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Return to: Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
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#Post#: 70--------------------------------------------------
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
By: BMHC Date: December 30, 2013, 8:35 pm
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Information is provided by The National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH) is part of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
URL of this page:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.s…
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.s…
[quote]What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
Everyone double checks things sometimes. For example, you might
double check to make sure the stove or iron is turned off before
leaving the house. But people with obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD) feel the need to check things repeatedly, or have certain
thoughts or perform routines and rituals over and over. The
thoughts and rituals associated with OCD cause distress and get
in the way of daily life.
The frequent upsetting thoughts are called obsessions. To try to
control them, a person will feel an overwhelming urge to repeat
certain rituals or behaviors called compulsions. People with OCD
can't control these obsessions and compulsions. Most of the
time, the rituals end up controlling them.
For example, if people are obsessed with germs or dirt, they may
develop a compulsion to wash their hands over and over again. If
they develop an obsession with intruders, they may lock and
relock their doors many times before going to bed. Being afraid
of social embarrassment may prompt people with OCD to comb their
hair compulsively in front of a mirror-sometimes they get
�caught� in the mirror and can�t move away from it. Performing
such rituals is not pleasurable. At best, it produces temporary
relief from the anxiety created by obsessive thoughts.
Other common rituals are a need to repeatedly check things,
touch things (especially in a particular sequence), or count
things. Some common obsessions include having frequent thoughts
of violence and harming loved ones, persistently thinking about
performing sexual acts the person dislikes, or having thoughts
that are prohibited by religious beliefs. People with OCD may
also be preoccupied with order and symmetry, have difficulty
throwing things out (so they accumulate), or hoard unneeded
items.
Healthy people also have rituals, such as checking to see if the
stove is off several times before leaving the house. The
difference is that people with OCD perform their rituals even
though doing so interferes with daily life and they find the
repetition distressing. Although most adults with OCD recognize
that what they are doing is senseless, some adults and most
children may not realize that their behavior is out of the
ordinary.
Causes
OCD sometimes runs in families, but no one knows for sure why
some people have it while others don't. Researchers have found
that several parts of the brain are involved in fear and
anxiety. By learning more about fear and anxiety in the brain,
scientists may be able to create better treatments. Researchers
are also looking for ways in which stress and environmental
factors may play a role.
Signs & Symptoms
People with OCD generally:
�
such as fear of germs, dirt, or intruders; acts of violence;
hurting loved ones; sexual acts; conflicts with religious
beliefs; or being overly tidy
�
locking and unlocking doors, counting, keeping unneeded items,
or repeating the same steps again and again
�
�
but get brief relief from the anxiety the thoughts cause
�
cause distress and get in the way of daily life.
Who Is At Risk?
For many people, OCD starts during childhood or the teen years.
Most people are diagnosed by about age 19. Symptoms of OCD may
come and go and be better or worse at different times.
OCD affects about 2.2 million American adults. It strikes men
and women in roughly equal numbers and usually appears in
childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. One-third of adults
with OCD develop symptoms as children, and research indicates
that OCD might run in families.
Diagnosis
The course of the disease is quite varied. Symptoms may come and
go, ease over time, or get worse. If OCD becomes severe, it can
keep a person from working or carrying out normal
responsibilities at home. People with OCD may try to help
themselves by avoiding situations that trigger their obsessions,
or they may use alcohol or drugs to calm themselves.
OCD can be accompanied by eating disorders, other anxiety
disorders, or depression.
First, talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor
should do an exam to make sure that another physical problem
isn't causing the symptoms. The doctor may refer you to a mental
health specialist.
Treatments
OCD is generally treated with psychotherapy, medication, or
both.[/quote]
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