What is OCD?

OCD is an Anxiety Disorder. In OCD, people experience obsessions — intrusive, recurrent, and unwanted thoughts or impulses that cause severe anxiety and distress. Compulsions are then repetitive actions driven by the obsessions in an effort to neutralize the anxieties.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD is not an uncommon psychological condition. Common obsessions include fear of contamination or illness, losing things or not having them when required. The need for symmetry can be an obsession. Obsessions may sometimes involve sexual, violent or religious themes. Common compulsions include washing/cleaning, checking, arranging, counting, praying, hoarding, etc.

The major known factors for OCD are neurobiological, genetic, cognitive and environmental. It usually begins in childhood or early adulthood. Majority of sufferers are aware that their obsessions are irrational, yet feel helpless. There is also the tendency in OCD to develop depression, which worsens the suffering and complicates the treatment. A disabling disorder that makes its sufferers feel ashamed, OCD can badly affect personal, professional, and social life if left untreated.

With proper treatment, people with OCD can regain control over their lives and feel significant relief from their symptoms. The two main options for treating OCD are psychotherapy and medications which are often used in combination for maximum success.

Psychotherapies for OCD generally include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Support groups. Effective medications used for OCD are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) which is a class of antidepressants.. Other medications like antianxiety and antipsychotic agents can also be used depending upon the nature and severity of the patients’ symptoms.