I need some information about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

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by SuperFantastic

I need some information about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?I need to know the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention. thanks!

-Melody
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, by definition is an anxiety disorder (as in, causes anxiety) that affects people of all ethnicities, genders, and ages.

This is what it's like to have it (I have it; used to be very severe)

You're trying to do something, but you can't think because something from the back of your mind keeps throwing bad thougths at you-- worries, but not normal worries. Normal people can think of a worry, and then tell themselves "worrying over this isn't worth the trouble' and then move on with their thoughts.

With OCD, the worry doesn't go away, ever. Instead of moving ahead with your thoughts and actions, your are constantly assaulted by negative thoughts and emotions. These 'negative thoughts' (technically called intrusive thoughts) are often about taboo subjects like sex, violence, fear that you'd commit a crime for no reason, fear of being victim of a crime, fear of dying (thus that stereotypical fear of germs and getting sick) and countless other worries. Pretty much, anything you can think of that would be scary, you can have worries over, and can become part of your intrusive thoughts.

These intrusive thoughts form what's called an obsession, a negative recurring worry that takes up over an hour of time each day and causes significant distress, to the point it impairs function.

OCD is not something you can 'snap out of'. It's a serious medical condition, with effects every bit as real as the effects of cancer.

You're probably thinking "what? cancer kills you, OCD doesnt"... but this isn't always true. Some with OCD become so miseralbe they commit suicide.

You can't have any idea how painful this disorder can be. You can't think, eat, breathe, walk around...without being assaulted by your own mind. It's hell.

Then we come to compulsions. A compulsion is an action someone with OCD performs to temporarily lessen the emotional distress caused by their obsession.

An example would be, someone afraid of a home break in, checking the window locks dozens of times, or someone worried about germs constantly washing their hands until the skin begins to come off.

But other people with OCD have very few, compulsions. In my case, I had very few compulsions, even though the emotional aspect had completely disabled me.

I know this doesn't contain much statistical data, but perhaps the most important fact about this condition is: people with it are not crazy, weird, or paranoid. It's a very real disease, and has serious implications for those who have it.

Treatments range from psychotherapy and habit reversal therapy to medication (antidepressants, neuroleptics, benzodiazepenes), electroconvulsive shock therapy (in treatment resistant cases) and even an experimental brain surgery Deep Brain Stimulation(for people who have completely exhausted all other options and are severely disabled by the symptoms)

For more information, explore the following sites:

Obsessive compulsive foundation

National Institute for Stroke and Neurological Disorders

Yale Child study Center > OCD

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