Heres some info I found for you:
For those of you who don't know what OCD is, it's a neurological Anxiety Disorder that may have genetic origins and is caused by an imbalance of Serotonin.
When the Serotonin levels are imbalanced, the messages that go from one part of the Brain to the other are messed up, resulting in repetitive "worry thoughts" over and over - sort of like a CD skipping!
These repetitive "worry thoughts" are known as OBSESSIONS and they drive people experiencing them to act out time-consuming rituals known as COMPULSIONS.
To sum up, OCD is like having your worst fears in life, the things that you hate the most and that make you feel absolutely terrified, constantly put in front of you and placed at the front of your mind. This means that there seems to be no escape from them and, whether you like it or not, you are continually made aware of and feel threatened and in danger from them.
www.healthyplace.com/Communities/ocd/sandra/signs_symptoms.htmDoes Your Child Have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
cont.
Signs of OCD in Children
Recognizing OCD in children is often difficult because they become adept at hiding the behaviors. It's not uncommon for a child to engage in ritualistic behavior for months, or even years, before parents know about it.
Kids try to contain their thoughts or behaviors, and this creates anxiety," says David Sheslow, PhD, a pediatric psychologist. ...........This is when the parents become concerned. Even then, parents typically know of only some of their child's ritual thoughts and behaviors.
Parents can look for the following possible signs of OCD:
* raw, chapped hands from constant washing
* unusually high rate of soap or paper towel usage
* high, unexplained utility bills
* a sudden drop in test grades
* unproductive hours spent doing homework
* holes erased through test papers and homework
* requests for family members to repeat strange phrases or keep answering the same question
* a persistent fear of illness
* a dramatic increase in laundry
* an exceptionally long amount of time spent getting ready for bed
* a continual fear that something terrible will happen to someone
* constant checks of the health of family members
* reluctance to leave the house at the same time as other family members
www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Anxiety/children_ocd_5.aspWhat are obsessions?
Obsessions are involuntary, seemingly uncontrollable thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again in a person’s mind. The person does not want to have these ideas, finds them disturbing and intrusive, and usually recognizes that they don’t really make sense. They commonly crop up when someone is trying to focus on an intentional thought or activity.
What are compulsions?
A compulsion is a repetitive behavior – a ritual – that a person feels driven to do and cannot seem to stop doing. Compulsions represent an attempt to manage an obsession by doing something to resolve it. For example, if someone is obsessed with being contaminated, that person might develop elaborate hand-washing rituals. If an obsessive worry is whether or not the door was locked, then a compulsive response might be to check the lock a certain number of times before leaving the house or going to bed.
The ritual is meant to bring relief from the anxiety caused by the obsession, though the ritual itself can cause anxiety if it becomes too demanding or time-consuming. Even if the ritual eases the discomfort caused by the obsession, it will probably return, and the person with OCD feels compelled to repeat the behaviors over and over again.
What treatment is available for OCD?
OCD is not usually curable, but it is highly treatable, in that effective treatment can greatly reduce the occurrence of obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals. A combination of behavior therapy and medication seems to offer the best long-term improvement.
www.helpguide.org/mental/obsessive_compulsive_disorder_ocd.htm
I was about to conquer the world but then I got distracted by something shiny.
