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Obsessive Compulsive Behavior & Menopause

Just as stress can make bad habits worse, stress in the form of anxiety and/or depression can also exacerbate obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. Biological factors - such as menopause, which creates hormonal fluctuations may contribute to increased symptoms of OCD.

  1. Significance

    • According to The Menopause Book, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves repetitive actions (compulsions) and/or thoughts (obsessions) that are very hard to resist, even when you know that they are irrational. Increasing levels of estrogen make a woman more vulnerable to OCD, which is why the likelihood of OCD symptoms increases during pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause.

    Identification

    • If you are having obsessive thoughts or compulsive actions that you feel like you can't control, the cause may be increasing levels of estrogen brought on by menopause. Other mood abnormalities that are often detected along with OCD are anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, and some kind of social phobia (e.g. flying, riding an escalator or elevator, driving a car, etc.).

    Types

    • Obsessive-compulsive disorder may come in different types and it has been suggested that OCD that begins in early life is different from OCD that begins in adulthood. The chemical serotonin appears to be very involved with OCD since it is involved with biological processes such as mood.

    Effects

    • OCD is often referred to as a big two-year-old in that it can't be reasoned with - demanding attention, relentless until it gets it. A woman going through menopause and experiencing this irrationality may find it very difficult to deal with without proper medical treatment - especially since menopausal woman may be experiencing depression as well.

    Solutions

    • Some different treatments for OCD symptoms are pharmacological treatments, behavior therapy (e.g. CBT), and neurosurgical treatment in very extreme cases. Drug treatments may include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Behavior therapy is given by a pyschotherapist who may teach relaxation as well as meditative techniques to lessen symptoms of OCD.

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