OCD is a hidden disorder as many of the patients suffering from OCD take years to come forth and seek treatment or help for their illness. The prevalence of OCD is 2-3% in general population.

Obsessions are repetitive thoughts, images or urges which are unwanted and not pleasurable. These are perceived by the patient and causes marked anxiety and distress. To reduce that anxiety and distress, the person performs compulsions which are repetitive behaviours or mental acts.

Common presenting symptoms are

– Obsession of contamination and dirt. Person may show excessive concern about dust or feel that his hands are getting contaminated by germs every time he touches any surface, even if it is clean. So he washes hands again and again with soap and for long duration. Immediately after washing hands the person may feel that his hands are again dirty or they have not get cleaned properly. The person may feel anyone coming to home from outside is bring contaminants and dirt from outside. So the person takes bath every-time he is coming home from outside or making other take bath every-time anyone is coming home from outside. A person washing clothes or utensils may feel that even after one or two washes the clothes or utensils are dirty. The person may wash them 4-5 times in a row and take hours cleaning and washing them.

– Obsession of doubt. A person leaving from home may doubt that he has not locked the door. Normally the doubt will go after checking once. But in OCD the person will go to check the lock many times. A person may also have doubt that the stove or the water geyser is not switched off and he keeps checking it again and again.

– Blasphemy. A person will have fear that he may utter insulting words or think inappropriately about Godly figures. To reduce the fear or distress, he may take God’s name 108 times in his mind or count from 1 to 20 in his mind.

– Other symptoms may include fear of harming self or others; fear of acting on unwanted impulses; excessive concern with illnesses and diseases; excessive need for symmetry.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

Consult a psychiatrist for proper diagnosis. Treatment includes medications and psychotherapy.