The Truth about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

In many ways, people that suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder are like Feng Shui followers. The difference is that people with OCD seek peace and contentment with where they are and what they are doing; feng shui followers seek good luck and prosperity.

If you are not familiar with obsessive compulsive disorder, you surely do not understand the complexity of it.  It is characterized as an anxiety disorder that manifests itself as the presence of persistent and obsessive ideas, thoughts, and images. Unfortunately, these obsessive ideas, thoughts and images will eventually lead to haywire impulses and irrational behaviors.   Currently it is estimated that over 5 million people in the United States suffer from this mental disorder and the figures go up each year. 
A reality of many OCD sufferers is that they have the hardest time doing the simplest of activities in day to day life.  In other words, they have to check and recheck and recheck again, the same objects day in and day out.  Take for example when someone with OCD leaves a room.  They cannot simply leave the room and shut the door, they must look back to make sure everything is exactly they way they envision it.  The looking back then turns into re-straightening objects, rechecking door locks, and the list goes on.  There is no peace of mind, which is ironically exactly what they seek.
 
In many ways, people that suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder are like Feng Shui followers.  The difference is that people with OCD seek peace and contentment with where they are and what they are doing; feng shui followers seek good luck and prosperity.  The resemblance however is that no matter if you have OCD or practice feng shui, daily habits turn into rituals that just happen.

Bipolar Disorder Perhaps this is because when many people think of OCD they think of a person that is obsessed with cleanliness, many times to ridiculous extremes such as washing your hands with a bar of soap once and then disposing of it. A person that suffers from this form of OCD feels the need to clean and re-clean their bodies, their belongings and everything around them all of the time. They view themselves as vulnerable to everything they come in contact with. In other words, sickness and disease is lurking everywhere and if they don't wash it, they will get sick from it. Another facet of obsessive compulsive disorder is the need to check and recheck everything they do. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptoms

 
What many people may not realize about OCD is that it is extremely tiring, both in body and mind.  Because of the constant brain activity throughout the day, people with OCD can find themselves walking zombies half the time.  Sometimes people with OCD appear to have other problems rather than just OCD.  This is probably because many OCD sufferers appear to be in their own world most of the time or are seen demonstrating irrational behaviors out in public.  OCD sufferers have the busiest minds in the world, and to them no matter what they do their mind won't slow down.
 
I once heard the saying that OCD murders the mind.  That is very alarming.  Sufferers with OCD tell stories of how torturous the repetitive, compulsive thoughts are.  They often admit that suicidal thoughts and thoughts of hurting others are often very real and a very scary reality.  Sufferers become trapped in a world where they feel they have no escape and where the outside world thinks they are crazy.   Most admit that the onset started in their teens, sometimes even as early as preschool.   

The truth of the matter is that all people with OCD are different, but they all battle the same enemy, obsessive thinking.  No matter if you have the checking mentality, a cleanliness obsession, the hoarding mentality or a out of control neat freak, the reality is that you can drive yourself crazy just living your day to day life.  

Obsessive Compulsive Behavior

09/02/2008
Newsweek: How to treat sex addiction (MSNBC)
A sex-addiction expert talks about what exactly constitutes sex addiction and how therapists go about treating it.

Newsweek: How to treat sex addiction (MSNBC)

09/04/2008
UC Irvine Extension Introduces "Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Other Anxiety Disorders" (Centre Daily Times)
Millions of children across the United States suffer from disorders such as Tourette's Syndrome and anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - conditions which often affect their performance in school on both social and academic levels. In an effort to foster educator recognition of symptoms in the school setting, and an understanding of the impact of these disorders on ...

UC Irvine Extension Introduces "Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Other Anxiety Disorders" (Centre Daily Times)

09/01/2008
Treat obsessive- compulsive dogs with distractions (Asbury Park Press)
Q: You once wrote about a dog that you believe was taken away too soon from the mother and would constantly lick any material he walked on. Does this habit correct itself in time? Or will it last forever?

Treat obsessive- compulsive dogs with distractions (Asbury Park Press)

09/06/2008
University Of California Irvine Extension Introduces "Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Other ... (Medical News Today)
Millions of children across the United States suffer from disorders such as Tourette's Syndrome and anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - conditions which often affect their performance in school on both social and academic levels.

University Of California Irvine Extension Introduces "Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Other ... (Medical News Today)

09/04/2008
UC Irvine Extension Introduces "Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Other Anxiety Disorders" (Centre Daily Times)
Millions of children across the United States suffer from disorders such as Tourette's Syndrome and anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - conditions which often affect their performance in school on both social and academic levels. In an effort to foster educator recognition of symptoms in the school setting, and an understanding of the impact of these disorders on ...

UC Irvine Extension Introduces "Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Other Anxiety Disorders" (Centre Daily Times)

09/06/2008
GOP women's club meeting Monday (Middletown Journal)
FAIRFIELD TWP. — The Butler County Republican Women's Club will hold its monthly meeting 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, at GOP Headquarters, 5964 Golf Club Lane. All Republican women and guests are invited to attend.

GOP women's club meeting Monday (Middletown Journal)

09/06/2008
No Sympathy for the Sex Addict (New York Times)
Hollywood has shown little tact in portraying people diagnosed with sex addiction.

No Sympathy for the Sex Addict (New York Times)

09/06/2008
GOP women's club meeting Monday (Middletown Journal)
FAIRFIELD TWP. — The Butler County Republican Women's Club will hold its monthly meeting 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, at GOP Headquarters, 5964 Golf Club Lane. All Republican women and guests are invited to attend.

GOP women's club meeting Monday (Middletown Journal)