requested post / What is ocd?

Here are the symptoms of ocd

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
SYMPTOMS
Either obsessions or compulsions:
Obsessions as defined by (1), (2), (3), and (4):

recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress

the thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems

the person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action

the person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind (not imposed from without as in thought insertion)
Compulsions as defined by (1) and (2):


repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly

the behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive
--- And: ---

At some point during course of the disorder, the person has recognized that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable.

Note: This does not apply to children.

The obsessions or compulsions cause marked distress, are time consuming (take more than 1 hour a day), or significantly interfere with the person's normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or usual social activities or relationships.

If another disorder is present, the content of the obsessions or compulsions is not restricted to it.
The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.
resource:http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx25.htm

Here is somemore imfo

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities ... ildren.htm

Yes...it can be in children...

I was doing a ritual when I was 2 according my mother.

Nice difinition...but, it's not like a text book.

Many people have this disorder and have no ritual...just in their minds.

I do mine alone and feel uncomfortable when others are around. Have you ever seen a baby rock his/her self to sleep on the shoulder..back and forth. That's my ritual...43 years old and I still do it and find anxiety plumiting. It's like dance to the Music I listen to.

A ritual is a way of aleviating anxiety! Once they do it...they have some calm and piece...for a while.

Don't mistake OCPD with OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder is slightly different. The person is functional and can contribute to society.

OCD is different. The anxiety is overwhelming. It keeps an individual from being a part of society.

People who don't understand this can understand it if they have an addiction. Drugs, alcohol, smoking... If you don't get it..you get nervous.

The worst is someone who has to do a ritual all the time and can't stop at all.

The most famous OCD idea is MCbeth when the women has to keep washing her hands until they are bare bones.

The least is a women who, before she goes to bed..amrried...checkes all the dorrs to the outside for security. BUt, she has to do it in a certain way that can be masked from your knowledge.

She checks the locked door THREE times on every knob.

Here's a problem and recognizable ritual.

A man goes to work. He goes down the street and stops. He feels anxiety and wonders if he ran over someone...looks back and sees nothing and looks..nothing...Yet,

As he goes on..he goes around the block just to make sure. Over and over again.

The anxiety is hurting someone..the relief is finding nothing.. but, can he function in society?.

No.

Anxiety attacks are common with OCD.

And, you might never know that someone has it...not even themselves.

It takes one to know one!

Anonymous wrote:Yes...it can be in children...

I was doing a ritual when I was 2 according my mother.

Nice difinition...but, it's not like a text book.

Many people have this disorder and have no ritual...just in their minds.

I do mine alone and feel uncomfortable when others are around. Have you ever seen a baby rock his/her self to sleep on the shoulder..back and forth. That's my ritual...43 years old and I still do it and find anxiety plumiting. It's like dance to the Music I listen to.

A ritual is a way of aleviating anxiety! Once they do it...they have some calm and piece...for a while.

Don't mistake OCPD with OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder is slightly different. The person is functional and can contribute to society.

OCD is different. The anxiety is overwhelming. It keeps an individual from being a part of society.

People who don't understand this can understand it if they have an addiction. Drugs, alcohol, smoking... If you don't get it..you get nervous.

The worst is someone who has to do a ritual all the time and can't stop at all.

The most famous OCD idea is MCbeth when the women has to keep washing her hands until they are bare bones.

The least is a women who, before she goes to bed..amrried...checkes all the dorrs to the outside for security. BUt, she has to do it in a certain way that can be masked from your knowledge.

She checks the locked door THREE times on every knob.

Here's a problem and recognizable ritual.

A man goes to work. He goes down the street and stops. He feels anxiety and wonders if he ran over someone...looks back and sees nothing and looks..nothing...Yet,

As he goes on..he goes around the block just to make sure. Over and over again.

The anxiety is hurting someone..the relief is finding nothing.. but, can he function in society?.

No.

Anxiety attacks are common with OCD.

And, you might never know that someone has it...not even themselves.

It takes one to know one!

In later years OCD and OCPD have been defined more accurately. See the OCPD forum.

OCD rituals do happen in children, but, repeated exposure and no one to allow you to know it is a ritual, keeps you blind. It wasn't until I was diagnosed. In the 60's my own MD just sad I was hyper and would grow out of it.

So I never knew! BUt everything else is true!

