Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Know symptoms and causes

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, refers to an anxiety disorder that causes extreme discomfort. Sufferers get recurrent impulses, thoughts and images that are not wanted. Sufferers who fear contamination may take baths and wash their hands a number of times throughout the day and may be obsessed with cleaning every corner of their home to ensure it is free from germs. As far as the causes of the condition are concerned, it is a tendency that runs in families. This behaviour can be learned from habits you may have developed during childhood or over a period of time. Obsessions remain constant on a person’s mind and may get triggered because of physical objects.

What are the symptoms?

OCD consists of two main types of symptoms: obsessions and compulsions. Many people living with OCD deal with both obsessions and compulsions, but some people may experience just one of them.

These symptoms are not temporary. Even milder symptoms may last for at least an hour each day and significantly have an impact on your day-to-day activities.

Obsessions or compulsions have an impact on your ability to pay attention to your work. They could even keep you from going to work or anywhere else.

OCD symptoms include repetitive behaviours that make you feel driven to perform. These repetitive behaviours reduce the anxiety linked to your obsessions to prevent something bad from happening. Engaging in compulsions only gives a temporary relief from anxiety.

The unwanted and intrusive thoughts keep coming back, no matter how hard you want to ignore or suppress them. This makes a person believe that they might be true, or may come to be true, if you do not take steps to prevent them.

The severity of this disorder differs from individual to individual. If your obsessions and compulsions are having an impact on the quality of your life, you should see your doctor.

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