How to cope with OCD during the COVID-19 pandemic
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experience persistent or recurring thoughts that are disturbing and cause anxiety. People with OCD may try to cope with these intrusive thoughts through compulsions. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels they must perform.
Some aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic may trigger anxiety and repetitive behaviors for people with OCD, such as frequent hand-washing and repeatedly checking the news.
Keep reading to learn more about OCD and COVID-19, including how the pandemic can exacerbate common OCD fears, how to take sensible precautions, and other coping techniques.
Common OCD fears
OCD can manifest in numerous ways, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, a person may find that some obsessions are more common than others.
The following sections will outline these in more detail.
Contamination
Contamination is one of the most commonTrusted Source fears among people with OCD. This can be difficult for someone to cope with under normal circumstances, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may become even more challenging.
The real possibility of illness may cause people with OCD to take extreme measures to keep themselves and their families safe. This could include repetitive hand-washing, cleaning, or being afraid to leave the home.
Harming others
Worrying about harming others, either by accident or on purpose, is another common feature of OCD.
During a pandemic, people with OCD may worry that they will transmit an illness to another person, or they may go to extremes to try to avoid doing so.
Hoarding
ResearchersTrusted Source consider hoarding a separate disorder that is distinct from OCD. However, many people with OCD also engage in hoarding.
Usually, people with a hoarding disorder collect things that are not useful. However, during a pandemic, they may also hoard items such as medications, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and toilet paper.
OCD triggers during a pandemic
There are several aspectsTrusted Source of the COVID-19 pandemic that might trigger OCD-related fears and behaviors. These triggers include:
- the advice to wash the hands more often
- the emphasis on proper hand-washing techniques
- the need to clean the hands every time a person returns home
- the advice to only leave the home for food and other necessities
These triggers may contribute to the following behaviors:
- widespread panic-shopping, which could trigger hoarding
- frequently reminding family members to wash their hands
- searching for information about how long the virus stays active on certain surfaces
- normalizing frequent washing and bathing
Nationwide lockdowns may also make people with OCD feel more stressed in general, which can make it more difficult to cope with the symptoms.
Sensible precautions to take
People with anxiety often feel pressure to follow rules perfectly. As a result, a person with OCD may find it difficult to tell the difference between taking sensible precautions against COVID-19 and excessive or perfectionistic behavior.
Many therapists suggest that people with OCD set a safety plan for themselves based on official public health guidelines. By following the plan, people with OCD will know if they are taking reasonable steps.
Therapists also encourage people to think consciously about their cleaning and hygiene practices. If a person did not go outside and no one came into their home, they do not need to disinfect anything. Disinfecting commonly used surfaces once per day is a reasonable plan.
People can also try limiting hand-washing to 20 seconds each time and only washing them:
- after going outside
- before eating
- after going to the bathroom
- after coughing, sneezing, or blowing the nose
If it is difficult for a person to tell whether or not their safety plan is reasonable, they may find it helpful to ask someone else.
Also, if a person with OCD adds extra steps to their plan and finds it difficult to stop, they may wish to consider seeking support.
Coping with OCD during a pandemic
Some people with OCD may find that they struggle with intrusive thoughts or checking behaviors that are not related to hygiene.
The following sections outline some other ways to cope with the OCD during a pandemic.
Limit news and social media
To ensure that everyone has access to information, many news outlets are offering free live streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic and publishing news updates frequently.
The amount of updates in the news and on social media means that people with OCD might start to check the news excessively.
The American Psychological Association (APA) advise that people who notice that they are checking the news more than usual set a limit for themselves. Defining a specific limit, such as reading the news only once per day, may help ease anxiety.
The APA also recommend restricting the number of news outlets that people use to search for information. They may wish to stick to a few good sources of information and avoid expanding to other outlets.
