Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is characterized by three main parts:
1) The Obsession, this is a recurrent persistent thought or notion that does not go away. Such as constantly thinking that you left the oven on, or a constant worry about germs, or that person's shirt collar is slightly askew. These thoughts usually produce anxiety. These thoughts alone do not constitute OCD. If one just has obsessions then it is a different disorder.
2) The Compulsion, usually when one has obsessive thoughts they will preform an action or ritual to reduce the associated anxiety. Such compulsions could be, checking the oven, hand washing or bathing, and fixing the shirt collar. Again these actions are performed to reduce anxiety and on their own do not constitute OCD. If one just has compulsions to perform certain actions or rituals that is not OCD.
3) The disorder, to be considered a disorder the obsessions and compulsions must interfere with daily life in a significant wat. So if someone is Obsessive about leaving the oven on and their compulsion is to check the oven, but they do not have an oven it cannot interfere with their life. So if someone who is so obsessed with cleanliness or leaving the oven on that it takes them hours to leave the house beucase of their compulsions taking up so much time, that is a disorder.
One of the most common manifestations of OCD is one that involves cleanliness and hand washing, which can lead to raw and bleeding hands from repetitive washing. Other ones that are portrayed in popular media are obsessions with numbers such has turning the lights on and off three times every time, or counting the number of steps one takes.
This normally starts to manifest in children from 6-15 for boys and later in life 20-29 for girls.
Overall OCD can be lived with. Both medicines and therapy are the usual treatments. The medicines are usually antidepressant or anti-anxiety pills.
Overall prevalence in the general public is 1-3% depending on which study is consulted.
Page created by a student.
Note source consulted were: DSM IV
and
http://psyweb.com/Mdisord/AnxietyDis/ocd1.jsp
also class notes from Abnormal Psyc