Body awareness obsessive-compulsive disorder is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in which a person experiences a distressing preoccupation with their bodily processes or physical sensations.
Mental health professionals may also refer to this condition as sensorimotor OCD or somatic OCD. Symptoms may involve obsessions with body movements such as blinking or swallowing.
According to the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), body awareness OCD is a subtype of OCD in which a person experiences a distressing preoccupation with their own bodily processes or physical sensations. Medical professionals refer to these preoccupations as sensorimotor obsessions.
People with body awareness OCD may experience sensorimotor obsessions such as:
- obsessive blinking
- obsessive swallowing
- conscious breathing
People with body awareness OCD typically fear that they will never be able to stop consciously attending to their bodily processes and physical sensations.
They may also start to obsess about the obsession itself. This can lead to significant emotional distress and impairments in daily living and quality of life.
What is OCD?
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) describes OCD as a mental health condition consisting of a cycle of obsessions and compulsions:
Obsessions are intrusive, recurrent, and persistent unwanted thoughts and urges.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person performs in response to an obsession. For people with OCD, performing these behaviors or mental acts temporarily relieves anxiety, whereas not performing them causes significant emotional distress.
Many people experience obsessions and compulsions. However, for a person with OCD, these obsessions and compulsions have one or more of the following characteristics:
- They are very time consuming, often taking up more than
1 hour of the day. - They are a source of significant emotional distress.
- They significantly interfere with the person’s daily activities.
Learn more about OCD.
According to the IOCDF, people with body awareness OCD typically experience sensorimotor obsessions focusing on one or more of the following:
- breathing rate or capacity
- heart rate or rhythm, particularly at night while trying to fall asleep
- saliva production, swallowing frequency, or the need to swallow
- mouth or tongue movement during speech
- blinking rate or the need to blink
- visual distractions, such as floaters in the visual field or an increased awareness of subtle eye movements
- eye contact, such as an awareness of which eye to look at when looking into the eyes of another person
- awareness of specific body parts, such as the sides of the nose while reading or the hands or feet
Repetitive thoughts and habitual behaviors are not always a sign of OCD. Factors that
- being unable to control the obsessions or compulsions despite knowing that they are obsessive
- spending more than 1 hour per day on obsessions or compulsions
- performing compulsions as a way to temporarily relieve anxiety
- experiencing significant interference in daily life as a result of the obsessions and compulsions
A person who suspects that they may have OCD should contact a doctor for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. A doctor may sometimes provide a referral to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, who specializes in OCD diagnoses and treatments.
Researchers
Genetics
While scientists have not yet identified a specific gene or set of genes responsible for OCD development, having a parent or sibling with OCD appears to increase a person’s risk of developing the condition. This association suggests a possible genetic link.
Biology
Brain imaging studies have shown that people with OCD often have differences in parts of the brain that are involved in emotional responses and behavioral control.
Childhood streptococcal infection
Some children experience sudden or worsening OCD symptoms or tics after a streptococcal infection. The medical term for this is “pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections” (PANDAS).
PANDAS occurs when antibodies that the body produces to help fight the infection mistakenly attack specific parts of the brain.
Childhood trauma
Some studies have reported a possible association between childhood trauma and OCD, though further research is necessary to understand the connection.
Temperament
Some research suggests an association between certain temperament traits in childhood and an increased likelihood of OCD later in life. Examples of these traits include:
- reserved behaviors
- negative emotions
- symptoms of anxiety and depression
Below are some potential treatment options for body awareness OCD.
ERP therapy
According to the APA, the first-line treatment for OCD is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) called exposure and response prevention (ERP). This method involves gradually exposing a person to scenarios that trigger their obsessions and anxiety and offering them tools and techniques they can use to resist their usual compulsions.
The therapist gradually increases the intensity of the ERP until the person can face their most feared scenario without performing any compulsive behaviors. Over time, the person learns that their obsessions are simply thoughts and that not performing the compulsive behavior has no negative effects.
Ultimately, the person learns that they can cope with their thoughts without relying on compulsive behaviors. This leads to a reduction in anxiety.
Body scans and mindfulness
The IOCDF notes that meditative practices such as body scans and mindfulness may be helpful in treating body awareness OCD. These techniques involve deliberately shifting attention to different bodily processes or sensations for prescribed periods. The person should observe the sensations with curiosity and interest and accept them without criticism or judgment.
These practices help a person learn to freely shift their attention without getting “stuck” on one bodily process or sensation. The person also learns to become more tolerant of their own sensory awareness, which reduces their anxiety.
Medication
In some cases, doctors may prescribe a type of antidepressant medication called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to help treat OCD. These medications target serotonin, a brain chemical that may play a role in OCD.
Examples of SSRIs that doctors may prescribe to treat OCD include:
People may begin to notice improvement in their OCD symptoms
According to the IOCDF, around 7 in 10 people with OCD will benefit from either ERP or medication.
However, OCD is a chronic condition, and the intensity of symptoms may fluctuate over time. During periods when symptoms are more intense, OCD can significantly affect a person’s daily functioning and quality of life.
While many people with OCD benefit from treatment with CBT and SSRIs,
However, without treatment, OCD can cause structural brain changes that make the condition more difficult to treat. Early treatment is vital to getting the best possible clinical outcome.
People who need support for OCD may consider contacting the following organizations:
- The International OCD Foundation provides educational resources and a directory where people can find local support groups, treatment groups, and therapists who specialize in diagnosing and treating OCD.
- People can call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-6264 for more information about OCD and its treatment and for help finding resources and support.
- The Anxiety and Depression Association of America provides a range of educational blogs, videos, and webinars on OCD and presents personal stories from people living with the condition. The organization also offers an online directory where people can find a local therapist who specializes in treating OCD.
Body awareness obsessive-compulsive disorder is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in which a person experiences a distressing preoccupation with their bodily processes or physical sensations.
In body awareness OCD, sensorimotor obsessions cause anxiety. In response to this anxiety, a person feels the need to perform compulsions (ritualistic behaviors), which temporarily relieve the anxiety.
The standard treatment for body awareness OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. Doctors may also prescribe SSRIs. Most people with OCD benefit from one or both of these treatment options, though few experience complete remission. Nonetheless, early treatment is essential to ensuring the best possible clinical outcome.