What causes OCD and who does it affect?
Approximately 2% of the Australian population will experience OCD in their lifetime. OCD symptoms can present at any age, although symptoms are thought to most likely begin between the ages of 8-12 or between the late teenage years and early adulthood.
Like all mental health diagnoses, OCD does not discriminate. It can happen to anybody, and its causality is not yet fully understood.
There appears to be consensus that genes can play a part in the development of OCD, but environmental factors are also thought to be involved. There is also evidence to suggest high instances of comorbidity between OCD and other mental health diagnoses.
What’s also clear is that OCD is pretty misunderstood as a mental health issue. There is much more exploration required to fully understand its causality and early detection. But it’s not all doom and gloom—there’s a heap of brainiac allies out there who’ve developed treatments and strategies to help OCD sufferers manage their experiences, helping to reduce its impact on us and our loved ones.