- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder that involves obsessions (unwanted and repetitive thoughts/images/urges) as well as compulsions (behaviors or mental acts in response to the obsession)
- An estimated 1.2% of adults in the US have been diagnosed with OCD
- OCD impacts people across all genders at the same rate
- Some common themes or subtypes of OCD
- Moral or Religious Scrupulosity
- Sexual Orientation
- Contamination
- Pedophelia
- Just Right
- Harm
- Order/Symmetry
- Please note that this list is not exhaustive! OCD can latch onto anything.
- It takes an individual an average of 10-17 years from the onset of their symptoms to receive a diagnosis
- OCD symptoms most commonly appear in late teens/early adulthood
- OCD related conditions include Hoarding Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, as well as Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) like Trichotillomania and Dermatillomania
- A family history of OCD can increase one’s risk of developing the disorder
- OCD is chronic, meaning it doesn’t “go away” but can be managed
- OCD can often be comorbid with Depression and ADHD
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy — a more targeted approach under the umbrella of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — in addition to medication can be used to treat OCD
Mollie Albanese
Author
