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Frequently Asked Questions About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Many individuals have questions about obsessive-compulsive disorders. Those who have questions are either family members, friends, co-workers or neighbors of someone who has obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sometimes it is a teacher who needs to understand a student better who has OCD. No matter why you are seeking information, it is important to receive accurate, facts that will help you to understand why a person with OCD behaves the way they do. It is through understanding that we can help each other to cope in this world. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions concerning OCD and the answers to those questions.

What is Obsessive-compulsive Disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder. Individuals who suffer from OCD have recurrent thoughts or obsessions and/or behaviors that are repetitive in nature, called compulsions.

What is the prognosis for those suffering from OCD?

OCD can be a chronic disorder that lessens and worsens over the course of time. Without treatmetn it can become progressively worse even to becoming disabling. Treatment can ease symptoms for some and for others it may work at times but not at others. Hospitalization may at times be necessary. There are other individuals with OCD that are able to function in occupations such as doctors, lawyers, educators, businessmen and women, entertainers and homemakers.

How is OCD different from those who suffer from compulsive behavior like overeating or gambling and alcohol and drug abuse?

Those who compulsively gamble or drink, do drugs or overeat all find pleasure in these activities. Those individuals who have OCD find no pleasure at all in the compulsive behaviors that they do.

Are people "crazy" when they have a disorder such as OCD?

No. OCD sufferers have a disorder that manifests itself in behaviors that they cannot control by themselves.

What causes OCD?

The cause of OCD is unknown at this time. There is research being conducted to try to understand the origins of OCD better. There are some theories that OCD is a biochemical imbalance within the brain but there needs to be further research conducted on this theory. It is thought that if OCD is caused by imbalances, that they tendencies to have imbalances may be inherited.

It is thought that psychological factors and stress can have an impact on increasing symptoms.

What kind of treatment is available for OCD?

There are two main types of treatment currently available for those who suffer from OCD. One treatment is cognitive-behavior and the other is medication therapy.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a technique called exposure and response prevention.

Common medications that have been used to treat those who suffer from OCD are: Luvox, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Anafranil and Effexor.