At 40, Amanda Seyfried no longer wants to hide. While she is the poster for the film The cleaning lady, the actress chose to talk about her mental health.
A disorder that requires daily treatment
Diagnosed at 19, she describes a “really extreme” disorder which required significant medical treatment. She particularly remembers the time of filming the series
Big Love. Her mother had to move in with her for a month to support her.
After having brain scans, she began drug treatment. Treatment that she still follows today, every evening. For the actress, it is time to change the way we look at these pathologies. She said mental illness should be taken as seriously as any other physical condition.
What is OCD, this little-known neuropsychiatric pathology?
The disorder from which Amanda Seyfried suffers is not a simple mania for tidying up or a coquetry of character.
OCD is a “true neuropsychiatric pathology classified among anxiety disorders and whose clinical criteria are redefined by DSM 5 – fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association” defines Dr. Jérôme Palazzolo, psychiatrist, in a previous article for True Medical.
According to this specialist, this pathology manifests itself by the irruption of intrusive, recurring and deeply distressing thoughts in the person concerned. To try to calm this consuming anxiety, the patient performs compulsive and repeated gestures or mental acts.
The doctor also highlights a paradox. “The subject may adopt rituals to calm his obsessions, but it does not work. On the contrary, it accentuates the disorder.”
Invisible symptoms but a deeply disrupted daily life
Amanda Seyfried says she opted for radical life choices, in particular to prevent her disorder from being triggered by external factors. She explains that she consciously avoided the world of nightclubs, the consumption of alcohol or drugs, and staying out too late.
Dr. Palazzolo points out that there aren’t really any characteristic symptoms like there might be in a somatic illness. “These actions are associated with a feeling of real distress and a major loss of time which alters daily and social life. he assures.
Biological and environmental origins: why does OCD occur?
The onset of the pathology is often early. In fact, around 65% of cases of OCD begin before the age of 25, as was the case for the actress. The causes are generally multiple and combine biological, psychological and environmental factors.
“Neurobiologically, we often observe a drop in serotonin in certain areas of the brain. But also a dysfunction of the system connecting the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system” reports the psychiatrist.
Genetic factors are also strongly suspected, because anxiety disorders are frequently found in patients’ parents.
Finally, the environment plays a triggering role. Stress and anxiety, linked for example to a health or family crisis, can accentuate the symptoms of the affected person.
Treatments and evolution: how to live with OCD?
The progression of OCD can be severe in the absence of appropriate treatment, with the patient being able to spend several hours a day carrying out their rituals.
In addition to medication, psychological therapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy, often proves effective in reducing the impact of obsessions.
The disorder is also particularly debilitating. Moreover, it can sometimes require hospitalization in the most extreme forms. However, many patients, like Amanda Seyfried, manage to lead a brilliant career and a normal social life thanks to regular medical follow-up.
The key lies in early recognition of the disorder and an end to the feeling of shame that still too often surrounds this pathology.