With obsessive-compulsive disorder, you may realize that your obsessions aren't reasonable, and you may try to ignore them or stop them. But that only increases your distress and anxiety. Ultimately, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to ease your stressful feelings.

Most common Obsessions often have themes to them, such as:

1. Fear of contamination or dirt
2. Having things orderly and symmetrical
3. Aggressive or horrific impulses
4. Sexual images or thoughts
5. Fear of falling ill.

Obsession symptoms include one or more of the following:-

1. Fear of being contaminated by shaking hands or by touching objects others have touched

2. Doubts that you've locked the door or turned off the stove
3. Thoughts that you've hurt someone in a traffic accident
4. Intense stress when objects aren't orderly or facing the right way
5. Images of hurting your loved one/child
6. Impulses to shout obscenities in inappropriate situations or impulsive anger to fight.
7. Avoidance of situations that can trigger obsessions, such as shaking hands
8. Replaying pornographic images in your mind
9. Dermatitis because of frequent hand washing
10. Skin lesions because of picking at your skin
11. Hair loss or bald spots because of hair pulling

Compulsions
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that you feel driven to perform. These repetitive behaviors are meant to prevent or reduce anxiety related to your obsessions.
You may also make up rules or rituals to follow that help control the anxiety you feel when having obsessive thoughts.

Compulsions typically have themes, such as:

1. Washing and cleaning
2. Counting
3. Checking
4. Demanding reassurances
5. Performing the same action repeatedly
6. Excessive Orderliness

Compulsion symptoms may include one or more of the following -

1. Hand washing until your skin becomes raw
2. Checking doors repeatedly to make sure they're locked
3. Checking the stove repeatedly to make sure it's off
4. Counting in certain patterns
5. Arranging your goods to face the same way

Factors that may increase the risk of developing or triggering obsessive-compulsive disorder include:

Symptoms usually begin gradually and tend to vary in severity throughout your life. Symptoms generally worsen during times when you're experiencing more stress.

1. Family history. Having parents or other family members with the disorder can increase your risk of developing OCD.

2. Stressful life events. If you tend to react strongly to stress, your risk may increase. This reaction may, for some reason, trigger the intrusive thoughts, rituals and emotional distress characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Complications that obsessive-compulsive disorder may cause or be associated with include -

1. Suicidal thoughts and behavior
2. Alcohol or substance abuse
3. anxiety disorders
4. Depression
4. Eating disorders
5. Contact dermatitis from frequent hand washing
6. Inability to attend work or school
7. Troubled relationships
8. Overall poor quality of life

Since most people never get treatment or therapy for OCD it becomes a lifelong illness...
Many a times the individual takes so much time to reach the psychiatrist.. that the fear and anxiety is so high that treatment and therapy only help decrease the OCD not eliminate it.
Treatment is required as soon as possible.

For further assistance on this topic, you can CONTACT ME (all conversations are kept CONFIDENTIAL) -

Dr.Hemant Mittal
(Neuro-Psychiatrist, Mental Health and Sexual Health Healer,
Motivational Writer/Speaker and Counselor)

by-
email - eksoch@gmail.com
website - http://mindmantra.in/services.html

or visit my wellness clinic @-
address- 15, shreeji plaza, next to ice n spice restaurant, opposite seawoods station, seawoods (east)
Navi Mumbai

The Drive and The lesson of Life

Me and a friend of mine were recently driving down the "traffic" filled lanes of Mumbai... Another gentleman who was known to my friend was giving us company... Few minutes into the drive, this gentleman said -

"Look at that BMW 5 series.. I am sure the guy who owns it, must be so happy!!!
God knows when will I reach that stage".

There was no response from me or my friend.. so he kept quiet for 5min... 5 min. later he said -

"I went to Hyaat for dinner on Saturday... I normally go there on weekends... The food is damn expensive.. and not so great.. but come on!! you get to be among fashionable people like stars and businessmen all wearing Gucci, Armani, Valentino, Jimmy Choo, carrying iphone 5's and Samsung S4's... Its a visual Treat.. Its worth it"

again I smiled at my friend.. who was driving.. and we chose to give no response..
so he kept quiet for another 5 min... 5 minutes later, he took his cell-phone out and while flashing it... he said -

" Last week I bought this iphone 5... It ain't even half the phone Samsung S4 is.. Come on for 45 thousand, I am just paying for the Apple logo.. samsung is much better..
I think I should have waited.. maybe next week will sell this off and buy myself the S4"

This time again I winked to my friend.. and told him to be quiet...
This gentleman was now getting irritated.. He desperately wanted a conversation were we would "gossip" and "spread negativity" against people who he found higher or lower in his social strata.

