Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderObsessive-Compulsive Disorder• Although classified as an anxiety disorder,

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) differs from these disorders in significant ways.

• It is the one anxiety diagnosis that seems to have a clear biological cause. Unlike the other kinds of anxiety disorders, therapy alone isn't much help. Medication is also necessary.

• OCD is a disorder in which the mind is flooded with involuntary thoughts, or in which an individual feels compelled to repeat certain acts over and over again (for example, hand washing).

• This disorder can interfere significantly with everyday living, and usually leads to concern and/or resentment among friends, family, and co-workers.

• A person who suffers from OCD doesn't want the thoughts and doesn't want to do the behaviors. Unfortunately, he or she really can't help it.

• About half the people with OCD report that it began in childhood; most others start in adolescence or early adulthood. OCD affects approximately two percent of the general population.

OCD Case StudyOCD Case Study• Case Study: Bill is 40 years old and works on an

assembly line in an automobile factory. • He is terribly afraid of being contaminated by germs. • He has to wipe down every piece of machinery he

touches with antibacterial wipes. • He thinks about germs constantly while he works. • He avoids shaking hands with others. He won't eat in the

cafeteria. • Bill washes his hands more than a dozen times a day. • He has trouble leaving the bathroom because he isn't

sure he has washed his hands well enough. • Bill is suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder.