What is obsessive compulsive disorder?

Answer 1

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or "rituals") which attempt to neutralize the obsessions. Thus it is an anxiety disorder. It is listed by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten most disabling illnesses in terms of lost income and diminished quality of life.

Answer 2

There are different levels of obsession involving a compulsion to complete tasks. Some people are greatly affected by this disorder, and then some have only a mild variant of the affliction. Order is very important, a need to control the situation, to keep things categorised in the mind, a need to complete tasks, ritual, need for a sense of accomplishment. Stress contributes to the severity of the disorder, and behaviour modification has been shown to improve moderate to severe cases. Trying to understand the need to have this order, the need to have control, why fear is playing such a part in one's behaviour is part of the treatment plan. I believe that the brain is just wired differently in some people, and behaviour modification can help, but not always cause all compulsions to go away.

Answer 3

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or "rituals") which attempt to neutralize the obsessions. Thus it is an anxiety disorder. It is listed by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten most disabling illnesses in terms of lost income and diminished quality of life.

Answer 4

1.) Martha Stewart
2.) Howard Stern
3.) Howie Mandel
4.) Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets"
5.) Adrian Monk
6.) The ex husband or boyfriend of Julia Roberts in "Sleeping With the Enemy"

These people are great examples of O.C.D. It involves doing things or tasks a certain way to the point of repetitive obsession. For example; To make sure the door was locked, Alfonzo had to check it twenty six times or Because she was afraid of stepping on sidewalk cracks, Liz felt her day was ill-fated.

Answer 5

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric condition characterised by constant and abnormal behaviour that disturbs daily lifestyle.

Obsession = ex....constant thought of feeling unclean or unsafe.
Compulsion = ex.....constantly washing ones hands about 5x or checking to see if the door is locked 5X!

***Remember, Jack Nicholson in the movie 'As good as it gets'? He had OCD!

Answer 6

This is too large a subject to adequately cover here.

OCD can be something as simple as tapping a cigarette 3 times on the table before lighting, to things that severely impact on peoples lives like not being able to enter a building unless they see a bus go past with a bald driver.

These are daft examples, but show the wide range of OCD that is out there

See http://www.ocduk.org/ for better details than anyone on here could supply

Answer 7

it's pretty much the urge to do something and you can't control what your doing. i suppose it could be described as a habit. though of heard of people getting it after a traumatic event:
war
death of a love one etc.
take Grey's anatomy for example. my mum was watching it so i watched it to and this lady, her loved one so she developed the obsessive compulsive disorder of baking muffins to distract her from her ordeal. i think she got over it i wasn't really watching. that lady from bruce jiggaloe europeans biggest giggaloe is a briliant example. kind of severe but brilliant.

Answer 8

It's a disorder that prevents you from stopping certain behaviors, whether you want to do them or not. It includes eating, sex, turning the faucet on and off 5 times every time you use it. Things of that nature.

Answer 9

A psychological condition which can present different behaviours in different cases.
The movie "Good as it Gets" with Jack Nicholson & Helen Hunt is about a man with this condition (Nicholson) who asks the clients in his doctors waiting room "What if THIS is as good as it gets?"
Some behaviours include:
frequent hand washing
repeating a task over and over (like flicking a light switch)
having a certain mindset against certain things (like stepping on cracks)
In general I believe it's the absolute necessity to have things extraordinarily ordered and predictable to be able to cope with day to day living.

Answer 10

some people will do the same thing repeatedly with forgetfulness. they will have a doubt whether he has done it correctly or not. for example a person locks the door and the next moment he gets a doubt whether he locked it perfectly or not and again tests it. some peopkle clean their hands many a times. some people do the same thing repeatedly this is known as o.c.d.