5 minutes later, his irritation started to show off.. He told my friend -
"Your car seems to need repairs... The A/C ain't so powerful.. Why don't you buy a new one.. you have had this one for last 5years.. I change my cars every 2 years...
specially with indian servicing centers being so un-reliable".

I looked at my friend and asked him to respond very quietly... i knew this gentleman was now very restless.. and we he was going to come for me next.

less than 2 minutes later, he asks me, very sarcastically -
"So doc.. you are a psychiatrist... how is it to treat mad people...?"

I smiled and said -
"I don't treat mad people..."

Visibly restless by my non-indulgence into his "negativity".. he continued -
"Huh!! aren't you a mad-mans doctor.. if you don't treat mad people.. than what!!!"

I smiled and said -
"I treat normal people who have an illness they can feel but not show"

He interrupted -
"so you treat depression.. and bipolar... and OCD.. and schizophrenia.. aren't these madness?"

I said -
"No.."

He said -
"Explain to me how? Don't you give them medications like Prozac.. Alprax... Zoloft.. aren't these pills made for people who have lost their mind"

I said -
"right now you are restless.. so if i suggest something like alprax.. would that make you mad?"

He jumped angrily -
"what do you mean!!! what do you mean.. this is insulting.. I am not restless.. I am not mad.. I am perfect.. '

I responded -
"true.. so are all my clients/patients.. just like you...they just need peace of mind.. and I try to help them achieve it...
Just because you have read or listen to some gossip about the medications I prescribe.. you are sending out judgements.. How I prescribe and how they help people that come to me.. is something between me and them... none of your business".

In his anger, he continued-
"I have heard psychiatrists can read mind...so you can read minds!!! tell me whats going in my mind right now!!"

I said -
"you want to prove you are superior to everyone... and we both accept you are superior.. can we enjoy the music and drive now"

he started giving explanation -
"I don't want to be superior to anyone.. I am normal.. I want to live life happy and peacefully"

He kept quiet for another 15minutes... trying to attack me, cause his ego wasn't satisfied -
"So tell me doc.. what is your definition of a perfect woman!! what do you go for looks or brains?"

I knew, he was now going to go to any point to prove that he and his belief system of "cribbing and criticizing" are the best.. I responded -

"neither and both..."

he asked - "Huh?? can you explain.. how come neither and both.. most people choose either one or both.. how come neither?"

I said - "you will never understand..?"

He goes sarcastically - "oh ok.. maybe I aint as intelligent as you.. so can you explain it to me...i promise I will listen and try to understand"

I laughed out loud... such a childish manifestation of ego.. I actually felt pity how he was degrading himself from a "wanabe" to "fighting 5yr old child".

he was now completely dominated by anger -
"why are you laughing...??? Tell me what type of woman you like.. or may be you don't like women you are gay?"

He started becoming too irritable.. I laughed and said - "as you wish... your judgement on who I am is your own.. irrespective of whatever I say"

he said - "then come on change my so-called judgement of you.. make me see your side".

I asked - "why?"

He said - "why not... don't you feel uncomfortable that I am judging you wrong.. I may be calling you names... and I can go in the society and malign your name"

I laughed - Hahahahahaha.. No I ain't bothered by what you think or do... its your karma.. enjoy it .. I am least concerned!!!

Now actually pleading he says - At least tell me what you meant by neither and both.. how can you not be focused on neither the looks or mind of a woman!!!

I said - because I feel everyone is great.. and every moment is great... I learn from everyone.. and by focusing or judging I stop my learning... hence i am selfish about that..

he argued - so what have you learnt from me?

I said - How restlessness destroys peace of mind.

Astonished.. he was like - What!!!!!

since me and my friend wanted to enjoy the drive... I decided to put an end to the disscusion

I said - In last 40min of drive you have expressed this beautiful desire to be among the "social elite".
From dinners to buying cell phones you do everything to behave like them.
And your entire focus is to reach where they are...
sadly you have made happiness a destination... hence you will never be satisfied till you get your BMW 5 series.. you can dine in Hyaat without worrying about the money.. you can just walk into a shop and buy the most expensive phone..
but till that time comes you will be spending each day wondering about it... and the day every girl that you eye, should come and throw herself in your arms..
and till you don't achieve that.. you will try and play "mind-games" to achieve that state... but will find more frustrations when people like US who don't care about this won't bulge to yourself.

If you enjoyed your journey to happiness.. every moment would be beautiful...

so you just refreshed an old lesson my guru's used to teach me - peace only comes when you stop caring on how others judge you... so I thank you for that!!

The next 15min, before we reached our destination, he just kept quiet!!!
I was sure his resentment and anger against me were few fold increased... sadly he couldn't walk away from the place...


