Overview
OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder. OCD is marked by repetitive or obsessive thoughts about the physical or spiritual safety of oneself or others. These repetitive thoughts and actions create distress for the individual. Individuals who suffer from OCD are aware of their actions and even that they may not make sense, but feel compelled to act or are extremely anxious if the action is not followed through.
Definition
OCD is an anxiety disorder. Individuals who suffer from OCD have recurring fearful thoughts which prompt the individual perform to repetitive or ritualistic actions. These repetitive actions can occupy much of the individual’s time, resulting in a disturbance in the flow of their daily routine. A thought that one might get sick from the germs on a doorknob may prompt the individual to wash his hands, not just a few times but many times—so much, in fact, that the individual may not enter a room or leave his house.
Facts
OCD is the fourth-most-common psychiatric disorder, after phobias, substance abuse and major depression. OCD affects one in 100 school-aged children. The onset of childhood OCD ranges from age seven to age 12, with the average age of onset at just over 10 years old.
Causes
According to OCD Chicago, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those who have OCD, the cause of OCD in children is relative to the individual’s brain functions. Differences in serotonin and other chemicals that help send messages between brain cells are at the root of the disorder.
For some, genetics seems to play a role in OCD. About 25 percent of individuals who have OCD also have a family member who suffers from the disorder.
Another link to victims of OCD is the onset of symptoms after experiencing a brain injury or a having a strep infection. If symptoms seem to occur overnight, it’s advisable to have a child tested for strep infection.
Symptoms
OCD exhibits itself as compulsive behaviors such as excessive hand washing, bathing or showering, dressing in a precise, determined way, avoiding contaminated or dangerous objects, cleaning household items such as furniture, hoarding, obsessive reading and repeatedly checking that nothing bad has happened to loved ones.
Treatment
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a program in which the therapist addresses the irrational thoughts the individual is having and how to change one’s reaction to these thoughts.
Many medications have proven to help with the symptoms of OCD; however, these anti-depressant prescriptions treat only the symptoms, not the underlying disorder. Once the medication is stopped, the symptoms reoccur. Some of these medications have side effects, which need to be discussed with the family physician.
Another form of treatment for OCD is homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies have minimal side effects, and some remedies address the chemical imbalance in the brain. Anyone considering using homeopathic remedies for a child with OCD needs to discuss the issue with a medical doctor, naturopath or homeopath.
About this Author
Michelle Vermillion Lawrence has worked as a therapist helping children, adolescents and families in individual, group and support therapy. Since 2001 she has shared her experience and knowledge writing for sites such as ehow, LIVESTRONG and Trails.com. Lawrence holds a Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology.
