When my daughter was little, she would wash her hands a lot. We might have lightly teased her, saying she was a bit OCD. Then she started to reveal “bad thoughts” that I thought were typical of a child's imagination. I told her that everyone has these thoughts and that they will go away if she ignores them.
That wasn't the case with her. At 21, her emotions were out of control and completely out of proportion to reality. She was diagnosed with OCD, and I finally realized there was nothing “a little” about this condition.
OCD is complex, widely misunderstood, and treatment options are limited. But in recent years, the brain and body mechanisms that cause OCD have finally been uncovered, revealing a complex picture that involves genetics, various brain networks, the immune system, and even gut bacteria. The resulting improved understanding is opening up new possibilities for tackling this life-destroying condition.
Around the world, It is estimated that 1-3% of people suffer from OCD.Obsessional thoughts typically begin during adolescence or early adulthood. As its name suggests, it is characterized by obsessions, or intrusive thoughts, and compulsions, which are habits that cannot be stopped. “Obsessive thoughts capture and dominate our attention because they have become obsessive habits,” says Barbara Sahakian At Cambridge University…
Source: www.newscientist.com
