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Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior Disorder

If you are stressed over a very strong need to do something repetitive with the fear that something extremely horrible will occur if you do not do it and continue to do it – then you probably have an anxiety disorder called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD. 

OCD is one of the primary forms of anxiety disorder It is typically diagnosed in patients prior to age 35.  They also typically exhibit other symptoms, including signs of Tourette’s Syndrome, eating disorders, extreme morbidity and suicidal tendency.  The other symptomatic category is the need to risk their life or take the lives of others. While sufferers of GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder are faced with intermittent bouts of panic and abject fear, the OCD sufferer feels the obsession constantly – with the frequent addition of panic attacks as well.

Obsessive behavior – the primal symptomatic element – is key here and it is manifest in both an undeniable need to do ‘X’ coupled with an equally strong need to repeat it endlessly (such as the need to wash their hands dozens of times a day, with no sign or indication of un-cleanliness).  

The symptoms of OCD are the following:

a.  An extreme need for things to be in a certain place, order or arrangement – with an associated panic attack if they are not.

b.  Obsessing over germs and unnecessary cleanliness

c.  A belief that your actions will harm others.

d.  Constant touching or safeguarding of especially trivial objects

e.  Repetitive thinking or re-reviewing that which does not require review 

There are no final facts in the long and laborious debate over the cause and source of this pathology.  OCD may be linked to other anxiety disorders, eating disorders and even Bipolar and schizophrenia. While there is a high incidence of suicidal tendency in OCD patients this is assumed to be the affect rather than a cause.  Finally, there are an excessively high percentage of OCD sufferers with physical brain abnormality or damage. What is interesting is the frequency addition resulting in abnormalities in the brain does not favor damage over disease-driven pathology.

The treatment of OCD typically include both drug prescription drugs in the tranquilizer and antidepressant categories with deep behavior modification to minimize both the onset of that which is obsessive along with the training for the patient  to be able to relieve the anxiety itself that is coupled with the obsessive thoughts.  Anxiety Attacks are often reduced and  such reduction alone often mediates the effect of and severity of the compulsion.