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What is OCD?
from: Lynn KenilworthMost people have heard of obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. People with OCD become obsessed with thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again and make them feel out of control. Compulsions are the actions that result and help relieve these obsessions.
Most of us are aware of the obsessive compulsive disorder pertaining to cleanliness or dirt and germs. A person with this disorder imagines their hands as being dirty and compulsively washes them over and over again.
Obsessions have been called a mental hiccup, where the brain gets stuck on a certain thought or idea. The person does not want to have these thoughts because they are disturbing, intrude on his life. Most people with OCD realize that their thoughts and actions do not make sense and carry a sense of shame because of them.
Obsessions produce very uncomfortable feelings of fear, disgust, anxiety and doubt.
They also produce a feeling of having to do things perfectly, thus the compulsion to "over do" until the action is perfect.
Compulsions are the actions people with OCD perform to make their obsessions go away. They perform these actions over and over creating their own ritual or rules of behavior. Compulsions are like routine behaviors on steroids. A person with OCD may wash their hands until they are red and raw. Or close the door and lock it many times, usually a set number of times that they have become comfortable with. These compulsions do not give the person pleasure but relief from the discomfort of their obsessions.
Do you have obsessive compulsive disorder?
Some people are excessive worriers and could be said to have a mild case. For some, the diagnosis is obvious. If your symptoms cause you distress, take up a lot of time, say more than an hour a day, or significantly interfere with your work, social life, or relationships you probably have OCD. Most people with OCD realize that their obsessions are all in their mind and are not just excessive worries. Most realize the compulsions they feel the need to perform are unreasonable but are unable to stop them.
OCD symptoms can fluctuate, be sometimes overwhelming, and sometimes seeming to disappear altogether. They are almost always a reaction to stress and fear, real or imagined.
OCD is a medical brain disorder that causes dysfunction of information processing. It is not the person's fault they have this disorder. There are medications and treatments available to stabilize the brain chemistry and help control the symptoms.
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