Obsessive compulsive disorder - Research Paper Example

In many cases it’s onset begins in childhood at about the age of ten. It is thought to be two or three times more common than schizophrenia or manic depression. The Amercian Academy of Family Physicians (2006) describes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as “an illness that causes people to have unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and to repeat certain behaviors (compulsions) over and over again”. They point out that although everyone has daily routines and habits for people with OCD the patterns of behavior get in the way of their daily lives.

Thurkington (2009) describes OCD in the Encyclopedia of Medicine as a type of anxiety disorder. She defines Anxiety Disorder as “the experience of prolonged, excessive worry about circumstances in ones life”. OCD she explains is characterized by “distressing repetitive thoughts, impulses or images that are intense, frightening, absurd, or unusual. These thoughts are followed by ritualized actions that are usually bizarre and irrational”. The ritual actions are the compulsions and are thought to help to reduce the anxiety caused by the obsessive thoughts.

People with OCD usually have both obsession and compulsion but there are occasionally people with only one. OCD can be accompanied by other anxiety disorders such as eating disorders or depression. A person with OCD can have ideas, images and impulses going through his mind repeatedly and not be able to control them. These obsessive thoughts make the person anxious and scared and they keep trying to get rid of these feelings by performing certain behaviors. These then become compulsive behaviors.

The American Family of Physicians (2006) lists some of the common obsessive feelings and the common compulsive behaviors. Among the most common obsessions are the fear of dirt or germs, disgust with bodily waste, fear of harming someone, obsession with order and exactness and need for