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What is OCD?
1. Definition
2. Prevalence
3. Symptoms
4. Cause
5. Treatment
6. Associated Illnesses
1. Definition of OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an illness that causes unwanted,
recurrent thoughts and/or behaviors that are distressing to the affected
individual. Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or
images that are usually intrusive or inappropriate and tend to cause significant
anxiety. Examples of obsessions include fear of contamination, need for exactness,
preoccupation with religion, or excessive feelings of responsibility.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental rituals. Some examples
of compulsions are handwashing, ordering, checking, praying, counting, repeating
words or phrases to oneself, and following rules rigidly. An individual with OCD
will often perform these compulsive acts with the hope of preventing or diminishing
his obsessions.
2. How common is OCD?
OCD is more common than originally thought. Approximately 2.5% of the
population between the ages of 18 to 54 suffers from this illness. While
OCD is often not diagnosed until the teens or early twenties, OCD typically
begins during adolescence or early childhood with symptoms appearing as
early as the preschool years. OCD affects men and women equally.
3. How do I know if I have OCD?
People who have OCD find themselves becoming
overwhelmed by their obsessions and compulsions. Individuals with OCD may
spend as much as an hour or more on any given ritual, e.g. washing hands or checking
locks. Their time-consuming rituals or obsessions often reach a level of severity that
significantly interferes with their ability to function normally. Hygiene, work, and social
activities may all be adversly affected as the person feels the need to spend more and
more time on their rituals.
Screening tests offer a means of assessing
whether you have a profile similar to that of an individual with OCD. However, a
consultation with a psychiatrist, behavioral therapist, or other mental health
professionals will often provide you with a more definitive diagnosis.
4. What causes OCD?
While OCD was originally believed to be caused by life experiences,
OCD is now considered a neurobiological problem. Research suggests that
brain structure and certain neurotransmitters are involved in OCD. For
instance, people with OCD gain some relief from medications that interact
with the neurotransmitter serotonin. Furthermore, brain imaging studies
reveal a smaller amount of white matter in the brains of OCD patients
compared to those of normal individuals.
5. How is OCD treated?
Treatments for OCD have been developed through research by
the NIMH and other
research institiutions. Several medications have been shown to be effective in treating
OCD. OCD is best treated by medications combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
CBT involves someone deliberately exposing himself to whatever triggers his obsessive
thoughts and developing techniques for dealing with the resulting anxieties. Research of
other treatment strategies is ongoing. A number of other medications are currently being
studied. Other treatments under investigation include deep-brain stimulation and neurosurgery.
6. Can people with OCD have other illnesses?
Individuals who have OCD may also suffer from one or more of the following:
-Compulsive hoarding
-Tourette Syndrome
-Trichotillomania (compulsive hair-pulling)
-Body dysmorphic disorders (exaggerated perception of flaws in one's appearance)
-Focal dystonias (type of muscle cramp)
-Depression
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