Moral -
A child as he grows desires a cycle...
a few years after having a cycle, he desires a motorcycle..
a few years after having a motorcycle he desires a car...
...See more

The Power of Being Alone

"I used to eat alone?"
"I go to the mall, watch a movie, sit in coffee shops all alone!!!"
"Do you know how difficult it is to live alone?"
"When everyone is partying out and being happy, I'm sitting alone?"
"Why cann't I be accepted by people? Why am I different? why am I always lonely?"

These are some of the most come common expressions of sadness which people tell me during counseling sessions.

Loneliness is very powerful.
Medically speaking it has a very powerful effect on your entire system.
it has been proven that Loneliness makes you sick - its known to
1. cause blood pressure changes,
2. heart problems,
3. decrease your immunity making you fall ill more frequently
4. clinical depression with increased suicidal ideas. Infact, in the USA more people are dying of loneliness induced suicide than car accidents.
5. decreased sexual performance.
6. Sleep problems
7. Its proven that loneliness causes people to take longer baths/showers and over think more
8. Decreased attention span leading to accidents.

The power of loneliness cannot be denied..

Once I asked my Guru is Loneliness all NEGATIVE, is it all about destroying the human psyche???

He laughed.!!!

He looked towards him innocently and totally lost.

He said - Haven't you heard that swami's spend years alone in the himalayas... But they seem jolly happy.

I thought for a moment and said - is it Because they have renounced everything, and taken up the life of a fakir... They are detached from everything.. so they can enjoy solitude.

He again laughed!!!

He said - I feel they are the most selfish of all people... They don't give any blessing without dakshina... Hardcore businessmen ..

He said - Ok.. lets simplify this for you... A small 2yr old child spends hours playing with his/her toys... He/She doesn't feel lonely... He/she doesn't get psychologically disturbed... why?

I thought again - The child is extremely selfish... He just cares about his own happiness...

He smiled, and said - Aha!! I can see a flash of light... I am surprised... where did the sun rise from this morning :P

We both laughed at his loving sarcasm.. It was harmless fun!!!

I replied in fun - So Oh great source of light... I bow to you... kindly show me the way... and help me graduate from a mal-functioning torch that gives flashes of light to at least a well functioning Zero Watt bulb :P

He laughed and very nicely explained to me -
We have forgotten to be happy.. And learnt to be sad...
We look for ways to become sad.. not for ways to become happy!!!

I looked at him, perplexed at his complex words...

He continued - My young friend... your happiness always depended on you...
since you were a child, your happiness was always in your hands... A small child who is left alone, finds happiness in discovering every moment..
Even clapping his hands gives him amazing pleasure.
Opening and closing is eyes in different patterns is a beautiful discovery.

as you said - the child is selfish.. he/she does everything for own pleasure.

as you grow and you learn new things... you learn that happiness only comes from "ego-satisfaction"... And ego is satisfied only by becoming a "goal achiever".

a new mobile fone will make me happy...
a new bike will make me happy...
partying with my friends will make me happy..
topping the exam will make me happy..
a beautiful girlfriend/wife will make me happy..

you just become a "goal achiever".
every goal achieved gives you a few moments of pleasure.

loneliness is something that strikes everyone... sooner or later it comes... and when it strikes you are lost.!!
Suddenly why does "goal achieving" becomes tougher..
Because your mind plays games with you.. it creates beautiful images of how others are enjoying life.. And how you should also enjoy it..

hence you forget your own selfish need of being happy.. and rely on others happiness to create your happiness "goals".

That innocent child that still lives inside of you is silenced and prevented from expressing himself.

You run for others approval..
you want them to make you happy...
you are angry they are enjoying and don't care about you..
you blame yourself for not being to their mark...
you constantly compare yourself with others..
you underestimate your capacity of being happy..
you create boundaries and rules that prevents you from meeting them.

in short, its a sort of obsessive complusive symptom where you get obsessed about being alone and complusive sadness that comes along with it.

thats what swami's realize... They realize that by being alone there is so much happiness they can get.
They look for that happiness internally.
they don't need others to approve them.
they don't need to get angry on others to acheive it.
They don't need to underestimate there capacity of being happy.
They are not bound by rules..
They become a child once again.

Loneliness is devastating my friend.. Because a patient believes that being alone is a "taboo".. its "wrong".. Its against "social rule".
But if one understands the power of being alone.. the power of cleaning the inner self... then he/she will become the most powerful individual on the planet.. where all happiness will be achieved.

For further assistance on this topic, you can CONTACT ME (all conversations are kept CONFIDENTIAL) -

Dr.Hemant Mittal
(Neuro-Psychiatrist, Mental Health and Sexual Health Healer,
Motivational Writer/Speaker and Counselor)

by-
email - eksoch@gmail.com
website - http://mindmantra.in/services.html

or visit my wellness clinic @-
address- 15, shreeji plaza, next to ice n spice restaurant, opposite seawoods station, seawoods (east)
Navi Mumbai