what does it mean to be obsessive-compulsive??

Question

is it serious?

Answer 1

What is obsessive-compulsive disorder?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an illness that causes people to have unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and to repeat certain behaviors (compulsions) over and over again. We all have habits and routines in our daily lives, like brushing our teeth before bed. However, people with OCD have patterns of behavior that get in the way of their daily lives.

Most people with OCD know that their obsessions and compulsions make no sense, but they can't ignore or stop them.

What are obsessions?
Obsessions are ideas, images and impulses that run through the person's mind over and over again. A person with OCD doesn't want to have these thoughts and finds them disturbing, but he or she can't control them. Sometimes these thoughts just come once in a while and are only mildly annoying. Other times, a person with OCD will have obsessive thoughts all the time.

What are compulsions?
Obsessive thoughts make people with OCD feel nervous and afraid. They try to get rid of these feelings by performing certain behaviors according to "rules" that they make up for themselves. These behaviors are called compulsions. (Compulsive behaviors are sometimes also called rituals.) For example, a person with OCD may have obsessive thoughts about being afraid of germs. Because of these thoughts, the person may spend hours washing his or her hands after using a public toilet. Performing these behaviors usually only makes the nervous feelings go away for a short time. When the fear and nervousness return, the person with OCD repeats the routine all over again.

How is OCD treated?
Several medicines are available to treat OCD. These medicines include: clomipramine (brand name: Anafranil), fluoxetine (brand name: Prozac), sertraline (brand name: Zoloft), paroxetine (brand name: Paxil) and fluvoxamine (brand name: Luvox). These drugs can cause side effects such as dry mouth, nausea and drowsiness. Sometimes they also affect a person's sexual performance. It may be several weeks before a person with OCD notices the benefits of his or her medicine.

Under the guidance of a trained therapist, behavioral therapy can also be used to treat OCD. In behavioral therapy, people face situations that produce their obsessions and anxiety. Then they are encouraged not to perform the rituals that usually help control their nervous feelings. For example, a person who is obsessed with germs might be encouraged to use a public toilet without washing his or her hands more than once. To use this method, a person with OCD must be able to tolerate the high levels of anxiety that can result. Over time, behavioral therapy can make the symptoms of OCD go away.

Answer 2

People with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) often are well, obsessive and compulsive. I'll use me for an example. I used to feel like I absolutely had to throw towels over the shower curtain before I showered, if they landed in the back of the shower, I'd have a good day, if not, I'd feel grumpy. I also had a thing about looking at clocks at certain times of the day. My friend has problems typing, when he makes a mistake, he must delete the whole thing he's typing and start again. I'm sort of like that too. I have a hard time finishing anything. OCD often makes it hard to think clearly.

It can be very serious, especially if it interferes with your daily functioning.

Answer 3

OCD is a neurosis that can be fairly serious. It's composed of an obsessive thought which creates mental tension, and the thinker's compulsive behaviors to releive that tension. It can be as simple as a symmetry obsession (for example, feeling anxiety after I scratch an itch on my left arm) and compulsion (having to scratch my right arm in the same place with the same pressure), or the stereotyped OCD behaviors with cleanliness and order, but it can be much more obvious and less socially acceptable. Feeling an uncontrollable desire to touch your nose to every light switch in the house three times before bed, needing to tap yourself on the forehead with the heel of your shoe before you begin speaking, having to turn your clothes inside out after every meal, that sort of thing.
It's not that the sufferer thinks these things are normal or acceptable, it's just that refusing to obey the compulsion makes him feel great amounts of anxiety-- the world seems unbelievably out of balance.

Answer 4

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is recurrent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive acts (compulsions) that makes someones behavior seem unacceptable and irrational. Usually people become obsessed with performing rituals to get through everyday tasks, and if these rituals can't be met they will become extremely anxious and fearful to the point that those feelings control them and consumes them completely.

Answer 5

it means that you are more concerned with certain details that people normally dont worry about. Example- some obsessive compulsives will wash their hands 10 times in a row just because they are worried about germs. It is a serious problem, but can be helped.

Answer 6

That means you keep repeating what you have did before. Deja Vu
Example: they are some people with Obsessive-compulsive who repeat themselves by washing their hands. It's nothing bad. There's some people with OCD who ask the same questions but there's nothing to be ashamed of. I have a mental illness of my own and I'm not ashamed of it.

Answer 7

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), is a condition where someone does certain tasks over and over until they're "perfect". Take Bob Saget for example, he cleans his house to the point where he straigtens the tassels at the edges of rugs.

There is medication that can help for people who have extreme cases, but everyone is OCD to some point. Unless it severly effects your ability to live happily, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Answer 8

adj.

Having a tendency to dwell on unwanted thoughts or perform certain repetitious rituals, especially as a defense against anxiety from unconscious conflicts.
n.
A person who exhibits obsessive-compulsive behavior.

Dictionary.com works everytime. Sad... but that's what I always do.Hopefully this helps you a little bit.

Answer 9

I had a friend who said that she was obsessive-compulsive. She was overly obsessed with cleanliness and order and structure.

That's not the proper definition of it but I've heard that they are symptoms of it. A psychologist would be a better person to tell you.

Answer 10

It's a disorder characterized by a drive to have something a certain way and to repeat (ritualize) behaviors. For example, washing your hands 100 times per day, or making sure that pictures on a shelf are absolutely straight. Dusting the entire house when you see a spec of dust, or being fearful of germs so that it takes over your life. That last part is key: if it takes over your life, it becomes serious and needs treatment. Don't wait.