Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a common, chronic and long lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over. The reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety.

There are various different symptoms that are very common among people with obsessive compulsive disorder. Fear of germs or contamination is common. It is also common for people to experience unwanted forbidden or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, and harm. Aggressive thoughts towards others or themselves are also common. Having things symmetrical or in a perfect order is a very common symptom and is what most people associate with obsessive compulsive disorder.

People with obsessive compulsive disorder also can have schizophrenia which is, a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. There are also common behaviors (compulsions) that are associated with obsessive compulsive disorder. This includes, excessive cleaning or washing, ordering or arranging things in particular way, repeatedly checking things, and compulsive counting.

People commonly think they have obsessive compulsive disorder because they double check a lot of things but it does not mean that they have obsessive compulsive disorder. It is a common thing for people to check things twice; people do not have obsessive compulsive disorder until they can’t control their thoughts or behaviors and spend at least 1 hour a day on these thoughts or behaviors. These thoughts and behaviors have to be causing problems in their daily life and the person doesn’t get any pleasure from performing the behaviors or rituals.

People with obsessive compulsive disorder are treated with different methods such as different medications and different methods of psychotherapy. Medications include fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, and clomipramine. Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant. It affects chemicals that people with some mental disorders have unbalanced amount of. Fluoxetine is also used for people with manic depression is associated with bipolar disorder. Fluoxetine can cause hives, itching, skin rash, inability to sit still, restlessness, and decreased appetite. Fluvoxamine helps decrease thoughts and urges that people with obsessive compulsive disorder get that make it harder to complete normal daily tasks. Fluvoxamine restores the balance of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical nerve cells produce, which sends signals between your nerve cells. Sertraline is used to improve your, mood, sleep, appetite, and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It can also help people with obsessive compulsive disorder by reducing their urge to do repeated tasks. Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.