OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder



Introduction

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is now the disease which is commonly present in people. This is the disorder which is found in 1 person in 40, making it twice as common as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This is also the 4th most frequent psychiatric disorder. This is the disorder which is occurring in both males and females with the same ratio. The people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder do not even realize for many years that they are having such disorder. The intensity of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder varies from person to person. It starts gradually that is it goes from mild to high level. The normal life of a person suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder affected greatly (Baer, 2000).

In this age of speed everyone has some worries at school, work; home etc but people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder becomes consumed by worries. These worries are not normal like normal individuals but they are pretending the problems. The problems which make them worried are not real problems. These are called “Obsessions”. These are intrusive thoughts, perceptions and pictures in mind that comes in focus again and again. The people suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, knows that the obsessions or the problems they are facing are not real and are the creations of their own mind, but they are unable to control them. They feel absurd about their worries and try to ignore them but are not capable of doing so (Baer, 2000).

Predisposing Factors

There are many factors which increase the factors of risk in developing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. These are the factors which increase the chances of the person to eventually get the disorder. These factors include age, family, history, behaviors etc.

Age-The factor of age is proven to be a big and prominent factor like in late adolescence the risk of getting Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is greatest. The risk factor of getting Obsessive Compulsive Disorder drops with the increase in age (Beyette, 2005).

Gender- The risk of getting Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is same in both males and females but the male children has the greater risk to get Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. However, in puberty the risk factors become the same for both male and female. However, males have some different sort of obsessions and females have some different obsessions. The males are more obsessed with the matters like exactness, symmetry and sexuality and females are more likely to have issues on contaminating and cleaning (Beyette, 2005).

Genetics - Genes play a major part in recognizing the risk one has for the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. About fifty percent of the risk in developing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is identified and determined by the genes one have. The history of parents or other immediate family members with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is very risky. Closer the relation with family member, greater the chance of getting disorder.

Life Events-The events which are stressful and plays a traumatic role in the life of the individual may bring the person towards Obsessive Compulsive ...