Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disor-

der that is characterized by the sufferer experiencing repeated

obsessions and/or compulsions that interfere with the per-

son's ability to function socially, occupationally, or education-

ally, either as a result of the amount of time that is consumed

by the symptoms or the marked fear or other distress suffered

by the person. Conventional knowledge is that there are four

types of OCD: obsessions that are aggressive, sexual, reli-

gious or harm-related with checking compulsions; obsessions

about symmetry that are accompanied by arranging or re-

peating compulsions; obsessions of contamination are associ-

ated with cleaning compulsions; and symptoms of hoarding.

An obsession is defined as a thought, impulse, or image that either

recurs or persists and causes severe anxiety. These thoughts are

irresistible to the OCD sufferer despite the person's realizing that

these thoughts are irrational. Examples of obsessions include wor-

ries about germs/cleanliness or about safety or order. A compul-

sion is a ritual/behavior that the individual with OCD engages in

repeatedly, either because of their obsessions or according to a rig-

id set of rules. The aforementioned obsessions may result in com-

pulsions like excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking,

or repeatedly arranging items. Different than compulsions, habits

are behaviors that occur with little to no thought, are repeated

routinely, are not done in response to an obsession, are not partic-

ularly time-consuming, and do not cause stress. Examples of hab-

its include cracking knuckles or storing car keys in a coat pocket.

The diagnosis of OCD has been described in medicine for at

least the past 100 years. Statistics on the number of people in

the United States who have OCD range from 1%-2%, or more

than 2-3 million adults. Interestingly, the frequency with which

it occurs and the symptoms with which it presents are remark-

ably similar, regardless of the culture of the sufferer. The average

age of onset of the disorder is 19 years, although it often begins

during the childhood or the teenage years and usually develops

by 30 years of age. It tends to afflict more males than females.

RE-THIN

KING TH

E UNTH

INKABLE

A STE

P TOO

FAR

10

AN ARRANGEMENT OF DISARRY Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by the sufferer experiencing repeated obsessions and/or compulsions that interfere with theperson’s ability to function socially, occupationally, or educationally, either as a result of the amount of time that is consumed by the symptoms or the marked fear or other distress suffered by the person. Conventional knowledge is that there are four types of OCD: obsessions that are aggressive, sexual, religious or harm-related with checking compulsions; obsessions about symmetry that are accompanied by arranging or repeating compulsions; obsessions of contamination are associated with cleaning compulsions; and symptoms of hoarding.An obsession is defined as a thought, impulse, or image that either recurs orpersists and causes severe anxiety. These thoughts are irresistible to the OCDsufferer despite the person’s realizing that these thoughts are irrational. Examples of obsessions include worries about germs/cleanliness or aboutsafety or order. A compulsion is a ritual/behavior that the individual with OCD engages in repeatedly, either because of their obsessions or according to a rigid set of rules. The aforementioned obsessions may result in compulsions like excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly arranging items. Different than compulsions, habits are behaviors that occur with little to no thought, are repeatedroutinely, are not done in response to an obsession, are not particularly time-consuming, and do not cause stress Examples of habits include cracking knuckles or storing car keys in a coat pocket.The diagnosis of OCD has been described in medicine for at least the past 100 years. Statistics on the number of people in the United States who have OCD range from 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. Interestingly, the frequency with which it occurs and the symptoms with which it presents are remarkably similar, regardless of the culture of the sufferer. The average age of onset of the disorder is 19 years, although it often begins during the childhood or the teenage years and usually develops by 30 years of age. It tends to afflict more males than females. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by the sufferer experiencing repeated obsessions and/or compulsions that interfere with the person’s ability to function socially, occupationally, or educationally, either as a result of the amount of time that is consumed by the symptoms or the marked fear or other distresssuffered by the person. Conventional knowledge is that there are four types of OCD: obsessions that are aggressive,

