Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that involves repeated, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) that feel difficult to control. These cycles can create intense anxiety, leading people to perform certain actions or mental routines to try to relieve it—though the relief is usually temporary.
While it’s normal to double-check a locked door or want things organized, OCD goes beyond everyday worries or preferences. The thoughts can become intrusive and distressing, and the behaviors—such as repeated checking, cleaning, counting, or seeking reassurance—can take up significant time or interfere with daily life. Many people with OCD recognize their fears are exaggerated or irrational, but the anxiety feels too strong to ignore.
What Causes OCD?
There isn’t a single cause of OCD. Instead, it arises from a combination of genetic, neurological, and environmental factors, such as:
- Childhood-onset triggers: In some children, sudden onset of OCD or tic disorders may relate to infections or immune processes (e.g., PANDAS-type phenomena).
Understanding these influences helps in tailoring an approach that addresses both symptoms and underlying factors. - Brain circuitry & neurotransmitters: Differences in brain regions (particularly the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical pathway) and neurochemical systems (including serotonin and glutamate) have been linked to OCD.
- Genetics / family history: OCD tends to run in families, suggesting a hereditary component.
- Environmental / developmental factors: Stressful life events, trauma, or early life exposures may increase risk.
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Signs and Symptoms
OCD typically shows up through a mix of obsessions and/or compulsions. Some key ideas:
- Obsessions: intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images or urges that cause anxiety or distress (e.g., fear of contamination, harm coming to self/others, taboo thoughts, need for symmetry).
- Compulsions: repetitive behaviors or mental acts the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession (e.g., repeated hand-washing, checking locks, ordering/arranging, mental rituals).
- The obsessions and compulsions consume significant time (often more than one hour per day), interfere with functioning (work, school, relationships), and the person usually recognizes that they’re excessive or unreasonable (though insight can vary).
- OCD often occurs alongside other mental health conditions (for example, anxiety disorders, depression, tic disorders).
Accepted Insurances that Cover OCD Treatment
How Headlight Clinician’s Treat OCD
At Headlight, we believe in a personalized, evidence-based approach to managing OCD—one that supports your goals, respects your story, and helps restore balance. Our treatment options include:
Treatment options include:
- Medication Management: Mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, or antidepressants (when appropriate) can help regulate mood and reduce the intensity of episodes. Our psychiatric providers collaborate closely with you to find the right balance.
- Therapy: Our therapists use evidence-based approaches—such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and psychoeducation—to help you recognize triggers, manage stress, and develop practical coping strategies.
- Spravato® (esketamine): For clients experiencing treatment-resistant depression associated with OCD disorder, Spravato may be an option. This FDA-approved treatment is administered in-office under medical supervision.
At Headlight, we see you. Your struggles with intrusive thoughts, rituals, or perfectionism aren’t your fault—and they don’t define your future. Together we’ll chart a path toward freedom, focus, and recovery.