Thank you both for your topics, I needed to clarify that the section of the post I wrote indicating " this does not apply to children, only meant that portion of the dsm description. Not as a whole, thank you both again for your wonderful and educational and helpful post, you are always appreciated. .

ddee

My mom always tells me I have OCD, but I don't know. I am obsessive about showering, I shower 3 to 4 times a day if I don't get yelled at for it. It looks to me like I can never be clean enough, or my hair is never neat enough. When I go out I always feel people are staring at me and if someone whispers or laughs I get very self concious

In that original definition, you refer to "thought insertion". What is that? Where in professional psychology can I find it discussed?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions), that produce a sense of dread or alarm. Persons then engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions) in an attempt to rid themselves of the obsessive thoughts and calm the anxiety. The problem is that the relief brought about by the compulsions is temporary, and the obsessions and anxiety always return.

If you suffer from OCD you know what it's like to be trapped in a vicious cycle of obsessions - compulsions - relief- obsessions etc.

OBSESSIONS are:
1) Thoughts, impulses or images that are distressing and anxiety provoking
2) Intrusive and persistent
3) Often personally repugnant and occur against one's will

COMPULSIONS are:
1) Conscious behaviors or rituals that are done to alleviate the anxiety caused by the obsessions
2) Carried out even though the person is aware that the behaviors are senseless or excessive

OCD is the fourth most common neuropsychiatric illness in the United States, with as many as 6 million people afflicted. OCD is classed in the family of anxiety disorders, as sufferers experience severe anxiety along with the obsessive thoughts. Anxiety disorders are prolonged exaggerations of our normal reaction to fearful or stressful events, and include panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and obsessive compulsive disorder.

I hope this helps
Maxine xxxx

HI! I look back... and the unnamed man was me and me reply was me... so thank you "from both of us."

Cause it's me.

OCD.

1. Obsessive
2. Compulsive
3. Disorder

I think I put this down. But, as a fellow sufferer for those who wonder if they have this... the best explaination is these three things.

Obsessive:

Let's say that the house, room or such is not clean enough? So you find yourself constantly making sure it's clean. But, you really have any concrete idea why? You just have to have it CLEAN.

So the house is clean... and your comfortable... until you see something that shouldn't be there. Something. It could be dirt. Posssibly that... but...IT DOESN"T belong their. So sweep it up. Possibley the neighbors or a family memember comes over. Can you imagine a neighbor coming and seeing that... saying what nis that... giving you a critical eye... THAT? Yet, in actuality, the neighbor doesn't even notice... but the gaze was near it.

Obsessive. Fueled by what others might think.

You go to school. The last thing you want to do is go in the school shower. Yet the girls tease you. They always are saying, "your not good enough," because a girl told you... you were dirty... not good enough for the rest. So, You must wash your hands. You must take a lot of showers. You can't help yourself. You must wash.

Wahing hands... taking showers or baths. Your skin and hair is dried out...I must look ugly, and you know this, but if I am unclean... I must keep doing this...

Compulsive... must do something about it... So I must do this stuff...

Disorder. You need help. You have OCD.

Treating it needs professional treatment. But one of the things you neede is a sensational treat ment that goes backward.

OK. You must wash your hands. What if don't. How far can you go without doing it...and what is the outcome? I must shower. I am unclean... Stop and see what happens.

(What I just said is not for Post Tramatic Stress. It needs a different approach.) I can do that...yes, but I am on this topic.

The outcome is to make sensations less. So you can eventually stop or just stop what happens when you feel you really need to do these things.

OCD... IS repetative. Something over and over. The cure is hard but not impossible. There are meds... but, they only work half way... but now I am getting into physicians stuff... not me... because I was worned... Hop[efully some qualified will come in...

Say that I knew someone who applied a tube of chapstick to their lips every 5-10 minutes. Would that be OCD? Oh, and they've done it for 3 years now.

It's a good possibility. If she has been putting chapstick on in the manner you have spoke about, it's possible.

To find out? Ask her if she can use the chapstick and put it in your pocket. say you lips are dry and you're just borrowing it. Tell her she will give it back after being together.

If she get proccupied, as if all she can think about, it's chapstick. If she won't give it up, that could also be a sign.

Using chapstick the way she does could mean she has a ritual. If take away part of the ritual, then the person anxious If she isa "neat freek." If she constantly brushes her hait so many times brfore bed. Does she check alll outside doors at home exacly 3 times a day.

We all hear of the begies, like the lady who washed her hand until they were practically, but a ritual is something a person does, and if not able to do it, anxiety happens. The action is like a comfort pillow.