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Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called “rituals,” however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

Facts about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

Based on the information from DoSomething.com:

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental anxiety disorder which produces repeated thoughts or images about many different things, such as fear of germs, dirt, or intruders; acts of violence; hurting loved ones; sexual acts; or being overly tidy.
  • Daniel Radcliffe, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Megan Fox and Justin Timberlake are all celebrities who have lived with OCD.
  • On average, people are diagnosed with OCD when they are 19-years-old.
  • In the U.S. 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children face OCD.
  • According to the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders, like OCD, are more prevalent in developed countries than in developing countries.
  • OCD symptoms are divided between obsessions: recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or impulses, and compulsions: repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession.
  • The difference between OCD in adults and in children is that children may not be able to realize the reason for their behavior or thoughts (or that their behaviors or thoughts are unusual).
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and medication are two ways of treating OCD.
  • People with family members who suffer from OCD might be predisposed to the illness. Also, as an anxiety disorder, experts believe that OCD might also be linked to levels of serotonin in the brain and stress or illness may trigger its symptoms.
  • OCD is treatable, and people who suffer from it can live a normal life.
  • OCD may affect men and women equally.

Everyone needs a direction, once in a while.

Symptoms for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

According to Mayo Clinic:

  • Fear of being contaminated by touching objects others have touched
  • Doubts that you’ve locked the door or turned off the stove
  • Intense stress when objects aren’t orderly or facing a certain way
  • Images of hurting yourself or someone else that are unwanted and make you uncomfortable
  • Thoughts about shouting obscenities or acting inappropriately that are unwanted and make you uncomfortable
  • Avoidance of situations that can trigger obsessions, such as shaking hands
  • Distress about unpleasant sexual images repeating in your mind

Psychiatrists & Therapists specializing in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:

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