Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
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“There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”
Denis Waitley
If you have repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning and you perform them with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away, then you have the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Performing these so-called “rituals”, however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. People with OCD may be plagued by persistent, unwelcome thoughts or images, or by the urgent need to engage in certain “rituals”. They may be obsessed with germs or dirt and wash their hands over and over. They may be filled with doubt and feel the need to check things repeatedly. Most people who have OCD are aware that their obsessions and compulsions are excessive, yet they feel powerless to stop them. Obsessions and compulsions can interfere with a person’s normal routine, schoolwork, job, family, or social activities. Several hours every day may be spent focusing on obsessive thoughts and performing seemingly senseless “rituals”. Trying to concentrate on daily activities may be difficult.
Left untreated, OCD can interfere with all aspects of your life, as well as the lives of the people closest to you.
You can read more about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder at the National Institute of Mental Health (www.nimh.nih.gov, and more specifically at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd) and the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (www.adaa.org) websites.
I may be able to help if you are experiencing obsessions and/or compulsions. I would like to talk with you about your situation. Please contact me at Karen@Psychologist-NH.com.