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by the sufferer experiencing repeated obsessions and/or compulsions that interfere with theperson’s ability to function socially, occupationally, or educationally, either as a result of the amount of time that is consumed by the symptoms or the marked fear or other distress suffered by the person. Conventional knowledge is that there are four types of OCD: obsessions that are aggressive, sexual, religious or harm-related with checking compulsions; obsessions about symmetry that are accompanied by arranging or repeating compulsions; obsessions of contamination are associated with cleaning compulsions; and symptoms of hoarding.An obsession is defined as a thought, impulse, or image that either recurs orpersists and causes severe anxiety. These thoughts are irresistible to the OCDsufferer despite the person’s realizing that these thoughts are irrational. Examples of obsessions include worries about germs/cleanliness or aboutsafety or order. A compulsion is a ritual/behavior that the individual with OCD engages in repeatedly, either because of their obsessions or according to a rigid set of rules. The aforementioned obsessions may result in compulsions like excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly arranging items. Different than compulsions, habits are behaviors that occur with little to no thought, are repeatedroutinely, are not done in response to an obsession, are not particularly time-consuming, and do not cause stress Examples of habits include cracking knuckles or storing car keys in a coat pocket.The diagnosis of OCD has been described in medicine for at least the past 100 years. Statistics on the number of people in the United States who have OCD range from 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. Interestingly, the frequency with which it occurs and the symptoms with which it presents are remarkably similar, regardless of the culture of the sufferer. The average age of onset of the disorder is 19 years, although it often begins during the childhood or the teenage years and usually develops by 30 years of age. It tends to afflict more males than females. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by the sufferer experiencing repeated obsessions and/or compulsions that interfere with the person’s ability to function socially, occupationally, or educationally, either as a result of the amount of time that is consumed by the symptoms or the marked fear or other distresssuffered by the person. Conventional knowledge is that there are four types of OCD: obsessions that are aggressive,

3

Obsess

ive co

mpulsi

ve dis

orde

r

(OCD) i

s an an

xiety

disor

der t

hat

is ch

aracte

rized

by the

suffere

r ex

-

perien

cing

repea

ted ob

sessio

ns an

d/or

compu

lsion

s that

interf

ere with

theper-

son’s

abilit

y to

function

socia

lly, o

ccup

ation

-

ally,

or e

ducat

ionall

y, eit

her as

a res

ult of

the

amou

nt of

time t

hat is

consu

med by

the s

ympto

m

s or

the mark

ed fea

r or

other

distre

ss su

f-

fered

by the

person

. Con

venti

onal

know

ledge

is that

there are

four

types

of OCD:

obses

-

sions

that are

aggre

ssive

, sex

ual, rel

igiou

s or

harm

-relat

ed

with

check

ing co

mpul-

sions;

obses

sions

abou

t sym

metry

that are

acco

mpanied

by arr

angin

g or

repea

ting

com-

pulsi

ons;

obses

sions

of co

ntaminati

on

are

assoc

iated

with

cle

aning

compu

l-

sions;

and

sympto

ms of

hoard

ing.

An obses

sion is

defined

as a

though

t, im

-

pulse

, or

im

age

that eit

her rec

urs or

persist

s an

d cau

ses

severe

an

xiety.

Th

ese

though

ts are

irr

esisti

ble

to the

OCD

suffere

r de

spite

the

person

’s rea

liz-

ing that

these

though

ts are

irr

ation

al.

Exa

mples

of ob

sessio

ns inclu

de

wor-

ries

abou

t ge

rms/c

leanlin

ess

or

abou

t

safety

or

or

der.

A co

mpulsi

on

is a

rit-

ual/be

havior

that

the indiv

idual

with

OCD

enga

ges

in

repea

ted-

ly,

either

becau

se of

their

obses

sions

or

acco

rding

to a

rigid

set

of ru

les.

The

aforem

entio

ned

obses

sions

may

result

in co

mpulsi

ons

like

exces

-

sive

hand

washing,

skin

pickin

g, loc

k

check

ing,

or

repea

tedly

arran

g-

ing ite

ms. Differe

nt than

co

mpulsi

ons,

habits

are

be

havior

s that

occu

r with

lit-

tle

to no

though

t, are

rep

eated

routi

nely,

are

not do

ne in

respon

se

to an

ob

sessio

n, are

not

parti

cular

ly

tim

e-con

suming,

and

do

not cau

se

stress

Exa

mples

of hab

its

include

crac

king k

nuck

les or

storin

g car

keys

in a coa

t poc

ket.

