Obsessive compulsive disorders is a chronic anxiety disorder in which the affected individual experiences obsessions as well as compulsions that cause a great deal or distress and interfere with his/her normal functioning in daily life. Everyone experiences minor obsessive thoughts at some point such as if we remembered to turn off the light or lock the door. In obsessive compulsive disorder these thoughts become far more persistent and cause immense anxiety and stress to the individual. Along with the compulsive behavior and rituals associated with these thoughts, the individual’s behavior pattern is greatly affected. Normal and abnormal obsessions and compulsions exist continually but the regularity and force with which they affect the individual and the extent to which they are resisted varies.

Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder: basic criteria

There are a variety of topics around which obsessive thoughts revolve. Obsessions may consist of contamination, fear of harming one’s own self or others and clinical doubt. Other common subjects are concerns about the need for equilibrium, sexual obsessions and religious themes.

Individuals with OCD are compelled to carry out certain acts that often seem absurd and senseless even to them. Most of the time these individuals do not want to perform these acts or rituals but are unable to refrain from doing so.

Compulsive acts are primarily of five types that include cleaning, checking, repeating, ordering and counting.

A number of individuals also exhibit multiple rituals.

Compulsions may urge an individual to perform certain acts on a daily basis such as eating or grooming extremely slowly or have things organized in a symmetrical manner.

Washing rituals may vary from relatively mild ritual like behaviors such as spending 15 to 20 minutes washing one’s hands to more extreme behavior such as washing the hands for hours on a daily basis until they bleed.

Symptoms of Obsessive compulsive disorder

Symptoms of OCD vary from individual to individual and can be elaborate and time consuming. Some of the most common categories and symptoms include:

Fear of contamination: Individuals affected by this disorder may fear human bodily secretions such as saliva, sweat, blood, urine, feces, vomit or mucus. Some of the patients may even fear that the clothes that are washed are unclean or their soap is contaminated.

Performing rituals: These include repetitive hand washing, counting, grooming or obsession with numbers.

Distressing thoughts and fears: These include involuntary thoughts, images and ideas that are extremely unpleasant. They often comprise of performing inappropriate acts at unsuitable moments. They may include sexual obsessions, blasphemous or religious thoughts and aggressions.