Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptoms
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder where a person experiences involuntary obsessive thoughts that result in compulsive behavior. An obsessive thought is an unwanted thought, image or an urge to act that repeatedly enters a person's mind. Compulsive behavior is repetitive action or mental act that the person feels compelled to perform.
Even though a person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptoms keeps repeating the same behavior they do not gain any pleasure from what they are doing. In most cases they feel that they are carrying out their behavior in order to prevent their obsession from becoming true. For example the person may constantly feel that they are dirty and constantly need to wash themselves in order to prevent their obsessive feelings of being dirty becoming realized. If they don't perform this compulsive behavior then they will experience anxiety.
OCD is one of the most common mental health conditions with as many 3% of adults suffering from it. The onset of the condition in men usually occurs during adolescence but women don't usually experience the condition until they reach their early 20's. However symptoms of OCD can begin at any time during a persons life. It is not known what causes the condition.
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The severity of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptoms vary between individuals and can range from mild to severe. One person might have obsessive compulsive thinking and behavior about dressing themselves for work in the mornings and then have no more symptoms for the rest of the day. Another persons symptoms might be so severe that they completely dominate their life.
People with OCD are often ashamed of their compulsive behaviors and will try to conceal their actions from other people in order to avoid embarrassment or being humiliated. Their condition is likely to make them feel different to other people. Some people might witness the behavior of somebody with OCD and mistakenly think that they must be paranoid or psychotic. This is not the case as the OCD sufferer is fully aware of their behavior and how irrational it is. This can cause them considerable distress. OCD is known as the "doubting disease" as sufferers are plagued by doubt and uncertainty.
Experiencing OCD is rather like a record that has got stuck and plays the same sequence over and over and over again. But it is obsessive thoughts that are being constantly repeated. The brain becomes obsessed with a particular thought or urge. Even when somebody with OCD has responded to one of their urges they doubt that have really done what they intended. They then have to repeat the behaviour just to make sure and on it goes.
Types of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Most OCD sufferers can be categorized under one of the following.Counters and Arrangers: They are obsessed with numbers and colours and have to arrange things in a particular order or pattern.
Checkers: They repeatedly check the safety and security of their surroundings such as making sure they have locked their front door or turned off the oven.
Doubters and Sinners: They believe that they will be punished or something terrible will happen to them if they don't do everything to perfection.
Hoarders: They fear things will go wrong if they throw anything away so they end up hoarding everything even if it is useless to them or even rubbish.
Washers: They are obsessed with cleanliness and fear that that they will become contaminated if they don't stop washing themselves.
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