The

diagn

osis

of OCD

has be

en

de-

scribe

d in

medici

ne for

at

least

the pa

st

100

years

. Sta

tistic

s on

the nu

mber

of peo

-

ple in the

United

States

who hav

e OCD

range

from

1%-2%

, or m

ore

than 2

-3 mil-

lion ad

ults.

Inter

estingly

, the

frequ

ency

with which

it occ

urs and t

he sym

ptoms w

ith

which it

prese

nts ar

e rem

arkab

ly sim

ilar,

rega

rdles

s of th

e cultu

re of

the suffer-1

ONE STEP TOO FAR

3 OUT OF 10 PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO HAVE SOME SORT OF COMPULSIVE DISORDER IN THEIR LIFETIME.

Obsess

ive co

mpulsi

ve dis

orde

r

(OCD) i

s an an

xiety

disor

der t

hat

is ch

aracte

rized

by the

suffere

r ex

-

perien

cing

repea

ted ob

sessio

ns an

d/or

compu

lsion

s that

interf

ere with

theper-

son’s

abilit

y to

function

socia

lly, o

ccup

ation

-

ally,

or e

ducat

ionall

y, eit

her as

a res

ult of

the

amou

nt of

time t

hat is

consu

med by

the s

ympto

m

s or

the mark

ed fea

r or

other

distre

ss su

f-

fered

by the

person

. Con

venti

onal

know

ledge

is that

there are

four

types

of OCD:

obses

-

sions

that are

aggre

ssive

, sex

ual, rel

igiou

s or

harm

-relat

ed

with

check

ing co

mpul-

sions;

obses

sions

abou

t sym

metry

that are

acco

mpanied

by arr

angin

g or

repea

ting

com-

pulsi

ons;

obses

sions

of co

ntaminati

on

are

assoc

iated

with

cle

aning

compu

l-

sions;

and

sympto

ms of

hoard

ing.

An obses

sion is

defined

as a

though

t, im

-

pulse

, or

im

age

that eit

her rec

urs or

persist

s an

d cau

ses

severe

an

xiety.

Th

ese

though

ts are

irr

esisti

ble

to the

OCD

suffere

r de

spite

the

person

’s rea

liz-

ing that

these

though

ts are

irr

ation

al.

Exa

mples

of ob

sessio

ns inclu

de

wor-

ries

abou

t ge

rms/c

leanlin

ess

or

abou

t

safety

or

or

der.

A co

mpulsi

on

is a

rit-

ual/be

havior

that

the indiv

idual

with

OCD

enga

ges

in

repea

ted-

ly,

either

becau

se of

their

obses

sions

or

acco

rding

to a

rigid

set

of ru

les.

The

aforem

entio

ned

obses

sions

may

result

in co

mpulsi

ons

like

exces

-

sive

hand

washing,

skin

pickin

g, loc

k

check

ing,

or

repea

tedly

arran

g-

ing ite

ms. Differe

nt than

co

mpulsi

ons,

habits

are

be

havior

s that

occu

r with

lit-

tle

to no

though

t, are

rep

eated

routi

nely,

are

not do

ne in

respon

se

to an

ob

sessio

n, are

not

parti

cular

ly

tim

e-con

suming,

and

do

not cau

se

stress

Exa

mples

of hab

its

include

crac

king k

nuck

les or

storin

g car

keys

in a coa

t poc

ket.

The

diagn

osis

of OCD

has be

en

de-

scribe

d in

medici

ne for

at

least

the pa

st

100

years

. Sta

tistic

s on

the nu

mber

of peo

-

ple in the

United

States

who hav

e OCD

range

from

1%-2%

, or m

ore

than 2

-3 mil-

lion ad

ults.

