Notes on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses and the number one mental health problem affecting children, adolescents and adults. According to Children’s Mental Health Ontario, 6.5% of children and youth in Ontario have an anxiety disorder. Other research indicates that at least 1 in 10 children suffer with an anxiety disorder (National Mental Health Association and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.) Left untreated, anxiety interferes with daily routines, leads to impaired functioning and varying levels of distress, sets the stage for the development of other severe problems (i.e., depression) and persists into adulthood. Although quite common, anxiety disorders in children are often overlooked, under-reported or misjudged as behavioral or other problems despite being very treatable.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorders were once thought to be rare. Research now shows that OCD is, in fact, the fourth most common form of "mental illness".

One in 40 to one in 50 people have OCD.

Approximately 600,000 Canadians and 5 million Americans suffer with OCD.

One-third to one-half of adults with OCD report that their onset was in childhood.

OCD in children frequently begins between the ages of 5 to 8 years in boys, and adolescence for girls. It is equally prevalent in males and females.

OCD rarely begins in people 40 years of age and older.

OCD is a chronic condition where distressing and foreign thoughts intrude uncontrollably into consciousness. This evokes mild to piercing distress which drives the sufferer to seek temporary relief by performing "rituals" or some other goal-directed behavior aimed at neutralizing physical, cognitive and emotional distress brought on by the obsession(s).

In certain areas people with OCD have a faulty thought process, erroneous perception of threat, a deficiency in their ability to link and integrate certain concepts, and an abnormaly high expectation that they or someone else will experience an unpleasent or even catastrophic event.

OCD is often a debilitating illness that is frequently misunderstood, underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Sufferers do not want to give in to their OCD, but many are overpowered by the awesome force that strikes from the inside.

The toll that OCD takes on the sufferer, family members and others varies from person to person. The degree of impairment can range from mild to severe and it can be functionally paralyzing.

People with OCD are often so skilled at concealing their obsessions and compulsions that family members may be unaware of their OCD or the actual level of severity.

Most people with OCD suffer for years - 17 on average - before seeking help. They often live with this disorder in secret and feel isolated. In fact, OCD is known as the "Hidden Disorder".

Rarely is the sufferer saddled with OCD alone. Other serious problems usually develop in it's wake. These include Depression and other Anxiety Disorders. Learning Disabilities are also commonly found in this population.

Scientists are certain that stress alone does not usually cause OCD. There is, however, a relationship between the sufferer's stress level and the degree of frequency, intensity and severity of symptoms.

Approximately 25% of people with OCD can recall a specific event that triggered their first episode. This can be the birth of a child, new responsibilities, significant change such as a new job or school, a news item in the media, loss, experiencing something that wouldn't be greatly upsetting to most people, and so forth.

Recent research in neuroscience shows that OCD is a neurobiological disorder. It is not a "mental illness" in the spirit that the term denotes. Rather, OCD results from a glitch in the brain's circuitry.

Current theories indicate that OCD has a physical (biological and chemical) basis. It involves an imbalance in the brain chemical, Seratonin. Seratonin is a neurotransmitter. Disturbance in Seratonin is implicated in a number of other neuropsychiatric and biological disorders such as Depression, Anxiety, ADHD and Tourette's Syndrome.

OCD is usually treatable. It rarely disappears completely but treatment can significantly reduce the intensity, severity and frequency of torment and symptoms.

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry's Expert Consensus Guidelines for the Treatment of OCD and other leading clinicians agree that Behavioral Therapy and medications are the two most effective treatments. Often an integration of the two is required.

With treatment the person can often reclaim their life.

For additional information on Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, please telephone any of the following:

• Clinical Development Resources: (416)784-4221
• Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation: 1-203-315-2190
  

For a leading website on O.C.D visit www.wspsdocs.com where you can view and download articles on O.C.D, Trichotillomania and related disorders. This website also provides you with an excellent list of publications and internet resources.