Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

As the name suggests, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are obsessed with certain thoughts and ideas, and compulsively perform certain rituals, which may take hours each day.

Those who have the disorder may know their actions make no sense, but they feel powerless to alter their behaviors, which relieve their anxiety. Millions of Americans of all ages and backgrounds have obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Medical Impact of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
While those who have obsessive-compulsive disorder are not susceptible to specific medical complications, OCD can create major disruptions in an individual's life and make it difficult to hold a job and have healthy social relationships.

Signs of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessions common to those with obsessive-compulsive disorder include fear of contamination, fear of making a mistake or doing something that is socially unacceptable, fear of physical inadequacy or deformity, and fear of harming themselves or others.

Compulsions common to those with obsessive-compulsive disorder include excessive cleaning, repetition of certain names or phrases, counting to a certain number, completing a series of steps in a precise order, or repeatedly checking the locations of personal items. Other compulsions include hoarding useless items and counting them repeatedly, being unusually slow to complete particular tasks and being meticulous about cleaning and arranging items in a certain way.

Causes of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Researchers believe that obsessive-compulsive disorder, like many other mental illnesses, is linked to genetics and is caused by an imbalance in the person's brain chemistry.

No one knows exactly what triggers the illness, but factors contributing to the disorder may include head trauma, trauma during childbirth, and epilepsy or other serious illnesses.

Treatment
Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be successfully treated with medication, including antidepressants and inhibitors that counter the chemical imbalance in the brain.

Behavior therapy is also important and can teach patients to resist their obsessions and compulsions. Once patients resist their obsessions and see that the consequences they fear do not take place, they begin to recover.