OCD can get worse over time if it’s not treated. OCD causes unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repeated behaviors (compulsions). While symptoms can come and go, they often become stronger or more frequent under stress or without help. Early treatment with therapy, medication, or both can prevent symptoms from getting worse.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where you feel obsessions (unwanted, intrusive thoughts or images) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to ease the resulting anxiety).
Why OCD Can Escalate
OCD typically worsens through a process called negative reinforcement. Here is a breakdown of how that happens:
Your Brain's Pattern-Recognition System
OCD doesn't necessarily get worse because it's "spreading" like an infection. Instead, what's considered severe OCD often develops when the underlying anxiety disorder finds new outlets. Your brain becomes increasingly skilled at identifying potential threats and creating rituals to neutralize them.
The Stress Connection
One of the clearest patterns people notice is that their OCD tends to flare up during stressful periods. Stress from work, life, and relationships can often trigger what feels like an OCD spike.
When you're under stress, your brain's threat-detection system goes into overdrive. For someone with OCD, this means more intrusive thoughts.
Life Changes and Transitions
Starting college, getting married, having a baby, losing a loved one, or even moving to a new city can all trigger an escalation in OCD symptoms. These transitions bring uncertainty, and OCD thrives on uncertainty.
Do OCD Thoughts Ever Actually Go Away?
OCD symptoms may never really go away for many people. However, many people experience significant periods where symptoms are minimal or barely noticeable.
These fluctuations are completely normal. OCD tends to wax and wane based on stress levels and life circumstances. But here's what's important: "OCD is going away" doesn't mean you're cured and then relapsing. It's more like OCD moving to the background versus the foreground of your experience.
What Severe OCD Actually Feels Like
Severe OCD feels like being trapped in a mental prison. You might cancel plans, avoid places, or structure your entire day around rituals if you are suffering from OCD.
The first signs of OCD often include:
- Rituals taking more than an hour daily
- Avoiding more places or situations than before
- Struggling to maintain work or school performance
- Relationships become strained due to symptoms
- Physical exhaustion from mental rituals or compulsions
Common Triggers for Worsening Symptoms
Understanding your triggers is half the battle. Here are the most common triggers:
Major Stressors: Work pressure, financial worries, health concerns, or relationship conflicts can trigger OCD symptoms significantly.
Sleep Deprivation: When you're exhausted, your brain's ability to resist compulsions weakens. You're simply more vulnerable when you're running on empty.
Hormone Changes: Hormonal fluctuations during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause can impact OCD severity.
Substance Use: Alcohol or drugs might seem like they are helping, but they eventually make OCD worse over time.
Can OCD Develop and Get Worse as You Age?
While OCD often starts in childhood or young adulthood, it can develop at any age and can become worse as you grow older if left untreated. According to the research, OCD has a high prevalence among older adults.
So, the key factor isn't age itself, but whether you're actively managing the condition or letting it run unchecked.
How to Calm Down an OCD Flare-Up
When you're in the middle of an OCD spike, everything feels urgent and overwhelming. The following are some tips for managing it:
Don't Try to Logic Your Way Out: OCD doesn't respond to rational arguments. If you try to convince yourself that the intrusive thought isn't real, it usually backfires.
Delay the Reaction Time: Instead of fighting the compulsion entirely, try delaying it. Tell yourself you'll check in 5 minutes. Often, the urge will decrease during that time.
Label It: You can simply say "This is OCD" or "I'm having an intrusive thought," and it can create helpful distance between you and the thought.
Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. OCD flare-ups aren't failures. Don’t consider yourself depressed or a failure.
Return to Your Treatment Plan: Contact affordable counseling services and therapists and schedule an appointment to get proper treatment.
Have OCD? Contact the Expert Therapists at Boston Neurobehavioral Associates
OCD can absolutely get worse over time, especially without proper treatment. But with the right medical support, you can get a significant improvement in symptoms.
Basically, the progression of OCD happens in the form of brain patterns that have been reinforced over time. And just as those patterns were learned, they can be unlearned.