Browsing: OCD

OCD skin picking, called excoriation disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Health, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), involves the repetitive picking of one’s skin resulting in damage to tissue. People engage in compulsive skin picking in an attempt to relieve some type of emotional distress. Frequently, these people feel a strong, persistent urge to pick their skin, but it’s an unconscious habit for many sufferers. Those suffering from the condition report a feeling of relief or even pleasure following the skin picking behavior.

Certain medical conditions can cause symptoms of OCD and related disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Health, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) recognizes this by creating a new category for Obsessive- Compulsive and Related Disorders Due to Another Medical Condition. This category appears in the chapter on typical obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.

Substance or medication-induced OCD occurs as a direct result of using drugs, such as prescribed medications, illicit substances, alcohol, or exposure to certain toxins. Medications or substances may induce obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms and behaviors while under their influence or upon withdrawal from their use.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder statistics rank the condition in 10th place among all diseases, both physical and mental, that cause disability. This was reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009. According to the latest OCD statistics, experts estimate that 1 to 3 percent of the U.S. population suffers from OCD and 1 in every 200 children has the disorder. Read on for additional OCD facts and statistics.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and teens has become more common in recent years. About one in every 200 American children suffers from OCD (What is OCD?). All children have worries and negative thoughts at times. But children with OCD can’t stop their disturbing thoughts, images, and urges, no matter what they try. These obsessive thoughts tend to drive them to behave in a particular way, repetitively.

OCD and anxiety, OCD and depression, and OCD and ADHD often run together. Did you know people with obsessive-compulsive disorder run a high risk of having comorbid (simultaneous) illnesses, such as OCD and anxiety? Doctors typically check for comorbid disorders in OCD patients. It’s critical that they identify each problem to ensure the best possible treatment outcomes.

Do I have OCD? Perhaps you’ve asked yourself this question, but don’t know what OCD really looks like. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder have repetitive and persistent thoughts, images, or urges that cause intense anxiety and distress. They feel driven to perform either physical or mental acts to reduce anxiety. If they don’t carry out the compulsive behaviors, perfectly, they believe that something bad will happen. It’s easier to understand if you read examples of what goes through the mind of someone with OCD. (Read more about OCD obsessions and compulsions and how they can make life difficult.)

People suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder can get OCD help from a variety of sources. OCD is a chronic mental illness which requires that patients manage and cope with symptoms throughout their lives. If you spend large amounts of time performing rituals in an attempt to stop repetitive thoughts, you need to seek OCD help. This article also contains 4 effective OCD self-help strategies.

OCD support in a group setting can be very helpful, even if you’re satisfactorily managing your obsessive- compulsive disorder symptoms with medication and therapy. Your OCD thoughts and behaviors can worsen if you feel alone and isolated. It’s important to build and maintain a strong support network to empower you and build confidence. An OCD support group can serve as an important reminder that you’re not alone in this struggle.

How to stop OCD symptoms is your primary concern if you’re living with OCD. As you probably already know, many people have trouble dealing with OCD. A number of factors influence the intensity of symptoms in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Remember that up to 80 percent of all people have strange and bizarre thoughts on a regular basis. Since this indicates that having these unwanted thoughts is normal, what really matters is your reaction to them, not the fact that you have them.