How COMMON IS OCD?

AN INTERVIEW WITH: DR. SARAH SCHALL, PSYD

Interview

HOW COMMON IS IT FOR A CLIENT TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH OCD?

So what we know is that the prevalence rate for OCD is 1 to 2% in the population. So it may not seem like a lot, but it kind of is, if you think about it. Some of the more taboo obsessions people are more willing to talk about. So like before, if I have, you know, contamination OCD, maybe I’m more likely to be flagged. Maybe my family sees me like washing my hands 50 times a day. It’s more, for lack of a better term, socially acceptable. Right? There’s more understanding of like, you’re scared of germs, you do these compulsions, it’s getting in the way of your life, like go get treatment.

HAVE ODC THERAPEUTIC VIEWS EVOLVED?

The whole other huge section of taboo OCD themes was not talked about. Harm OCD, whether it be harm, intrusive thoughts of harming self or others. Sexually intrusive thoughts, whether that be related to incest, pedophilia, animals. Things like that, people weren’t willing to discuss. It may look like, oh, we’re diagnosing more people, but I more think it is based off of the willingness and the education both from like just general society, but also mental health clinicians to identify like, no, this is, this is OCD.