Obsessive+Compulsive+Disorder

**Obsessive Compulsive Disorder** **Category of Disorder:** Anxiety Disorders


 * What is it?: ** Obsessive Compulsive Disorder causes the person to have intrusive thoughts that make them feel driven to do something, often times uncontrollable actions.

__Common obsessions:__ Fear of germs Fear of causing harm to another Fear of making a mistake Need for order, symmetry, or exactness Excessive doubt __Common Compulsions:__ Repeatedly washing hands or bathing Eating foods in a specific order Repeatedly checking things Needing to perform tasks a certain number of times Being stuck on words, images, or thoughts that won't go away Hoarding
 * Symptoms:** Symptoms vary from person to person, however most are categorized by either obsessions or compulsions.


 * Causes:** Theories of the causes of OCD are unconfirmed. Some reports link it to head injuries and infections, while several studies have shown that people with OCD have brain abnormalities. 20% of people with OCD have tics, which suggests the disorder may be linked to Tourette Syndrome. It has also been connected with insufficient levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that helps regulate mood and emotions.


 * Genetics:** While there isn't a specific "OCD gene", more than 50% of a person's risk for developing OCD is genetic, with the other half being environmental.
 * General Public Perception:** The only thing most people know about OCD is that people who suffer from it have excessive hand washing. While this is true for many OCD sufferers, it is not true for all.


 * Treatments:** The two main treatments of OCD are psychotherapy and medications. One type of therapy that has proved to be effective is **exposure and response prevention.** The thinking behind this is that repeated exposure to the source of anxiety will desensitize the person to it. Medications can include Celexa, Prozac, and Zoloft.

@Anxiety Disorders

Sources: Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder by Peggy J.Disorders http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001926/ http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/obsessive-compulsive-disorder http://ocd.about.com/od/causes/a/OCD_genes.htm http://www.netplaces.com/ocd/the-media-and-ocd/public-perceptions-of-ocd.htm http://medicinehq.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder.jpg http://www.steveseay.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/obsessive-compulsive-disorder.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TKadczmEks0/TbcBiUiAbbI/AAAAAAAAA2g/WmjaVmWL_F8/s1600/ocd2.jpg