02/09/2018
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. People with OCD experience obsessive thoughts, compulsions, or both. Obsessions are recurrent thoughts, ideas, feelings, or sensations that play over and over again in a person’s mind. Compulsions are actions or behaviors that a person feels compelled to do, in some cases, to relieve an obsession. Most people with OCD experience symptoms before the age of 30. OCD is treated with medication, therapy, or a combination of treatments.
Most adults with this disorder recognize that their behavior is irrational, but there is broad variation in insight as to how unreasonable or inappropriate certain behavior is. Children with OCD are usually unaware of their behavior being inappropriate.
OCD may be associated with other anxiety, depressive or eating disorders. Many people with OCD also suffer from nervous tics.
What causes OCD?
The exact reason OCD occurs is not known, although it often begins during episodes of increased stress. It is also thought that some people may be genetically predisposed to the condition. although this has not been proved. Some experts believe that OCD is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain; it has been proposed that serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain, may be involved. Serotonin is also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT).
OCD typically develops in children, teenagers, and young adults. Most people with OCD experience symptoms by the time they are 30 years old. It affects males and females in equal numbers.
Symptoms
Symptoms of obessive compulsive disorder (OCD) vary from person to person. Your symptoms may come and go, get better with time, or become worse. Symptoms are time consuming and may last from an hour or more each day. Severe symptoms may interfere with your ability to develop social relationships, work, attend school, and perform household activities. Some people avoid activities or situations that seem to trigger their symptoms. This can lead to isolation and other problems, including depression.
One of the most common obsessions is worry about contamination, in which the person fears they might be contaminated by germs from ordinary objects or from shaking another person's hand. The compulsive behavior, which develops in order to relieve this anxiety, is hand washing, which may become so excessive that the person's skin becomes raw as a result.
Obsessive symptoms include thoughts, feelings, ideas, and sensations that come into your mind over and over again. Your obsessions may have nothing to do with reality, and although you realize that they are inappropriate, you may have difficulty or be unable to stop them from entering your mind. The recurrent obsessions may cause you anxiety, distress, or feelings of impending doom. Obsessions differ from person to person. Common examples include fears of getting hurt, germs, or harming someone.
Compulsions are repeated activities or rituals performed in an attempt to control or make the obsessions go away. Compulsions can include behaviors, such as repeated hand washing, touching items, putting things in order, or perfectly arranging items. It may include repeated checking, including checking to make sure a coffee pot is off, that the stove is off, or turning a light switch on and off. Compulsions can include repetitive thought processing, such as praying, counting, or repeating phrases. Compulsions can also include hoarding activities, including saving excessive amounts of paper scraps, rubber bands, tinfoil, clothes, or other items to such a degree that they disrupt a household.
TREATMENT
There is no cure for OCD but there are treatments that provide symptom relief and allow people to live active and full lives. Treatment for OCD may include cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, or both. The goal of cognitive-behavior therapy is to help you learn how to decrease and stop your obsessive compulsive thoughts and behaviors. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are medications that have proven to be very useful in treating OCD. There are several different types of SSRIs, and you may need to try a few different medications before you find the one that works the best for you.
