Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, also known as OCD causes people to suffer in silence and secrecy and can destroy relationships and the ability to work. It may bring on shame, ridicule, anger, and intolerance from friends and family. Although it has been reported in children, it strikes most often during adolescence or young adult years. The illness can affect people in any income bracket, of any race, gender, or ethnic group and in any occupation. If people recognize the symptoms and seek treatment, OCD can be controlled.

OCD plagues people with intrusive, unwanted thoughts or obsessions, which are rarely pleasant. People who have these obsessions recognize that they are senseless. Still, they are unable to stop them. They may worry about becoming contaminated by dirt or germs and believe touching doorknobs or common objects will taint them. Others may fear becoming violent or aggressive, or they may have an unreasonable fear they will unintentionally harm people. Some may struggle with blasphemous or distasteful sexual thoughts, while others become overly concerned about order, arrangement, or symmetry.

In an attempt to ease the anxiety related to their obsessions, people often develop ritualistic behaviors, called compulsions. Often, these reflect the patient's obsessions. For example, an obsessive fear about contamination often leads to compulsive hand washing, even to the point where the person's hands bleed. Others repeatedly touch a specific object or say a name or phrase in response to an obsession. An extreme and intrusive fear of making mistakes on the job may result in a person completing tasks extremely slowly, even to the point that the job is never finished. Obsessions may also result in compulsive collecting of useless items such as magazines and newspapers until they clog entire rooms of homes and endanger occupants' safety.

The most common of many compulsions are washing and checking. Other compulsive behaviors include counting (often while performing another compulsive action such as hand washing), repeating, hoarding, and endlessly rearranging objects in an effort to keep them in precise alignment with each other. These behaviors generally are intended to ward off harm to the person with OCD or others. Some people with OCD have regimented rituals while others have rituals that are complex and changing. Performing rituals may give the per...

... middle of paper ...

...ls. Other than medication, behavior therapy has proven very successful in helping people with OCD overcome the anxiety that they feel if they do not complete their compulsions. In behavior therapy, a patient is exposed to the feared object or obsession, but prevented from completing the compulsive behavior. For example, people who fear contamination may be encouraged to touch dirty laundry and be denied the chance to wash their hands for a specified period of time. Most often, behavior therapy includes guidelines or a "contract" in which the patient and treatment team agree on certain goals.

In conclusion, families may participate in therapy by attending information sessions about the situations that may cause symptoms to worsen and the ways that loved ones can help the patient overcome the illness. Often family members can help the patient honor the terms of the treatment contract, and can also help to identify whether the patient is experiencing emotional difficulties. It is important for family and friends to create a strong and supportive environment in which they learn to appreciate progress in their loved one's functioning and view small improvements as a success.