Obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive

behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning; repeated checking; extreme hoarding; preoccupation with sexual, violent or religious thoughts;relationship related obsessions; aversion to particular numbers; and nervous rituals, such as opening and closing a door a certain number of times before entering or leaving a room. !hese symptoms can be alienating and time consuming, and often cause severe emotional and financial distress. !he acts of those who have "#$ may appear paranoid and potentially psychotic. %owever, "#$ sufferers generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational, and may become further distressed by this realization. "bsessive&compulsive disorder affects children and adolescents as well as adults. 'oughly one third to one half of adults with "#$ report a childhood onset of the disorder, suggesting the continuum of anxiety disorders across the life span. ()* !he phrase obsessive compulsive has become part of the +nglish lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is excessively meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed, or otherwise fixated.(,* -lthough these signs are present in "#$, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have "#$, and may instead have obsessive&compulsivepersonality disorder ("#.$), an autism spectrum disorder, disorders where perseveration is a possible feature (-$%$, .!S$, bodily disorders or habit problems),(/* or no clinical condition. $espite the irrational behaviour, "#$ is sometimes associated with above average intelligence. (0*(1* 2ts sufferers commonly share personality traits such as high attention to detail, avoidance of risk, careful planning, exaggerated sense of responsibility and a tendency to take time in making decisions.(3* 4ultiple psychological and biological factors may be involved in causing obsessive& compulsive syndromes. Standardized rating scales such as 5ale&6rown "bsessive #ompulsive Scale can be used to assess the severity of "#$ symptoms.(7*
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) Signs and symptoms

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).) "bsessions ).).) .urely obsessional )., #ompulsions )./ "vervalued ideas , "ther common comorbidities and "#$ like conditions ,.) #onfounds ,.).) "#$ vs. "#.$ ,.)., "#$ vs. other conditions ,.)./ "#$ comorbidities vs. "#$ conse8uences / #auses

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/.) .sychological /., 6iological /./ 9eurotransmitters role 0 $iagnosis 1 4anagement

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1.) 6ehavioral therapy 1., 4edication

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1./ +lectroconvulsive therapy 1.0 .sychosurgery 1.1 2n children and adolescents 1.3 +xperimental 3 +pidemiology 7 .rognosis

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: %istory

7.) #ognitive performance

; Society and culture )< 'eferences )) =urther reading ), +xternal links