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Excessive Hand Washing, an OCD Symptom
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can make for an interesting Simpsons character, in real life it is no laughing matter. Individuals who are dealing with the disease experience a diminished quality of life and disruptions to their daily routine.
OCD is a mental health disorder where sufferers perform and repeat rituals, check things over and over, or have certain repetitive thoughts that they cannot control. The process can make an individual feel in control, but sadly, the disease ends up controlling them.
Symptoms can either be obsessive or compulsive. Obsessive behaviors include fear to dirt, germs, making mistakes, embarrassment and the need for constant reassurance. Those thoughts can convert to compulsive behavior including hoarding, excessive bathing or cleaning, not touching doorknobs or eating foods in a ritualistic and hyper-organized manner.
Double-checking that the lights are off and hand washing for a full 20 seconds are common actions; OCD victims take those actions to the extreme. In the OCD world, hours can be lost to checking that stove or excessive hand washing. While watching someone wash, rinse, and repeat and repeat and repeat can cause stress. To the sufferer, the process reduces anxiety and increases comfort.
OCD may be linked to genetics, but it is possible for a person to develop the disease without having a family history of the issue making the disease cause of either biological or environmental factors. The National Institute for Mental Health has indicated that the behavior occurs in the young and the typically diagnosed occurs by the time they turn 19.
It is believed that one percent of the American population suffer intrusive thoughts. Of those 2.2 million citizens, over half of them are dealing with severe forms of the disease.
If someone is acting erratically, taking an OCD screening can help provide peace of mind. Although OCD can be debilitating, the condition can be treated so individuals can lead a full and productive life. Overcoming the obstacle is possible by accepting the disease, seeking and receiving treatment.
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