Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

OCD stands for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. A very simple description of OCD is that it is a condition in which an individual experiences recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions.

Obsessions are defined as repetitive thoughts, ideas, or impulses that an individual experiences as inappropriate, intrusive, and unwanted. Compulsions are defined as repetitive behaviors that an individual feels driven to perform in an effort to avoid or decrease the anxiety created by obsessions.

In OCD, obsessions are not just exaggerated fears about real-life situations, and usually are not directly connected to commonplace problems such as normal relationship, academic, or financial concerns. In fact, the individual with OCD is quite often very distressed precisely because he or she recognizes that the thoughts are excessive, irrational and/or inappropriate.

Compulsions may appear in various forms, including recurrent observable behaviors such as hand washing, repetitive "mental compulsions" such as praying rituals, or avoidant behaviors that have an almost phobic quality. Often, these obsessions and compulsions are a source of considerable shame and embarrassment, leading the individual to go to great lengths to hide his or her symptoms. The obsessions and compulsions can be extremely time-consuming, often taking up many hours of a person's day. As a result, OCD frequently causes significant emotional distress, and may greatly interfere with academic and professional functioning, as well as interpersonal relationships.

Some examples of obsessions are:
-exaggerated fears of contamination from contact with people or everyday items
-nagging doubts about having locked the windows or the doors to the home, car, or garage
-excessive concerns about having turned off the stove, hair dryer, coffee pot, or other household appliances
-overwhelming urges to arrange items in a particular order so that they are "just right"
-fears of committing a harmful, violent, sexually inappropriate, immoral, or sacrilegious action

Some examples of compulsions are:
-repeatedly washing hands or showering
-excessively using anti-bacterial cleaning products in an effort to eradicate potential contaminants
-avoiding contact with everyday objects such as sinks, toilets, doorknobs, money, or virtually -anything that an individual could construe as being contaminated
-frequently checking door locks, windows, light switches, electrical outlets, etc.
-unnecessarily arranging the contents of one's desk, closets, cabinets, bookshelves, etc., or straightening household objects such as window blinds or rugs
-hoarding useless items such as old newspapers, magazines, receipts, worn-out clothes, or other objects that most people would perceive as garbage
-repeatedly saying prayers to ensure that one has not or will not commit an unacceptable, inappropriate, or immoral action
-continually seeking assurance from others that one has not or will not commit an unacceptable, inappropriate, or immoral action.

Fortunately, OCD treatment has also improved dramatically over the past fifteen years. For many years, OCD was thought to be extremely difficult to treat. However, advances in the field of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) over the past fifteen years have led to the development of a therapeutic approach that is remarkably effective in treating OCD. This treatment, called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), or "exposure therapy", has dramatically altered the therapeutic management of OCD. ERP is far more proactive and less time-consuming than psychoanalysis and other "talk therapies," and has consistently been found by researchers to be the most effective treatment for OCD.