|
Obsession Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder where a person has recurrent and unwanted ideas or impulses (called obsessions) and an urge or compulsion to do something to relieve the discomfort caused by the obsession. The obsessive thoughts range from the idea of losing control, to themes surrounding religion or keeping things or parts of one's body clean all the time. Compulsions are behaviors which help reduce the anxiety surrounding the obsessions. Most people (90%) who have OCD have both obsessions and compulsions. The thoughts and behaviors a person with OCD has are senseless, repetitive, distressing, and sometimes harmful, but they are also difficult to overcome.
OCD is more common than schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or panic disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Yet it is still commonly overlooked by both mental health professionals, mental health advocacy groups, and people who themselves have the problem.
The two main symptoms of OCD are obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are thoughts, impulses or images that come to mind over and over again, and that seem foolish to the person and cause a lot of anxiety or distress. The person tries to stop these thoughts, impulses or images or to make up for them by some other thought or action. The person can tell that the obsessions are products of his or her own mind.
Common ideas include persistent fears that harm may come to self or a loved one, an unreasonable concern with becoming contaminated, or an excessive need to do things correctly or perfectly. Again and again, the individual experiences a disturbing thought, such as, "My hands may be contaminated -- I must wash them" or "I may have left the gas on" or "I am going to injure my child." These thoughts tend to be intrusive, unpleasant, and produce a high degree of anxiety. Sometimes the obsessions are of a violent or a sexual nature, or concern illness.
Compulsions are attempts to reduce anxiety or prevent some feared event or situation by carrying out certain acts over and over and over again.. The most common of these are washing and checking (e.g., making sure the gas is off for the oven). Other compulsive behaviors include counting (often while performing another compulsive action such as hand washing), repeating, hoarding, and endlessly rearranging objects in an effort to keep them in precise alignment with each other. Cognitive problems, such as mentally repeating phrases, listmaking, or checking, are also common. These behaviors generally are intended to ward off harm to the person with OCD or others. Some people with OCD have regimented rituals while others have rituals that are complex and changing. Performing rituals may give the person with OCD some relief from anxiety, but it is only temporary.
Some or all of the time, the person with OCD feels that the obsessions and compulsions are foolish or excessive—yet the person usually cannot avoid them for long without great effort.
The obsessions or compulsions of OCD cause emotional pain, take up a lot of time, or strongly disrupt the person’s normal routine of work, school or social life.
The exact cause of OCD is unknown, but probably involves abnormal activity in specific areas of the brain and is related to poor functioning of the brain chemical called serotonin. In addition, it seems that OCD runs in some families for genetic reasons.
OCD can begin at any age, even as early as age 2. Without treatment, OCD is usually a lifelong illness with periods of time when the symptoms get better and periods when they are worse. With treatment, many people find their obsessions and compulsions can be reduced so that they no longer interfere with functioning or cause severe pain.
Treatment usually consists of cognitive-behavior therapy and/or medicine.
Cognitive-behavior therapy helps people reduce the anxiety associated with obsessions and reduce or eliminate compulsions. Techniques of cognitive-behavior therapy usually include facing the very situations that are most feared (this is called exposure), without resorting to compulsive rituals (this is called response prevention). Other cognitive-behavioral techniques to address specific obsessions or compulsions are sometimes used.
The medicines that have been most helpful in reducing the symptoms of OCD are the SSRI antidepressants. Less often, people are helped by other medicines.
Many people still carry the misperception that they somehow caused themselves to have these compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts. Nothing could be further from the truth. OCD is likely the cause of a number of intertwined and complex factors which include genetics, biology, personality development, and how a person learns to react to the environment around them. What scientists today do know is that it is not a sign of a character flaw or a personal weakness. OCD is a serious mental disorder which is more treatable than ever. It affects a person's ability to function in every day activities, one's work, one's family, and one's social life.
| 