Inter

estingly

, the

frequ

ency

with which

it occ

urs and t

he sym

ptoms w

ith

which it

prese

nts ar

e rem

arkab

ly sim

ilar,

rega

rdles

s of th

e cultu

re of

the suffer-

ONE STEP TOO FAR

2ity to function socially, occupationally, or educationally, either as a result of the amount of time that is consumed by the symptoms or the marked fear or other distress suffered by the person. Conventional knowledge is that there are four types of OCD: obsessions that are aggressive, sexual, religious or harm-related with checking compulsions; obsessions about symmetry that are accompanied by arranging or repeating compulsions; obsessions of contamination are associated with cleaning compulsions; and symptoms of hoarding.An obsession is defined as a thought, impulse, or image that either recurs orpersists and causes severe anxiety. These thoughts are irresistible to the OCDsufferer despite the person’s realizing that these thoughts are irrational. Examples of obsessions include worries about germs/cleanliness or aboutsafety or order. A compulsion is a ritual/behavior that the individual with OCD engages in repeatedly, either because of their obsessions or according to a rigid set of rules. The aforementioned obsessions may result in compulsions like excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly arranging items. Different than compulsions, habits are behaviors that occur with little to no thought, are repeatedroutinely, are not done in response to an obsession, are not particularly time-consuming, and do not cause stress Examples of habits include cracking knuckles or storing car keys in a coat pocket.The diagnosis of OCD has been described in medicine for at least the past 100 years. Statistics on the number of people in the United States who have OCD range from 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. Interestingly, the frequency with which it occurs and the symptoms with which it presents are remarkably similar, regardless of the culture of the sufferer. The average age of onset of the disorder is 19 years, although it often begins during the childhood or the teenage years and usually develops by 30 years of age. It tends to afflict more males than females. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

2ity to function socially, occupationally, or educationally, either as a result of the amount of time that is consumed by the symptoms or the marked fear or other distress suffered by the person. Conventional knowledge is that there are four types of OCD: obsessions that are aggressive, sexual, religious or harm-related with checking compulsions; obsessions about symmetry that are accompanied by arranging or repeating compulsions; obsessions of contamination are associated with cleaning compulsions; and symptoms of hoarding.An obsession is defined as a thought, impulse, or image that either recurs orpersists and causes severe anxiety. These thoughts are irresistible to the OCDsufferer despite the person’s realizing that these thoughts are irrational. Examples of obsessions include worries about germs/cleanliness or aboutsafety or order. A compulsion is a ritual/behavior that the individual with OCD engages in repeatedly, either because of their obsessions or according to a rigid set of rules. The aforementioned obsessions may result in compulsions like excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly arranging items. Different than compulsions, habits are behaviors that occur with little to no thought, are repeatedroutinely, are not done in response to an obsession, are not particularly time-consuming, and do not cause stress Examples of habits include cracking knuckles or storing car keys in a coat pocket.The diagnosis of OCD has been described in medicine for at least the past 100 years. Statistics on the number of people in the United States who have OCD range from 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. Interestingly, the frequency with which it occurs and the symptoms with which it presents are remarkably similar, regardless of the culture of the sufferer. The average age of onset of the disorder is 19 years, although it often begins during the childhood or the teenage years and usually develops by 30 years of age. It tends to afflict more males than females. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

2 LENSES 2 PERSPECTIVES

not done in response to an obsession, are

not particularly

time-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits in

clude

crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms with which it p

rnot done in response to an obses-

sion, are not partic

ularlytime-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits in

clude

crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms with which it p

rnot done in response to an obses-

sion, are not partic

ularlytime-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits in

clude

crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms with which it p

rnot done in response to an

obsession, are

not particularly

time-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits

include crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms.

not done in response to an obsession, are not particularly time-consuming, and do not cause stress Examples of habits include cracking knuckles or storing car keys in a coat pocket.The diagnosis of OCD has been described in medicine for at least the past 100 years. Statistics on the number of people in the United States who have OCD range from 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. Interestingly, the frequency with which it occurs and the symptoms.

not done in response to an obsession, are

not particularly

time-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits in

clude

crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms with which it p

rnot done in response to an obses-

sion, are not partic

ularlytime-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits in

clude

crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms with which it p

rnot done in response to an obses-

sion, are not partic

ularlytime-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits in

clude

crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms with which it p

rnot done in response to an

obsession, are

not particularly

time-consuming, an

d do not cause stre

ss Examples of habits

include crackin

g knuckle

s or storing ca

r keys in

a coat p

ocket.

The diagnosis o

f OCD has been describ

ed in medicine for at least t

he past

100 years. Statis

tics on the number of people in the United State

s who have OCD

range fro

m 1%-2%, or more than 2-3 million adults. I

nterestingly, the frequency

with which it occurs a

nd the symptoms.