Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disturbance that is distinguished by pervasive, compulsive thoughts and activities. The thoughts are designed to reduce anxiety by combining obsessions and compulsions and then repeating behaviors that produce agitation, worry, fear or alarm.
OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is very treatable.
OCD is the fourth most common mental disorder. It is as common as often as diabetes and asthma. Most adults that were diagnosed with OCD as a child will often recall childhood OCD experiences of some kind.
Signs and symptoms
Sings and symptoms may include continual hand washing, fixation with sexual or aggressive tendencies, disliking certain numbers, nervous habits or extensive hoarding. Severe emotional and financial consequences can result from OCD because these symptoms can become overwhelming in some cases.
People with OCD may appear overly suspicious, or perceive them as threatening or psychotic. Sufferers of OCD recognize their thoughts and actions as irrational and may become distressed.
An OCD person will perform repetitive tasks to relieve their related anxiety. Sometimes they believe that their life will not continue as normal unless they preform these obsessive activities. They may have the thought or image of someone close to them dying. They may also obsess someone or some thing or disease will kill them or someone they care about.
Sexual obsessions for people with OCD include kissing, touching, oral sex, intercourse, incest, or rape. This might be with someone they have met or even a family member, including the family pet. They understand that their belief does not correspond with the outside world but they feel that they must act in case their beliefs are correct.
Some OCD cases feel they have to do their compulsive habits even though they cannot explain why. Others might feel that these actions will help avoid a dreaded event from happening, and their actions alleviate the anxiety that triggers certain obsessions.
OCD signs include excessive nail biting, hair plucking, and skin picking. These actions are designed to fend off feelings of panic and dread. They feel bound to comply with irrational thoughts and behavior even though they may be aware they are acting irrationally.
People with OCD rely on their compulsions as an escape from their enslaving thoughts. They are usually aware that the relief is temporary. Sometimes they use their compulsions to prevent triggering their obsessions. The anxiety and fear that typically accompany OCD makes it hard for a person to fulfill their work, social, or family roles. Individuals with OCD will sometimes use rationalization to try and explain away their behavior.
OCD Treatment
One type of OCD therapy is called exposure and habit prevention. It involves slowly learning to tolerate the anxiety associated with not performing the habitual, obsessive, compulsive behavior. The person gradually adjusts to the anxiety producing situation and discovers that their anxiety level has decreased considerably. The exposure habit prevention is considered one of the most effective treatments.
Medications
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are medications that prevent excess serotonin from being pumped back into the original neuron that released it. Instead it then binds to the receptor sites of nearby neurons and send chemical messages that can help regulate the anxiety and obsessive thoughts.