Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a type of mental illness accompanied by long-term or chronic anxiety. This condition affects people by developing obsessions or compulsions, which can be exhausting. These obsessions turn into fears, urges, and thoughts which can feed the anxiety more and more. It also leads to compulsive behavior like repeated actions, rituals, or routines, which only help temporarily. Let us look deeper into this illness and understand how to manage it better.

Causes
There is still no evidence to suggest what causes obsessive-compulsive disorders. However, certain triggering factors or events may put the person at a higher risk of developing the disease or having episodes.

Some of these factors include big changes like living situations like moving cities or countries for reasons like marriage, divorce, or starting a new school or job. There could be emotional factors involved, like the death of a loved one or other emotional triggers and trauma that may affect the individual deeply; this can also include a history of abuse. An emotional factor can also include being stressed about an important relationship. An illness like the flu may be a trigger because it involves constantly sanitizing, which can turn into a compulsive habit. Problems at work or school, overthinking, and low serotonin levels potentially raise the risk of developing an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Symptoms
The signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder involve being trapped in a series of obsessive or compulsive behaviors and patterns. Here are some prominent signs to look out for:

Obsessive and intrusive thoughts about fear of germs or dirt, fear of causing harm or making mistakes and embarrassment in public, overwhelming feelings of doubt and disgust, a constant need for reassurance, need for perfection leading to constantly cleaning or keeping things in order or symmetry. One may even feel intrusive sexual thoughts. To get rid of these obsessive feelings, individuals develop compulsive behaviors that may temporarily help them evade being overwhelmed, such as

• Bathing, washing, or cleaning hands frequently
• Hoarding things that may have no function or value
• Eating food in a specific order
• Not shaking hands with people
• Refusing to touch objects others constantly use, like doorknobs
• Performing a task in specific numbers only, like flipping a light switch
• Constantly checking things like the stove or the lock on the house
• Repeating certain words or prayers while doing other tasks
• Checking to see if no harm is caused to anyone else by you

Management and therapies
If this mental illness affects daily life, getting in touch with a health professional is crucial. One should seek some management of symptoms and treatment if needed. There are several ways to manage this condition, and some of them include

Cognitive behavioral therapy
This type of psychotherapy involves understanding an individual’s thoughts and emotions. This option helps in recognizing the patterns and, over time, realizing how to break the negative thoughts and patterns that can break the cycle of an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Such a process involves a lot of work and many therapy sessions to notice visible results, but it is highly recommended by professionals.
Exposure and response prevention
This is a type of therapy in which you are asked to perform tasks that may cause you anxiety, like touching a doorknob. However, one is encouraged not to wash hands after it compulsively.
Electroconvulsive therapy
This treatment is used when the above-mentioned therapies do not progress. This type of therapy utilizes electrodes that are attached to the head. These wires then send out minor shocks causing small seizures that lead to the release of helpful chemicals in the brain.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
This therapy uses a magnetic device placed on the head, which delivers electrical impulses to the brain, which then help release chemicals known to improve mood in individuals.

Nutrition
Studies have been conducted to understand the relationship between food and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, more research needs to be conducted to reach conclusive results. A recent study of herbal and nutritional supplements for treatment suggests that vitamin B12 and folate could effectively treat the disease due to their effects on neurotransmitters in the brain. Foods high in B12 include fish like tuna, sardines, and salmon. Meat like beef, lamb liver, and kidneys.

Foods high in vitamin D are also encouraged to eat, like eggs, cheese, mushrooms, soy, and oat milk. Zinc and selenium are other minerals that can be helpful in the therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder, so including foods like oysters, crab, pork, beans, and lobster can help. Antioxidants are always a good idea so add veggies like kale, red cabbage, and artichokes. Fruits like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are also rich in antioxidants.