Lifestyle habits and use of somatic healthcare services among individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder – A qualitative study

Objectives: Despite the well-established association between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and several health problems, many of which are amenable to change, little is known about how OCD affects engaging in and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits and how OCD affects the experience of seeking and receiving healthcare for somatic problems. Methods: Sixteen individuals with OCD and cardiometabolic risk factors who had previously participated in a lifestyle intervention completed a 7-question semi-structured interview about the impact of OCD in their lifestyle habits and their experiences within somatic healthcare services. The interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results: The analysis generated three main themes and one overarching theme. The main themes were: (1) Living with multiple barriers to engage in healthy behaviours; (2) Changes in lifestyle habits – challenging but possible; and (3) Seeking somatic healthcare with OCD. The overarching theme was: (4) It is not just OCD. In sum, the themes reflected that individuals with OCD experience both disorder-specific and general barriers when trying to implement healthy lifestyle behaviours. Changing habits was regarded as difficult, but facilitators of change were also identified. Participants reported that OCD affected seeking and receiving healthcare for their somatic problems. OCD was generally viewed as only one of many elements that affected health and lifestyle. Conclusions: Our results indicate the need for tailored support for this at-risk group to change and maintain healthy lifestyles, as well as a need of increasing knowledge of OCD among somatic care practitioners. A more holistic approach to healthcare might help these individuals.