Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that affects 2-3% of the population, making it

the fourth most common psychiatric disorder in the United States. The essential characteristics of

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are severe enough to cause

significant impairment with a person's normal routine or occur for more than I hour per day. Obsessions

are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images that are experienced as intrusive, inappropriate,

and cause marked anxiety or distress. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that are intended

to prevent or reduce distress from a dreaded event or situation.

• .Common obsessions include:
  
• · Fears of contamination.
  
• · Fears of hurting or killing someone.
  
• · Fears of forgetting to do something.
  
• · Fears of doing something embarrassing or immoral.
  

Common compulsions or rituals include:

• · Excessive washing or cleaning.
  
• · Checking.
  
• · Repeating actions.
  
• · Hoarding or saving items.
  
• · Putting things in a set pattern.
  

OCD is a relatively common problem. It has been estimated by recent community studies that there is a

lifetime prevalence rate of 2.5% of the general population that meet the diagnostic criteria for this disorder.

The majority of individuals who do not seek treatment experience a waxing and waning chronic course that

may be exacerbated by stress. Recent research has demonstrated that 90% of the general population have

thoughts similar to those experienced by individuals with OCD. The major difference is that those people

with OCD are more distressed by these thoughts. Because of this distress, individuals with OCD develop

elaborate strategies to avoid these thoughts. These strategies are generally ineffective and therefore

individuals often turn to other methods to reduce anxiety such as performing some action. While this may

temporarily relieve anxiety, in most cases rituals are performed because of the belief and prediction that if the

person does not engage in the ritual some dire consequence will occur or they will not be able to tolerate the

anxiety they anticipate experiencing.

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