Obsessive compulsive disorder

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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic anxiety disorder characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts, or obsessions, and repetitive behaviors or rituals, or compulsions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), OCD affects approximately 2.2 million adults in the United States. It is estimated that 60% of patients with OCD worldwide receive no treatment for their disorder. Patients with OCD use rituals to help control anxiety related to their obsessive thoughts, and these rituals become disruptive to their daily life. While these patients often realize that their obsessions and compulsions are irrational or excessive, they frequently have little or no control over them. Rituals adopted by OCD patients may provide them with transient relief from anxiety, but the rituals do not provide sustained comfort. Frequently, the rituals become so overwhelming that patients are unable to function normally in their daily lives.