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Types Of Anxiety Disorders: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder starts with a thought, perhaps an upsetting thought or merely a reminder. In order to control the thought process, a person will use rituals, or compulsions, to satisfy the uncertainty in their mind. However, the rituals and the obsessive thoughts will eventually start to control them. Common fixations include the fear of germs which leads to obsessive hand washing, or the fear of invasion which leads to locking and relocking their doors.

These behaviors are not fun, in fact they can be as frustrating for the compulsive personality as they are for friends and family members. People who have this disorder cannot control themselves, as the ritual gives them some temporary relief from the obsessive thoughts; in a way, it's like an addiction to chronic behavior, as opposed to drug abuse.

Some obsessive compulsive personalities develop a fixation on numbers. They constantly count everyday items and perhaps touch things in a particular sequence. Other symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder may not be related necessarily to ritual, but with recurring obsessive thoughts--many of which will be disturbing and even shocking to the person thinking them.

Unfortunately, many who develop an obsessive compulsive disorder will not realize what is happening. They may not even think about their irrational behavior besides simply wanting to silence the recurring thoughts. This is especially true when dealing with children or teenagers, who usually do not think in terms of being mentally healthy or unhealthy.

Worse yet, if obsessive compulsive disorder is left undiscovered and untreated it may start to bring on more disorders, such as general anxiety or panic disorder, depression, drugs or alcoholism, or even eating disorders. Interestingly, researchers claim that one third of adults who have OCD develop the disorder as children, as genetics is believed to be one of the causes.

Symptoms of the disorder may come and go, or may get progressively worse. A person may become so affected by the compulsive thoughts and rituals that they prefer not to leave the house or venture out any where they might lose control. However, avoiding the triggers out of fear is usually not the best way to cope with OCD, nor is using drugs or alcohol as a temporary tranquilizer effective. In fact, using nonprescription drugs and over indulging in alcohol can be very dangerous to the body, in addition to worsening the obsessive condition.

The recommended treatment for diagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder may involve traditional medication or psychotherapy, including exposure and desensitization techniques. This sees a doctor gradually expose a patient to the feared object or situation and learn coping mechanisms besides ritualistic behavior or avoidance. Obsessive compulsive behavior can vary in degree; to some it may be relatively harmless but annoying (locking the doors, counting objects), but to others it can literally be a matter of life and death, as some obsessive compulsive personalities could have suicidal or masochistic tendencies. If you or someone you know exhibits symptoms associated with obsessive compulsive disorder, then professional diagnoses and treatment is recommended.