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that certain
thoughts are
dangerous or
unacceptable.
Brain imaging
studies using
a technique called
positron emission
tomography (PET)
have compared
people with and
without OCD.
Those with OCD
have patterns
of brain activity
that differ from
people with other
mental illnesses
or people with
no mental illness
at all. In addition,
PET scans show
that in patients
with OCD, both
behavioral therapy
and medication
produce changes
in the striatum.
This is graphic
evidence that
both psychotherapy
and medication
affect the brain.
How
is OCD diagnosed?
It
is important
to have a medical
professional
diagnose OCD.
The medical professionals
use the Diagnostic
and Statistical
Manual (DSM)
to diagnose OCD.
How
Common Is OCD?
-
About
2.3
percent of
the U.S.
population
ages
18 to 54--approximately
3.3 million
Americans--has
OCD in
a given year.
-
OCD affects
men and women
equally.
-
OCD
typically
begins during
adolescence
or early
childhood;
at least
one-third
of the cases
of adult
OCD began
in childhood.
-
OCD cost
the U.S.
$8.4
billion in
1990 in social
and economic
losses, nearly
6% of the
total mental
health bill
of $148 billion.
Are
there different
types of OCD?
There
are not different
types per say:
Obsessions:
Thoughts that
increase anxiety and
Compulsions: Actions
that decrease anxiety
Can
People With
OCD Also Have
Other Illnesses?
OCD
is sometimes
accompanied by
depression, eating
disorders, substance
abuse, attention
deficit hyperactivity
disorder or other
anxiety disorders.
When a person
also has other
disorders, OCD
is often more
difficult to
diagnose and
treat. Symptoms
of OCD can also
coexist and may
even be part
of a spectrum
of other brain
disorders, such
as Tourette's
Syndrome. Appropriate
diagnosis and
treatment of
other disorders
are important
to successful
treatment of
OCD.
What
Treatments
Are Available
for OCD?
Treatments
for OCD have
been developed
through research
supported by
the NIMH and
other research
institutions.
These treatments,
which combine
medications and
behavioral therapy
(a specific type
of psychotherapy),
are often effective.
Several medications
have been proven
effective in
helping people
with OCD: clomipramine,
fluoxetine, fluvoxamine,
sertraline and
paroxetine. If
one drug is not
effective, others
should be tried.
A number of other
medications are
currently being
studied.
A type of behavioral
therapy known
as "exposure
and response
prevention" is
very useful for
treating OCD.
In this approach,
a person is deliberately
and voluntarily
exposed to whatever
triggers the
obsessive thoughts,
and then is taught
techniques to
avoid performing
the compulsive
rituals and to
deal with the
anxiety.
Disease
Information
Source: National
Institutes
of Mental Health
(NIMH) and
The St. Luke
Hospital West
Mental Health
Unit.
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