How to Overcome Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)is a condition that can have profound effects on its sufferers. Maybe you know someone who suffers with OCD, a family member or friend, a child or have picked up
information from other sources,TV, magazine articles or books etc.

Whatever the source of your knowledge or information it should be obvious that this condition with its rituals and "odd" behaviours is one that causes individuals and their families much stress and anxiety !

So what exactly is OCD ? One definition goes as follows : "Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce anxiety, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, or by combinations of such thoughts obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions). ... "

Further it goes on to say :"people with obsessive compulsive disorder are troubled by intrusive thoughts, images, impulses or doubts. Usually these are also accompanied by compulsions where the person has to either do or think something to make themselves feel better or to prevent bad things from happening."

The obsessive thoughts experienced by the sufferer of OCD lead to compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking, counting, or hoarding. The person becomes trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but very hard to stop.

Most people with obsessive-compulsive disorder fall into one of the following categories:

1)Washers are afraid of contamination. They usually have cleaning or hand-washing compulsions.

2)Checkers repeatedly check things (oven turned off, door locked, etc.) that they associate with harm or danger.

3)Doubters and sinners are afraid that if everything isn't perfect or done just right something terrible will happen or they will be punished.

4)Counters and arrangers are obsessed with order and symmetry. They may have superstitions about certain numbers, colors, or arrangements.

5)Hoarders fear that something bad will happen if they throw anything away. They compulsively hoard things that they don't need or use.

As you might imagine from all these categories OCD is a very limiting condition.With obsessive-compulsive disorder, these thoughts and behaviours cause tremendous distress, take up a lot of time, and interfere with the sufferer's daily routine, job, or relationships.

There are a range of therapies and treatments available to those suffering from OCD from medication, to "talking" and group therapies to alternative therapies such as homeopathy or acupincture. However these are not effective for all people all of the time and often do not get to the "root cauuse" of the condition.

For me it is always important to listen to people who have the "voice of experience" to offer, that is to say someone who has suffered with a condition and has gone on to overcome it. Just such a man is someone who has written a book to detail his story of twenty five years of OCD from childhood until his own ten year long research produced a cure.

This story is especially worth looking at if you have a child suffering with OCD or are an adult whose personal and professional life is being disrupted by the effects of OCD. If you would like to investigate a cure for your or a loved one's OCD today please take a look at The Root Cause.