OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:
What is it?

People with OCD suffer a great deal of stress and often feel they are helpless victims. OCD is characterised by frequent and intrusive thoughts or images (obsessions) leading to repeated behaviours (compulsions). Obsessions tend to arise from a person’s own mind and they see these thoughts and images as absurd and pointless. These thoughts can be repulsive and obscene. The person neither wants nor welcomes them and tries desperately to either resist or get rid of these thoughts. This can hinder the sufferer from functioning normally. Compulsions on the other hand are behaviours or mental acts that are repetitive or excessive. Examples include excessive hand washing, checking windows and doors are locked at home or mental repetition of numbers in a certain order. These symptoms can disrupt a person’s life.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Symptoms and Examples

Ø Washing - washing hands for hours - so much so that hand...