(OCD)
Definition
Definition
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder. A person with OCD has unwanted repetitive thoughts and behaviors.
Causes
Causes
The cause is of OCD is unknown. OCD may be due to neurobiological, environmental, genetic, and psychological factors. An imbalance of a brain chemical called serotonin may play a major role.
Genetic MaterialThe genes that you inherit from your family may play a role in the development of OCD.
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Risk Factors
Risk Factors
OCD is more common in late adolescence into early adulthood. Your risk is also higher if you have family members with a history of OCD.
Symptoms
Symptoms
OCD may cause:
-
Obsessions—unwanted, repetitive, and intrusive ideas, impulses, or images; common obsessions include:
- Persistent fears that harm may come to self or a loved one
- Unreasonable concern with being contaminated
- Unreasonable concerns about safety
- Unacceptable religious, violent, or sexual thoughts
- Excessive need to do things correctly or perfectly
- Persistent worries about a tragic event
-
Compulsions—repetitive behaviors or mental acts to reduce the distress associated with obsessions; common compulsions include:
- Excessive checking of door locks, stoves, water faucets, and light switches
- Repeatedly making lists, counting, arranging, or aligning things
- Collecting and hoarding useless objects
- Repeating routine actions a certain number of times until it feels right
- Unnecessary rereading and rewriting
- Mentally repeating phrases
- Repeatedly washing hands
Conditions associated with OCD include:
- Other anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Organic brain syndrome
- Tourette syndrome
- Attention deficit disorder
If you have OCD, you may know that your thoughts and compulsions do not make sense, but you are unable to stop them.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
OCD is usually diagnosed through a psychiatric assessment. OCD is diagnosed when obsessions and/or compulsions either:
- Cause significant distress
- Interfere with your ability to properly perform at work, school, or in relationships
Treatment
Treatment
Treatment reduces OCD thoughts and compulsions, but does not completely eliminate them. Common treatment approaches include a combination of medication and therapy.
Medications
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) reduce OCD symptoms by affecting serotonin levels. Tricyclic antidepressants can also help treat symptoms.
Your doctor may try using other psychiatric medications to help control your condition.
Therapy
Behavioral therapy addresses the actions associated with OCD. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) addresses both the thought processes and the actions associated with OCD.
Treatment of OCD is tailored to meet your particular needs.
Examples of therapies used to treat OCD include:
- Exposure and response prevention—involves gradually confronting the feared object or obsession without giving into the compulsive ritual linked to it
- Aversion therapy—involves using a painful stimulus to prevent OCD behavior
- Thought switching—involves learning to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts
- Flooding—involves being exposed to an object that causes OCD behavior
- Implosion therapy—involves being repeatedly exposed to an object that causes fear
- Thought stopping—involves learning how to stop negative thoughts
Prevention
Prevention
There are no guidelines for preventing OCD because the cause is not known. However, early intervention may be helpful.
RESOURCES:
International OCD Foundation http://ocfoundation.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Psychological Association http://www.cpa.ca
References:
http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed
Updated August 18, 2014. Accessed August 21, 2014.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health website. Available at:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml
Accessed August 21, 2014.
OCD risk higher when several variations in gene occur together. National Institute of Mental Health website. Available at:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2008/ocd-risk-higher-when-several-variations-in-gene-occur-together.shtml
Accessed August 21, 2014.
4/16/2009 DynaMed’s Systematic Literature Surveillance
http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed:
Simpson HB, Foa EB, Liebowitz MR, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy for augmenting pharmacotherapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 2008;165:621-630.
Last Updated: 9/30/2013