Psychology Facts

▼ OCD ▼

》Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental anxiety disorder which produces repeated thoughts or images about many different things, such as fear of germs, dirt, or intruders; acts of violence; hurting loved ones; sexual acts; or being overly tidy

》The Five main categories of OCD are...

Washers – Scared of germs, so continuously wash something or the other.

Checkers – They check on things multiple times.

Sinners and Doubters – They think that if things aren't perfect, then situations go against them. They are scared of punishment

Arrangers and Counters – They take perfection to a whole new level. Same like sinners and doubters, they think that something will terribly go wrong if they don't follow the order.

Hoarders – They think that if they throw anything away even if it is not useful, they will face troubles.

》Research has shown that OCD may have biochemical roots. According to OCD Chicago, the brain of a person with OCD functions differently than the brain of a normal adult. Some studies have shown that the neurotransmitter serotonin may play a key role in disorder as well.

》There are certain environmental factors which lead to OCD. Some of them are relationship issues, abuse, changes in living conditions or changes in school or at workplace.

》OCD afflicts approximately 2% of the population.

》OCD can start at any age. In one third of adult patients the symptoms begin in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood.

》Although 75% of people who are diagnosed with OCD say that seeking out therapeutic help alleviates some of their symptoms, professional counseling also triggers OCD incidents in 25% of those who seek out help. Another 25% of people will simply drop out of therapy, which is usually cognitive behavioral therapy, because it is considered to difficult to do.

》 More than 2.3% of Americans suffer from OCD at some point in their lives.

》People with OCD sometimes have differences in the frontal cortex and subcortical structures of the brain. As a result, researchers believe that there might be a connection between symptoms and abnormalities in certain areas of the brain. However, that connection is still being studied.

》There are as many children in the US with OCD as there are children with diabetes.

》There is a form of OCD that manifests as intrusive thoughts and fears of molesting children. These thoughts cause extreme distress and the diagnosis of pedophilia has absolutely nothing to do with the diagnosis of OCD.

》The difference between OCD in adults and in children is that children may not be able to realize the reason for their behavior or thoughts (or that their behaviors or thoughts are unusual).

》OCD is treatable, and people who suffer from it can live a normal life

》OCD affects both genders equally. However, there are some differences males have an earlier age of OCD onset. Females have more contamination related to obsession while males have hoarding and sexual fetishes.

》Celebs with OCD:

Camila Cabello

Amanda Seyfried

Katy Perry

Leonardo Di Caprio

Daniel Radcliffe

Frank Sinatra

Donald Trump

Charles Darwin