trauma dump

Hello, Those of You Who Kindly Take the Time To Read My Posts! I want to bring forward an interesting topic: Trauma and OCD.

As a therapist myself, I know how important it is to use evidence-based research to support ideas. In this post, I’ll take you down the formal evidence-based route – a route that’s guided by clinical trials, data, and those with PhDs. We’ll also check-out the more informal evidence-based route – a route that’s evidently based on my own personal experiences of personal trauma and OCD.

I found an article that discusses stressful life events at the onset of OCD symptoms. According to* Dykshoorn (2014), there is a distinct number of cases where a person will present with both trauma-induced stress and OCD. Since the treatment approach for trauma and OCD are similar in nature, the author argues for mental health professionals to take a more comprehensive look at a person’s traumatic history in relation to the onset of OCD symptoms.

*Wow, I feel like I’m back in grad school already.

OCD specialists typically subscribe to the idea that there is a link between cognition and psychopathology. Upon further reading of the article by Dykshoorn (2014), the author cites a critical OCD theory developed by Rachman in 1997 (perfect timing as I was born in 1998). Rachman argues that we are more likely to see obsessions occur when someone is exposed to stressful situations. Consequently, the external cues often trigger obsessional thoughts. And furthermore, compulsions are a result of the person taking responsibility for the unwanted events to occur (Dykshoorn, 2014).

So, now that we got the clinical talk out of the way, I want us to consider what qualifies as a “traumatic event.” We all know that in order to fit a diagnosis, you must meet certain criteria. Blah blah blah. Pathologizing people is a blessing and a curse.

Who am I to decide what is traumatic for someone and what’s not? I think this is an especially important concept in understanding stress, trauma, and OCD. Which leads us down the path of my own experiences.

I was genetically predisposed to OCD. I personally believe that environmental factors contributed to the onset of my OCD experiences. I can name a few instances that I believe increased the severity of OCD symptoms in myself. If you read my previous posts, you’ll be able to name a few too! Funny how personal blogs work, huh?

Some of the events I experienced fit under society’s definition of “traumatic.” However, the most stressful events, for me, are the situations that would likely be dismissed and not labeled as “traumatic” to most people. Well, I can surely tell you that those “non traumatic” events had such a great impact on my mental health that, over 10 years later, I’m still experiencing severe OCD symptoms related to those experiences. Obviously, these events were and continue to be traumatic for me.

So, I guess what I’m getting at is… Research shows a strong relationship between stress, trauma, and OCD. And that relationship is worth clinical consideration when treating OCD. And part of being a decent human being is recognizing and accepting that things affect people in such unique ways, which will lead to unique reactions. Please understand that people with OCD experience stress differently from those without OCD. My thoughts, actions, and reactions to stress and trauma are not silly. My body and mind are just responding to all this fear I have, and my response may not look like yours. That’s okay. Let’s continue to preach neurodiversity.

And as always, have a happy 9-5.

Dykshoorn K. L. (2014). Trauma-related obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review. Health psychology and behavioral medicine, 2(1), 517–528. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2014.905207