Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - an introduction
What is OCD?
People who have OCD experience anxiety or distress from persistent thoughts, images, impulses or ideas which come into their heads automatically and seem impossible to ignore. These thoughts are called 'obsessions', and the distress and anxiety caused by them can only be relieved by carrying out a particular action or ritual (a compulsion), often many, many times. Everyone experiences distressing thoughts from time to time, but when your daily life becomes disrupted by obsessions and rituals this is when OCD is diagnosed.
People with OCD are often very secretive about it, due to feeling guilt, shame or embarrassment about the disturbing thoughts and inappropriate compulsions they are experiencing, and so do not seek help. This is particularly true for men, who feel more pressure than women to portray an image of self-sufficiency and independence and so try to ignore their symptoms of OCD for as long as possible. This fact comes at great dismay to practitioners because the behavioural techniques taught to people with OCD have such high success rates that OCD can be easily overcome with very little relapse.
Other pages about obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Causes of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) at home
Further information about obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
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