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The FAQ's of OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is in the family of anxiety disorders which captures people suffering from it in a relentless cycle of recurring behaviors and thoughts. These thoughts are hard to control, can be distressing and include mental images and fears that cannot be blocked out. Only through certain actions and rituals can these disturbing thoughts and images go away.

While the rituals will help these thoughts go away for a time, they will return, thus necessitating the need to re-perform those rituals. The relentless cycle starts slowly and can progress up to the point where it takes up your life and interrupts your everyday activities. While many people with OCD are aware that they have it and believe their actions and thoughts are not logical, they are helpless to stop themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions about OCD

While most people may have an understanding of what OCD is, and may even joke that they have it themselves, most don't truly understand the ramifications of it and what other people who have OCD go through. Here are a few frequently asked questions about OCD for the every day person:

1. In obsessive-compulsive disorder, what are the primary symptoms?

Each person with OCD is different and will likely display compulsions and obsessions that are a bit different from someone else. However, the obsessions that seem to manifest themselves most often are:

* The need for symmetry, cleanliness and order

* Fear of germs and getting dirty

* Fear of making mistakes

* Fear of behaving unacceptably in a social situation and/or being embarrassed

* The need for constant reassurance to ease self-doubt

In terms of the compulsive behaviors that are often the result of those obsessive thoughts are:

* Avoid touching "germy" things like shopping cart handles, door knobs and even shaking hands.

* Repeated hand washing or showering

* Repeating tasks a certain number of times or even counting while performing specific tasks

* Checking and re-checking things constantly like whether the stove or light is off.

2. Is there a particular cause or reason why OCD develops?

Experts believe that there may be some biological and environmental factors which could contribute to the anxiety disorder but there are no definite causes that can be pinpointed. Some scientists believe that an imbalance of serotonin is one of the major underlying biological causes of OCD. As far as environmental reasons are concerned, these are outside causes that can trigger that latent tendency toward OCD. Some of these causes include problems at school or work, abuse, illness, worrying about a loved one or even death of someone close.

3. How prevalent is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder was once thought to be rare; however, many people for years have hidden their OCD tendencies and it only within the last decade or two that OCD has truly been defined and accepted as a "real" condition. As a result the numbers of people suffering from OCD has climbed to approximate four million people - both children and adults - in the United States alone.

4. Can OCD be successfully treated? How?

OCD can be successfully treated through a variety of methods such as medication therapy and cognitive behavior therapy. The medication works to help equalize the serotonin levels and calm the obsessive thoughts in the head. The behavior therapy works by helping patients confront their fears and works on the prevention of those compulsive behaviors. Between the two treatments (and often a combination of both) people can realize a relatively normal life.