Search Results for: obsessive compulsive disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – Could It Be In Your Genes?

Sometimes, I like to joke around and say that I did not inherit the “clean gene” because housekeeping does not come naturally to me. While keeping a tidy home may be second nature for some people, I actually have to work pretty hard at it. Did you know that for the most part, your housekeeping behaviors are most likely influenced in large part by the home environment that you grew up in and not by genetics? For individuals that suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, however, the concept of the “clean gene” has some truth to it and it is no … Continue reading →

New Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Compulsive Shopping

A study performed to determine how many people shop compulsively found that almost as many men suffer from compulsive shopping as women do. The American Journal of Psychiatry published an editorial discussing whether compulsive buying is really a disorder, or whether it is really compulsive. Compulsive buying involves buying items you don’t need. Basically compulsive shoppers get a “high” from browsing for deals, or for items they think they need. A good indicator of shopping becoming compulsive is when you feel remorse after buying the product, you realize you don’t really need it and it will likely not be used. … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Difficulties for the Family

While being a sufferer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be extraordinarily difficult, it can also be extremely frustrating for family members who share the same household as the sufferer. Take the case of Maggie whose mother suffers from OCD. Maggie is in her late fifties and her mother is 87. Although she has long left the family home, the shadow of her mother’s OCD hangs over her like a shroud. Every visit to her mother’s is fraught with frustration and anger. She either tries to keep her temper when her aging mother insists on doing things her way, which involves … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder: Diagnostic Criteria

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The anecdotal stories of Terry and Shaun, both sufferers of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder have been discussed in previous articles. The links to both are listed at the end of this article. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) differs from its better known near-namesake Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which is one of the anxiety disorders. In contrast, OCPD is one of the personality disorders and is included in the same category as other personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personal disorder and several others. OCPD is a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness and perfection at the expense of … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (2)

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In the previous article on this disorder (see link below) we looked at the story of Terry, an intelligent postgrad student whose career had stalled and marriage was failing due to the presence of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). As explained in the previous article, OCPD is unrelated to the more well-known obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) which commonly involves behaviors driven by obsessive thoughts, such as repeated hand washing and checking of locks on doors and windows. Today we look at the case of Shaun who possesses many of the characteristics of Terry. His preoccupation with his job and the minute details … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (1)

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This personality disorder is not related to the similarly-named condition known as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The latter disorder is one of the anxiety disorders while today’s article describes a more pervasive personality disorder. Links to the more commonly-known obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are listed below. Terry is a typical sufferer of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). A gifted scholar, Terry has been doing post-graduate study at the same university at which he graduated over nine years ago. He has a set routine every morning, rising at the same time and completing a series of morning tasks such as reading the newspaper, taking a … Continue reading →

Living with a Person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Sharing a household with a person suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is not easy. It is not uncommon for family members to believe that the sufferer is just “picky” and stubborn and therefore unnecessary arguments and stress results, not only for the co-habiter but for the sufferer as well. Fiona’s husband, Steve, had no idea that his wife had OCD. He had never heard of it. Yet when his wife checked the windows every night before going to bed, even when she knew some of them hadn’t even been opened, he complained. When she checked the dials on the oven … Continue reading →

Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder: Diagnostic Criteria

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This article follows on from previous discussions of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Large epidemiological studies of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) rate the prevalence of the condition at roughly 2.6% of the population. Like most anxiety disorders, OCD varies in intensity both from person to person, as well as over time. Hence a single individual may experience a waxing and waning of the condition over a lifetime, with periods of increased stress usually resulting in an increase in obsessive-compulsive activities. The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic guidelines require that a person satisfy all of the following criteria for an accurate diagnosis of this condition: A. Obsessions are … Continue reading →

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Children?

It’s common for children to get anxious about various things they face in their lives. A normal amount of worry can help motivate a child to complete a task, try his best in a performace, use caution in a dangerous situation, or show empathy for others. Worry is a natural human emotion. However, kids with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)are ruled by anxiety and worry. Not only is the amount of anxiety they experience unnatural, but the fears themselves are often absurd. For example, a child with OCD might worry that her bus will crash if she doesn’t sit in precisely the … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Causes and Treatment

Approximately 1 in 50 people suffer from this debilitating disorder to some degree, with the majority of sufferers being female. We all have doubts from time to time about whether we turned the iron off or not, and we may even take steps to check if we actually did switch the iron off. But why do some of us go on to develop this disorder and not others? One theory states that early life experiences may lead the sufferer to believe that some thoughts are unacceptable. This is common is households where discussions about sex are prohibited and the child … Continue reading →