Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)



Everyone has their own worries, beliefs and superstitions that occur in everyday life. A person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) gets stuck on one (or more) particular thought or behavior and is unable to let it go. OCD is a medical brain disorder that causes problems with information processing.

Symptoms
OCD usually involves the sufferer having both obsessions and compulsions, but it is possible to have one without the offer. It affects people of all ages and does not always represent an illness. For example, religious practices or bedtime songs may be part of everyday life. By the same token, many people have fears of being contaminated or worry about germs/bacteria etc and it is natural for these fears to be increased during times of stress, such as when a family member is sick or dying. It is when these fears persist, make no sense, cause distress or interfere with a person's life that they need to be clinically addressed.



Obsessions
Obsessions are images, thoughts or impulses that occur repeatedly and feel out of your control. Common obsessions are given in the table above and these thoughts are usually accompanied by feelings of fear, disgust, doubt, or a sensation that things have to be done in a way that is "just so." Someone with OCD does, however, tend to recognize that their thoughts and ideas do not make sense.


Compulsions
In order to make their obsessions go away, even if only for a temporary period of time, someone with OCD performs compulsions. A compulsion is an act that the person does over and over again, often within strict "rules" (e.g. they have to scrub their hands no less than 10 times or check that the back door is locked every minute for 15 minutes before going out). Unlike compulsive drinking or gambling, OCD compulsions do not give the person pleasure. Rather, the rituals are performed to obtain relief from the discomfort caused by the obsessions.


What is the treatment?
For a long time, OCD was considered to be untreatable. Fortunately, there is now a great deal of treatment available because the illness has become better understood over the years. The first step in treating someone is to educate both them and their family about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and its treatment as a medical illness. During the last 20 years, two main forms of treatment have been developed: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI).

Statistics
If you have, or believe you have, OCD please remember that you are not alone. An estimated 1 in 50 adults in the US has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and many people find it recurring a number of times in their lives. One third to one half of adults with OCD report that it started in their childhood.

For more information
For more comprehensive information: http://www.ocfoundation.org.

Hehehe... I catually renamed OCD to Obsesive Compulsive Dara!

Love,
OC-Dara

OOOPS... I was trying to say "actually" not CATUALLY!!! hehehe....the rate I am going with all the cats, that is appropriate that I spelled it wrong...lol

Love,
Dara