Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

The number of people suffering from mental illnesses is incalculable. However, based on the percentage of sufferers that actually seek medical treatment, doctors and researchers predict that the number of those affected by mental illnesses is in the hundreds of millions. There are several types of mental illnesses. These include common problems such as social anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental illness that affects approximately 3% of the American population. OCD may occur at any age, and affects both males and females equally. The onset of obsessive compulsive disorder is typically between the ages of 6 and 20.


What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?


Obsessive compulsive disorder is a potentially debilitating disorder which is characterized by two features: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions consist of experiencing continual undesirable or disturbing thoughts. Individuals with OCD may believe that another person is stalking them or that someone is trying to harm them. Compulsive behavior associated with OCD may include persistent hand washing or constant re-checking to ensure that doors and windows are locked. For the most part, individuals that suffer from OCD are aware of their condition. However, because of extreme anxiety they are unable to control their impulses. Rituals preformed may even serve to lessen ordinary anxiety.


Risk Factors or Causes of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder


Researchers are unable to exactly pinpoint the root of mental illnesses, or the cause of obsessive compulsive disorder. Individuals who have lived through a traumatic experience may develop one of the many forms of mental illnesses. On the other hand, it appears that a large percentage of those suffering with mental illnesses have not undergone some life altering event. The mental condition was either present at birth, or developed gradually throughout the years. Risk factors that place a person at greater risk for developing OCD include genetics, environmental factors, and postpartum depression.