Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is the devastating culmination of the anxiety disorders.



Obsessive –Compulsive disorder is a psychoneurotic reaction characterized by persistent irrational thoughts and impulses. Obsessions and compulsions tend to go together. An anxiety disorder which needs hospitalization of patient are likely to have an OCD.Victims of OCD experience severe generalized anxiety, recurrent panic attacks and major depression. These symptoms occur simultaneously.



OCD has two streams, obsessions means fear of unwanted and intrusive thoughts, whereas compulsion means repetitive behavior or action used to suppress the unwanted thoughts. Compulsions are either behavioral (such as washing hands again and again) or mental ( such as repeatedly counting numbers, praying etc.). Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts that are nonsensical. Obsessive thought center around wide variety of topics such as concern over bodily function to suicide.Paticularly fears are of uncontrollable impulses.



Most of us show compulsive behavior in our day to day life. Compulsive actions are directly related to obsessive thoughts. A person obsessed with an thought that his hands are dirty will wash his hands compulsively.

The causes of OCD are biologically and Psychologically related. People with introvert personality generally are intellect and sensitive which makes them feel in secure.



Due to this feeling of insecurity an individual compels himself unknowingly to do many things over and over again. Influence of heredity and environment plays an important of disease. Also. if some thought or action is often repeated an habit grows and later an individual automatically gets trapped in the compulsive action.



OCD is not caused by stress but can be precipitated by an stressful event. Problems at school,work,illness,pregnancy or some common stressful events can lead to OCD.

The severity of the disorder has a crippling effect on the sufferer. Initial signs of OCD are overlooked as they are thought to be an habit of an individual. Patients generally suffer from cognitive obsession wherein they are preoccupied with thoughts about a particular topic associated with doubting, motor compulsiveness associated with everyday functioning such as eating,toileting,dressing and sexual activity.



Sometimes OCD patients reveal bodily symptoms like lack of appetite and sleep and the need to repeat some action. They also show psychological symptoms like emotional tension, lack of attention,anxiety,irritability,panic reactions and obsessions.

Drug treatment is the only successful therapy in treating OCD.The other most effective approach is exposure and response prevention. In this approach rituals or habits are actively prevented and the patient is gradually exposed to the feared thoughts or situations, so that they can come out of it.