Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Lizzie Lohrer

What is it?

Also known as OCD

Unreasonable thoughts and/or repetitive behaviors

Trying to suppress or stop these behaviors can lead to stress and anxiety until the behavior is completed

It can effect all ages but is commonly diagnosed in late teenage years or early adulthood or between the ages of 8 and 12

There are about as many children suffering from OCD as there are suffering from diabetes

PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections) is when the symptoms appear in a child seemingly overnight and can have a severe impact on the child’s life

Symptoms

1/3 of OCD people experience tics

Obsessions such as fear of dirt/germs, having everything in order, etc. are thoughts or images that replay in the patient’s mind and cause anxiety until they are able to complete an action to avoid the fear

Ex: People with the fear of germs will wash their hands so much they often get chapped and dry

Compulsions are the actions the patient takes to neutralize or delete the cause of the obsession

Ex: Counting, cleaning, following strict routine, etc.

NOT perfectionism Perfectionists have issues with real problems in their lives such as having certain

things arranged just right, while a person suffering from OCD doesn’t want to take the “necessary” actions but feels as though they have to and it takes over their lives

Causes

The causes aren’t fully known

One theory is that it’s the result of changes in chemicals in your brain

Another theory is that it is genetic but specific genes for OCD have not yet been found

Some environmental factors may contribute to OCD

Having family members with the disorder is believed to increase your risk of obtaining OCD

Traumatic and stressful events may also increase your risk

There is no way of preventing OCD, but getting an early diagnosis will help you live a better quality life

Complications

There are also many other issues that people with OCD may experience such as:

Difficulty doing school work

Anxiety disorders

Eating disorders

Depression

Alcoholism

Problems with relationships

Suicidal thoughts or actions

and more

What to do if you think you have OCD

Write a list of symptoms you are experiencing even if they seem unrelated

Make a note of any major life changes or events

Make a list of all medications you take as well as the dosages

If the doctor suspects you may have OCD, you can expect to experience a physical exam, lab tests such as alcohol screening and blood counts, and psychological evaluation

Keep in mind it can be hard to diagnose patients because OCD’s symptoms are similar to obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses

Treatments

No treatment is said to actually cure OCD, but rather bring your symptoms under control

Psychotherapy: exposure and response therapy brings you in contact with your fear or obsession and helps you learn healthy ways of dealing with the situations you encounter; cognitive behavior therapy

Medication: normally antidepressants, keep in mind side effects and try different medications

For patients who don’t respond to either, deep brain stimulation may be utilized, though it has not been thoroughly tested

Typically treated through outpatient facilities

What careers may be involved?

Psychiatrist

Psychologist

Pharmacist

Your family doctor

Phlebotomist

Therapist

Hereditary diseases in my family

My family does not have any known hereditary diseases that run in the family. The only repetitive hereditary occurrence is that its common to have twins every other generation.

Works Cited

"Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)." Definition. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

"What Is OCD?" International OCD Foundation. N.p., 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

"Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD." NIMH RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

"OCD in Children and Adults: Symptoms, Causes, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.