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      The Truth About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

      The Truth About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

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      Credit: Getty ImagesDo you know someone who washes his hands exactly 12 times before sitting down to eat? Or, can you imagine an extraordinarily superstitious middle-aged man who can't stop obsessing that if he steps on a crack he will die a horrible death? Although these hypothetical scenarios seem humorous, they are good examples of the mental traps that patients with OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, face. Surprisingly, this anxiety disorder strikes more men than you think.

      what is ocd?

      Most people can remember Jack Nicholson's troubled and irascible character, Melvin, from the Hollywood film, As Good As It Gets . Melvin's life is controlled, dominated and practically ruined by his preoccupations (or obsessions) with not stepping on cracks, washing his hands, locking his doors properly, and doing things in a particular order or ordering others to do the same (his rituals/compulsions).

      When it comes to people with OCD, the brain gets hooked on a disturbing thought or idea and can't let go. Because the troubling thoughts loop and malinger beyond the control of the patient, the condition has been compared to a case of "mental hiccups."

      In order to cope with these unwanted thoughts or "obsessions," the patient often develops rituals or "compulsions" to minimize or alleviate the mental distress caused by the troubling thoughts. However, these rituals are only temporary fixes and relief from the obsessions, which wax and wane throughout the entire life of the patient. OCD can become so severe, like in the case of Melvin, that it impedes the individual from holding a job or maintaining stable relationships.

      why does it occur?

      OCD is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain; there is typically a defective uptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brains of those afflicted with the disorder, and there can be some genetic predisposition for the disease. Research suggests that OCD involves problems in communication between the front part of the brain (the orbital cortex) and deeper structures (the basal ganglia). Because of this, the brain develops faulty information processing and results in the incapacitating rituals of OCD.

      who can suffer from it?

      OCD can affect anyone, of any race and in any age group, however, typical age of onset is the late teens or early adulthood. The disease usually appears gradually, over time, and becomes more obvious during the increased independence and pressures of early adulthood. It affects an equal amount of women and men. An NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) survey shows that OCD affects more than 2% of the population, meaning that OCD is more common than such severe mental illnesses as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or panic disorder. OCD tends to be more common in families, with an April 2000 study from Johns Hopkins University showing that the lifetime prevalence of OCD was significantly higher in families with cases versus the general population (11.7% versus 2.7%.)

      Find out about the different types of OCD...

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