Obsessive compulsive disorder

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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychological condition, characterised by high anxiety, which can significantly interfere with normal life.

OCD usually involves having both obsessions i.e. recurring, obtrusive, unwanted thoughts that are experienced and result in unreasonable fears, and compulsions i.e. act or rituals carried out in response to fears caused by the obsessions. A person may however have only obsessive thoughts without their expression as compulsive behaviour.

An individual usually feels less anxious once they have carried out the compulsion.

Failure to complete the compulsion often results in severe anxiety or panic - but continuing to try to live with the rituals often also leads to anxiety or depression.

Examples of compulsions include excessive hand washing, cleaning, counting, checking, touching, arranging, hoarding, measuring, excessive neatness, and repeating tasks or actions.

Examples of obsessions are worrying excessively about germs, contamination, dirt, fearing having harmed others, intrusive sexual thoughts or urges, death and illness.

People with OCD are aware that their compulsions and obsessions are irrational or excessive. Perception of reality is not distorted. However, this knowledge is not sufficient to enable them to stop the obsessions and compulsions.

OCD affects approximately 2% of the population. Males and females are equally affected.Although the symptoms of OCD typically begin during the teenage years or early adulthood, children can develop the condition at earlier ages, even during the preschool years. Research indicates that at least one-third of cases of OCD in adults began in childhood.

There is a higher incidence in people with Tourette's Syndrome with approximately 35-50% of patients having OCD.