Obsessing Over OCD

One of my friends is constantly telling me that she is OCD (meaning she has Obsessive-compulsive disorder). From the number of times she mentions it, and the wide variety of contexts, I am starting to think maybe she is right!

So what exactly is this disorder? According to PubMed It is an anxiety driven condition where people have repeated loops of thoughts, ideas, behaviors or feelings that they don’t want to have that drive them to do something.

I just checked out the list of symptoms and now I am afraid I might have it too! It seems to be more common that what people used to think, and it usually is noticed around puberty or early adulthood.  Today there are about 3.3 million adults and 1 million children that are impacted.

There are many types of obsessions and compulsions. Examples include:

Excessive checking, like insuring the lights are off or the door is locked

Excessive counting

Excessive fear of germs – the classic example of OCD is someone who washes his/her hands over and over to ward off infection

Excessive cleaning (whew, I don’t have THAT one)

Extreme hoarding – often of things with no obvious value

Fear of making a mistake

Fear of behaving in a socially unacceptable way

Need for order and symmetry

Usually someone with this condition recognizes that the behavior is not reasonable, although just because they exhibit some of the above conditions it doesn’t mean they have OCD.

OCD is often associated with someone with above-average intelligence that pays high attention to detail, avoids risk, plans carefully.  And while many of us joke about it, like I did above, it is actually quite a distressful condition for those who suffer from it.

Here are some facts about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder that you may not know, as reported by Liz Neporent for ABC News:

1. Scientists suspect that genetics could be involved since it can run in families – they are looking to see which genes may influence this condition.

2. There may be a link between OCD and strep throat in children, where sometimes the part of the brain controlling movement and behavior is impacted.

3. While many people affected by this disorder never seek help, there are many therapies that can help – exposure and response prevention, clinical behavioral therapy, and SSRIs (selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors).

There are several environmental factors that can bring it on too, or exacerbate the condition – change in living conditions, abuse, work or school problems – generally conditions that provoke stress and anxiety.  The best thing to know is that it CAN be treated and if you or someone you love is affected, seek help – the sooner the better.

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