Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by a need to perform certain compulsions or rituals, causing severe distress and interfering with daily functioning. Frequently, the compulsions or rituals are unrealistic or irrational. Although OCD presents very differently in every patient, examples may include:
- Repeatedly checking something, such as messages on an answering machine or settings on an alarm clock
- The need to keep things in a certain order
- Excessive hand washing or hoarding
- Counting or repeating words to oneself
Did you know…that obsessive compulsive disorder affects 1 in 100 U.S. adults each year? Of those, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that approximately 50 percent suffer from a severe form of the disorder. Although OCD can affect anyone at nearly any age, it is most prevalent among adults between the ages of 18 and 44. The average age for the onset of OCD is 19. |