Obsessional Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Severe OCD is uncommon, but people frequently complain of some features of the disorder. Some people have a combination of obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviour. Obsessional thoughts are distressing, repetitive thoughts, that the person knows are his/her own (unlike hallucinations) but cannot ignore; some people describe the experience as being like a 'stuck record'. The individual cannot stop the thoughts, despite knowing that they irrational, useless and distressing. They may be about contamination, violent acts towards others, embarrassing subjects or personal safety.
Compulsions are ritual actions or mental processes which a person feels compelled to repeat in order to relieve anxiety and temporarily stop obsessional thoughts. For example, the person may have an obsessional thought that their hands are dirty and repeatedly wash them over and over again (up to 100 times a day). NB Although violent and sexual thoughts may be present in OCD, and be very distressing, it is extremely rare for people to at on them. In it's most server form, OCD can prevent a person from completing even simple daily tasks, such as washing the dishes. It can take many hours just to get up in the morning if someone is compelled to perform numerous rituals, such as washing their hands 50 times. Treatment involves behavioural therapy and/or cognitive training and is usually at least partially successful in relieving the person's symptoms
