Description

We can all get a little obsessive over certain chores, issues or thoughts. But when does it really become a problem? When does that small obsession turn into a mental health disorder? The answer; when it disrupts your daily life. When your thoughts and rituals cause you extreme anxiety, it is time to seek help. 

People diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) have an uncontrollable, daily urge to repeat certain unnecessary behaviors and/or rituals. These rituals can include repeatedly checking things, touching things in a particular sequence and being preoccupied by order and symmetry. If your obsessions are distressing and interfere with your daily life, then it’s time to seek help.

Causes

Although there are hints of a genetic link, scientists are still trying to find out why and how some people are more prone to OCD than others. There are several parts of the brain that deal with fear and anxiety. By studying the brain, scientists hope to determine better courses of treatment. It is also believed that stress and a person’s environment are contributing factors.

Signs & Symptoms

Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder include the following:

• Repetitious thoughts and images involving:
  • Germs
  • Dirt
  • Intruders
  • Violence
  • Sex
  • Religious conflicts
  • Tidiness
• Ritualistic behavior, such as:
  • Washing hands
  • Locking & unlocking doors
  • Counting
  • Keeping unneeded items
  • Repeating steps over and over
• Inability to control unwanted thoughts and behaviors
• Obsessive behaviors and thoughts provide temporary relief from anxiety
• Thoughts and rituals consume at least an hour each day

Who is at Risk?

Roughly 2.2 million Americans are suffering from some form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. One third of those people developed OCD as children. Typically, a person begins to show signs of the illness in childhood, their teen years or early in adulthood. Men and women have an equal likelihood of developing the illness. Research, however, indicates that OCD runs in families.