Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. The obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions. These obsessions can affect your day-to-day activities and cause a lot of distress. OCD often centers around themes, such as having a fear of being burgled that you may feel the need to check all windows and doors are locked several times before you can leave the house.
SYMPTOMS
- Handwashing until your skin becomes raw
- counting in certain patterns
- checking doors over and over again to make sure they are locked
- checking the stove over and over again to make sure its off
- fear of being contaminated by touching objects others have touched
- unpleasant sexual images
- intense stress when objects aren’t orderly or facing a certain way
- arranging your canned goods to face the same way
- silently repeating a prayer, word or phrase
CAUSES
The causes of OCD are not clear. There is a number of different factors which includes:
- Genetics: The is a certain genetic component that causes OCD. OCD is common in certain biological families. You are more likely to develop OCD if a family member has it.
- Brain chemistry: Some people with OCD have areas of unusually high activity in their brain or low levels of a chemical called serotonin
- Personality: People who are neat, meticulous and methodical are more likely to develop OCD.