By:Anthony Martinez

Danny Quach

OCD is a mental disorder in which a person suffers from unwanted thoughts(Obsessions) or rituals(Compulsions)

Usually the person feels like they have no control over their compulsions

Performing rituals only provide the individual with brief relief from the anxiety that the thoughts cause

Having repeated thoughts or images about different things, such as:

fear of germs and dirt Intruders or acts of violence hurting loved ones sexual acts or being overly tidy Often perform the same rituals over and over again such as

taking a shower, locking and unlocking doors, counting, keeping unneeded items.

Usually spend at least 1 hour a day on the thoughts and rituals, which cause distress and get in the way of daily life.

Theories suggest that OCD is based upon an interaction between biological and environmental factors

The biological perspective says that OCD is the cause of insufficient levels of neurotransmitters (seretonin, dopamine, and glutamine) in the brain. OCD can also originate from traumatic experiences as well. An example would be Paul’s experience as an adolescent

Exposure and response prevention- is a behavioral therapy that exposes the individual to whatever triggers their obsessive thoughts and teaches them techniques to avoid performing their compulsive rituals

Anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants can also be used to treat symptoms

About 2% of the U.S. population has OCD in a given year.

OCD typically begins during adolescence or early childhood; at least one-third of the cases of adult OCD began in childhood.

Famous people with OCD are Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Alba, David Beckham, Donald Trump …

http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/h/causes-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder.html

http://www.nmha.org/go/ocd http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/

publications/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-when-unwanted-thoughts-take-over/what-causes-ocd.shtml

http://www.brainphysics.com/ocd.php