Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

ADAA Launches "Treat It, Don't Repeat It: Break Free From OCD," National Educational Campaign

More than half of adults with untreated obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) reported their condition has a negative impact on important relationships - at work, at home, and in their personal life, according to a new national survey commissioned by the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) and conducted by Harris Interactive. OCD is a debilitating anxiety disorder that affects more than 2 million American adults.

by Veronica Feeney

My struggles with emotional and mental problems began at age 12, when I experienced my first nervous breakdown. At age 20 I was diagnosed with major depression. By the time I was 30 that diagnosis had changed to chronic major depression with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Later, ADHD and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were added to my diagnoses. At age 40, and after three suicide attempts within two years, my therapist began to suspect that I suffered from bipolar disorder.

Treatment

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a serious, yet treatable disorder that often occurs with depression and anxiety disorders. If not treated properly, it may become disabling.

OCD has a neurobiological basis, although research has not identified any definitive causes. But researchers have been able to demonstrate that certain areas of the brain function differently in people with OCD, and that symptoms may involve communication errors among different parts of the brain.

Symptoms

Obsessions — unwanted intrusive thoughts

  • Constant, irrational worry about dirt, germs, or contamination.
  • Excessive concern with order, arrangement, or symmetry.
  • Fear that negative or aggressive thoughts or impulses will cause personal harm or harm to a loved one.
  • Preoccupation with losing or throwing away objects with little or no value.
  • Excessive concern about accidentally or purposefully injuring another person.
  • Feeling overly responsible for the safety of others.
  • Distasteful religious and sexual thoughts or imag