People with OCD have 82% higher chances of dying, according to new study

People who have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) may be at a higher risk of dying, as per a new study in Sweden.

So, what's OCD? It's a problem that affects up to 3% of Americans. Affected people have thoughts that come back time and time again (obsessions). To deal with these thoughts, they do the same actions again and again, like washing hands or arranging things in a particular way (compulsions).

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Findings from the Swedish study on OCD and mortality

Obsessive compulsive disorder (Image via Unsplash/Annie spratt)

According to the study, it seems that people with OCD could face a higher risk of death, not just from natural causes like illness but also from accidents or suicide. We're talking about a study that's the biggest of its kind, looking specifically at how OCD affects life span.

Scientists studied a lot of people from Sweden who had OCD, about 61,378. To compare, they also took another group of people - 613,780 - who didn't have OCD but were similar in age, where they lived and gender. They checked up on both groups for about eight years.

During this time, around 4,787 people with OCD died, while the corresponding number for the the non-OCD group was 30,619. What scientists found was that people with OCD had an 82% higher chance of dying.

That's even after accounting for aspects like their family income, education and whether they were migrants.

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What could cause a higher mortality rate in people with OCD?

High mortality rate (Image via Unsplash/Alev Takil)

Dying from natural causes was about 31% more likely for obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers. Specifically, these were things like:

• Diseases of the breathing system - risk increased by 73%
• Mental or behavior disorders - risk increased by 58%
• Problems of the urinary or genital system - risk increased by 55%
• Disorders linked to how the body uses food, or diseases of glands - risk increased by 47%
• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels - risk increased by 33%
• Diseases of the nerves - risk increased by 21%
• Diseases of the digestive system - risk increased by 20%.

Surprisingly, people with OCD were 10% less likely to die from tumors.

As for unnatural causes, like accidents, a shocking discovery was made. People with OCD had a likelihood of suicide that was nearly five times the norm. Women with OCD had a higher risk of dying from non-natural factors than men with OCD.

By now, you're probably wondering why that happens. The truth is, it's not entirely clear. Doctors believe it may have to do with things like your genes or traumatic events from the past.

Leads to high amount of stress (Image via Unsplash/Nick Fewings)

The study throws light on this little-known aspect of OCD. Researchers say that better measures should be taken to look after affected people and prevent their deaths.

There are some limitations to the study, though, like the fact that it only included those diagnosed with severe OCD in hospitals in Sweden. It's unknown if others, including those from different areas or healthcare systems, might have similar risks.

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OCD isn't just about cute little quirks - it's a serious struggle that impacts lives, as we now know. It's a call for all of us to understand, support and lend a listening ear to those who need it.