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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) consists of either obsessions or compulsions that interfere with normal life functioning. Obsessions are persistent ideas or thoughts or impulses that intrude on your thoughts,
and cause significant distress in your life. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that are designed to reduce anxiety. (Typically the anxiety is caused by obsessions). Approximately 2 percent of the population
develop an obsessive compulsive disorder during their lifetime.
It is important to note that obsessions are not just excessive worrying about real problems, as that would be a generalized anxiety disorder. Also, the person with OCD typically tries to ignore these thoughts and
ideas. Now, an individual with a psychotic disorder may ruminate on a single idea, but without trying to avoid thinking about it, as it does not generate the same kind of personal distress as part of a psychotic
process.
This disorder results in significant distress. Most people with OCD spend a lot of time during the day dealing with either obsessions, compulsions, or both. This
interferes with their normal life functioning, at least to some degree. OCD can develop in childhood, but most often develops in adolescence or young adults.
Intrusive thoughts are very common in the general population. Most of the time, stress leads to intrusive thoughts, and individuals who are depressed are also more likely to develop intrusive thoughts. It appears
that those who develop OCD responses to these intrusive thoughts may have a severe biologically based emotional responses to stress. It should be noted that OCD is very resistant to treatment, and an individual with
OCD will need treatment over an extended period of time.
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