Impairment ranges from mild to severe. Sometimes the symptoms are crippling, hospitalization may become necessary and regular employment impossible. On the other hand, many successful doctors, lawyers, engineers, educators, homemakers, businessmen/women, factory workers, performers and entertainers continue to function, despite symptoms of OCD. For the majority of people who lead otherwise normal lives, life would be even more productive and fulfilling if they were free of symptoms. The emotional and economic costs of OCD to the individual, family, and society are enormous. .
ARE PEOPLE WITH OCD "CRAZY"?.
No. The behaviors may seem "crazy" but the person performing them is not. In fact, an OCD sufferer is acutely aware of the excessiveness or irrationality of his/her fears or behaviors, yet is unable to control them. This self-awareness creates a new fear for the person with OCD, the fear that others will think he/she is weak or crazy. People with OCD are often very secretive about their symptoms and afraid to seek treatment. This may explain the previous low reports of OCD prevalence. .
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF OCD?.
The exact causes of OCD are still unknown. However, researchers strongly suspect that a biochemical imbalance is involved. Alterations in one or more brain chemical systems that regulate repetitive behaviors may be related to the cause of OCD. These imbalances may be inherited.
"Even if trauma or a psychological cause is the stressor that triggers symptoms, it is not possible to give one OCD by being mean to them".
Swedo said "It is not caused by defective toilet training. This is.
a real neurobiological disease.".
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF TREATMENT FOR OCD?.
Psychoanalysis, which tries to explore the roots of OCD in early childhood, is not helpful for reducing OCD symptoms. Supportive psychotherapy may, however, help people with OCD cope more effectively with their illness. Recently, there have been advances in treatment that provide greater relief from specific symptoms of OCD.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition that can be disabling to a persons life. Someone who suffers from OCD can become trapped in repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are seemingly senseless. OCD can occur in a varying degree, from mild to severe.... Therefore it can seem plausible that OCD is not caused by a neurochemical imbalance.... Both ideas are used today as a major part in treating OCD. ...
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. ... These behaviors generally are intended to ward off harm to the person with OCD or others. ... People with OCD usually have considerable insight into their own problems. ... OCD affects as many as 2 percent of all Americans. ...
Many people without OCD experience these obsessions, but in a different way. People without OCD may experience these obsessions momentarily and then move on. ... People with OCD typically have a difficult time throwing things away. ... People with OCD may be very reluctant to work with a group or team. ... There are two main treatments for OCD: psychotherapy and medications. ...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Outline Thesis: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness characterized by the presence of recurrent, unwanted ideas or impulses (obsessions) and an urge or compulsion to do something to relieve the discomfort caused by the obsession. I. Four primar...
The misconceptions about OCD are not all new. ... OCD even made an appearance in a classic piece of literature. ... When you have OCD you know how it feels (Summers, 1999)." ... Perhaps obsessions are things that people who do not have OCD see as odd and abstract, but to the people with OCD, they are very real. ... People with OCD know their compulsions are absurd. ...
The key features of OCD are obsessions and compulsions. ... OCD occurs on a continuum from mild to severe. ... What is OCD The key features of OCD are obsessions and compulsions as stated in DSMIV. ... How Prevalent is OCD For many years, mental health professionals thought of OCD as a rare disease because only a small minority of their patients had the condition. ... The survey showed that OCD is more commo...
Quirky behavior or something more serious? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD affects nearly two to three percent of the U.S. population. OCD affects both males and females, but males start to show signs of OCD at an earlier age, between the ages of six and fifteen, while in females it tends t...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Outline Thesis: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness characterized by the presence of recurrent, unwanted ideas or impulses (obsessions) and an urge or compulsion to do something to relieve the discomfort caused by the obsession. I. Four primar...
OCD strikes people of all ethnic groups, both male and female. ... There is no single, proven cause of OCD, but research suggests that OCD involves problems in communication between the front part of the brain and deeper structures. ... Left untreated, OCD usually grows worse as patients age. ... Behavioral psychotherapists are a good option for the treatment and management of the OCD. ... The Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation provides a forum for people with OCD and professionals interested in OCD. ...