subject: Obsessive Compulsive Anxiety Disorder, or OCD [print this page] Obsessive Compulsive Anxiety Disorder, or OCD
If you have experienced recurrent obsessions and compulsions that are out of control, you may be suffering from obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder, or OCD.
We tend to be creatures of habit. For instance, most of us wash our hands before eating, and have some form of bedtime ritual. Although some people roll their eyes at this, there are regular people that tend to organize their clothes by color or line up their shoes in a particular way. This type of obsession is not typically harmful.
It is considered obsessive, however, if you want to avoid contact with other people because you are afraid their skin is filled with germs, and you experience the need to promptly wash your hands after touching them. These can affect your maturation as a human being.
Two percent of the population suffers from OCD. OCD conduct is usually brought on because of a heightened feeling of danger or harm. It is this irrational fear that causes them the compulsion of performing intentional, repetitive acts that are unnecessary.
What Are the Categories of OCD?
We realize there are five assorted categories of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Here are the basic fears that tend to bring out obsessive-compulsive behavior:
Dread of Disease -- Individuals who suffer from this category are frequently termed the 'Washers and Cleaners'. An overpowering fear of germs pushes these individuals to fulfill their obsessive behaviors. These individuals repeatedly wash their hands, clean surfaces, take showers and wash their clothes multiple times.
Scared of Calamity -- An inordinate feeling of imminent doom follows these patients wherever they go. This group is nicknamed the "Checkers" because of their obsession to re-check their locks repeated times before leaving the house. These people often have no time to accomplish normal things in their day because they insist on following certain procedures to ward off harm.
Aversion to Disorderliness -- This category has an utter fear of disarray in their homes and offices. Discovering somebody has touched or rearranged some article of theirs can throw these individuals into a state of complete stress and anxiety.
Fear of Awful Thoughts - Individuals who are considered "Obsessionals" are trapped with the fear of wild, unwelcomed thoughts such as hurting themselves or a loved one. To keep these thoughts away, they feel compelled to count or repeat certain words over and over.
Dread of Throwing Stuff Away -- An irrational fearfulness that they may want some tiny piece of junk makes these patients hold onto everything 'just in case' These individuals even hold onto refuse, because 'you never know if you might need it someday'. They also collect a heap of potentially practical items, but have so many of them that they could never put them all to good use.
Obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder is considered to be a neurotic behavior. Causes of OCD could be dysfunction of the brain, genetics, illness, early developmental disturbances, or depression. Obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder treatment may contain medication, therapy, or a combination of both.
