Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

For information about OCD: 1.800.NEWS.4.OCD

Government Resources

OCD Ritual Behaviours explained from NIMH

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm#anx3

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, involves anxious thoughts or rituals you feel you can't control. If you have OCD, you may be plagued by persistent, unwelcome thoughts or images, or by the urgent need to engage in certain rituals.

You may be obsessed with germs or dirt, so you wash your hands over and over. You may be filled with doubt and feel the need to check things repeatedly. You may have frequent thoughts of violence, and fear that you will harm people close to you. You may spend long periods touching things or counting; you may be pre-occupied by order or symmetry; you may have persistent thoughts of performing sexual acts that are repugnant to you; or you may be troubled by thoughts that are against your religious beliefs.

Non-profit resources

OCF - The Obsessive - Compulsive Foundation

http://www.ocfoundation.org/

The Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation (OCF), with more than 10,000 members, is an international not-for-profit organization composed of people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders, their families, friends, professionals and other concerned individuals.
Founded by a group of individuals with OCD in 1986, the mission of the OCF is to educate the public and professional communities about OCD and related disorders; to provide assistance to individuals with OCD and related disorders, their family and friends; and to support research into the causes and effective treatments of OCD and related disorders.

For further information on OCD click here

References:

Rufer, M.; Fricke, S.; Moritz, S.; Kloss, M.; Hand, I (2006). Symptom dimensions in obsessive–compulsive disorder: prediction of cognitive-behavior therapy outcome. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 113 (5), p440-446. link

Hasler, Gregor; LaSalle-Ricci, V. Holland; Ronquillo, Jonne G.; Crawley, Sarah A.; Cochran, Lauren W.; Kazuba, Diane; Greenberg, Benjamin D.; Murphy, Dennis L. (2005). Obsessive–compulsive disorder symptom dimensions show specific relationships to psychiatric comorbidity. Psychiatry Research, 135 (2), p121-132, 12p.link

Quote:

"Factor I (aggressive, sexual, religious and somatic obsessions, and checking compulsions) was broadly associated with comorbid anxiety disorders and depression; Factor II (obsessions of symmetry, and repeating, counting and ordering/arranging compulsions) with bipolar disorders and panic disorder/agoraphobia; and Factor III (contamination obsessions and cleaning compulsions) with eating disorders. Factors I and II were associated with early onset OCD."

Fairbrother, Nichole; Newth, Sarah J.; Rachman, S. (2005). Mental pollution: feelings of dirtiness without physical contact. Behaviour Research & Therapy, 43 (1), p121-130, 10p.link

Lochner, Christine; Du Toit, Pieter L.; Zungu-Dirwayi, Nompumelelo; Marais, Adele; Van Kradenburg, Jeanine; Seedat, Soraya; Niehaus, Dana J. H.; Stein, Dan J. (2002). Childhood trauma in obsessive-compulsive disorder, trichotillomania, and controls. Depression & Anxiety (John Wiley & Sons Inc.), 2002, Vol. 15 Issue 2, p66-68.