What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Introduction

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and severe anxiety disorder. People affected by the disorder are plagued by unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions). These obsessions may be very specific in nature or more general. They can be about any number of things including contamination, germs, sex or violence. Compulsions are behaviors that help reduce distress but serve no real purpose other than to bring temporary relief from anxiety.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions).

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions).

OCD can be very distressing for the person experiencing it. The symptoms of OCD are often difficult to control. Some people may try to avoid situations that trigger their obsessions; other people may have rituals they perform before situations that trigger their obsessions.

OCD affects both men and women equally; however, because it tends to start at a young age — usually during adolescence — it’s more frequently diagnosed in girls than boys

OCD causes severe anxiety in those affected.

OCD is a condition that causes severe anxiety in those affected. It’s been known to cause depression, social isolation, relationship problems, and financial stress.

OCD can be a debilitating condition — and if you have it, you know how hard it can be to live with OCD at times. But here’s the good news: there are ways to manage your symptoms so that they don’t get out of control!

The disorder usually begins during childhood, the teen years, or early adulthood.

The disorder usually begins during childhood, the teen years, or early adulthood. It’s estimated that about 1 percent of people have OCD in their lifetime and about 5 percent will develop a severe form of it.

The average age for onset is 13 years old but can occur at any age. Some people with early signs of OCD have a family member who has it as well, so it may seem like this condition runs in families more than other mental health issues do (though there are no studies to show how common this is).

OCD affects men and women equally.

OCD affects men and women equally. While the condition is more common in women, it’s not caused by bad parenting or childhood trauma.

OCD is a disorder that causes the brain to repeatedly focus on something that may be irrelevant to ensure it stays clean and organized. These obsessions are often connected to a fear of contamination or dirt, which makes them difficult for people with OCD to ignore even when they’re no longer relevant (like after you’ve been scrubbing your hands for hours).

People with OCD may also be troubled by upsetting thoughts or images of a sexual or violent nature.

People with OCD often have upsetting thoughts or images of a sexual or violent nature. This is not a normal part of sexuality or violence, and it is not a sign that you are a bad person. It’s important to know that it is common for people to have these kinds of thoughts, which can be triggered by the thought of certain situations (such as seeing someone you don’t like). The most important thing to do if you experience these types of intrusive thoughts is to talk with someone about them!

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder may be plagued by persistent, unwelcome thoughts or images, or by the urgent need to engage in certain rituals.

Obsessions and compulsions are the two main symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. People with OCD may have obsessions that are intrusive, unwanted, and recurrent: They feel compelled to perform certain rituals or mental acts (such as checking) in response to an obsession.

Rituals are repeated behaviors that the person feels compelled to perform because of an obsession. The rituals can take many forms and include washing hands for hours at a time, checking doors and windows repeatedly, or counting things over and over again in a compulsive manner until they match up exactly with something else that has been counted previously (e.g., making sure all numbers add up).

Often the person carries out rituals to get rid of the obsessive thoughts, but this only provides temporary relief.

When you have OCD, your brain makes you do things that aren’t logical. You might feel like the only way to stop an intrusive thought is by doing something like washing your hands or counting backward from 100. But this only provides temporary relief, because after a while the obsessive thoughts come back and you end up feeling even worse than before.

Not performing the ritual can cause great anxiety.

If you have OCD, you may feel like your life is in danger if you don’t perform the ritual. You may even think that if you don’t do it, there will be dire consequences for the people around you. For example, imagine that your loved one has been diagnosed with cancer and needs to undergo treatment. You must arrange for someone else to be at home when he or she goes into the hospital for treatment so that he or she doesn’t have time alone with strangers who might give him bad vibes and make him worse off than he or already is — even though those people have nothing whatsoever to do with him getting better!

Or suppose that one day while driving down state street (or wherever) I see an old friend who lives far away from me; I stop my car right where I am and get out right away without thinking twice about it because we haven’t seen each other since college days back then.” What happens next?

This can take up many hours of the person’s day and interfere with other activities.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can take up many hours of a person’s day. It can interfere with other activities and even affect relationships.

OCD causes people to feel anxious or worried about something that is not dangerous but does not cause any physical harm. If a person has OCD, they may spend hours at home each day doing certain things over and over again until they get the right answers (the compulsion). People who have OCD may also have trouble in school because their grades are constantly dropping due to distractions caused by their compulsions.

If you’re worried about your own thoughts and behaviors, talk to your doctor.

If you’re worried about your own thoughts and behaviors, talk to your doctor.

OCD is a serious mental health condition that can be extremely debilitating and even life-threatening. However, it’s also treatable with therapy and medication — and it doesn’t mean you’re weak or have bad parenting. You might have OCD if certain thoughts or behaviors cause significant distress over time; this includes repetitive counting or checking (e.g., checking locks 20 times), hoarding items (e.g., buying a new item every time another one breaks), having difficulties leaving things alone (e.g., needing perfect symmetry), body dysmorphic disorder (being obsessed with perceived flaws in appearance), ordering rituals such as eating meals in consecutive months every year at the same restaurant(s).

Conclusion

If you’re worried about your own thoughts and behaviors, talk to your doctor.