OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Definition and symptoms

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is one of the most common personality disorders. It is a pervasive obsession with being in control, with completing a task in order and to perfection. It is thought to affect men more than women.These obsessions and compulsions can be time-consuming, interfere with a person's ability to function in their daily life and create significant distress. Although the exact causes are not known, genetic, biological and stress-related factors may play a role.Effective treatments are available and include medication and psychotherapy techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? People with OCD have a constant need to be in control in order to accomplish a task. They have a precise way of doing things to satisfy their perfectionism. Because of this obsession, they tend to work and accomplish things alone. They are wary of help from others for fear that it will interfere with their precise methods. What are the symptoms of this disorder? Great attention to order and perfectionism People attach great importance to order and perfectionism in various situations. They have a high regard for rules, details, schedules and lists. This personality enables them to carry out their tasks efficiently. Consequences at work These people are determined not to make any mistakes and tend to check their work several times after it has been completed. This obsession can have negative effects on colleagues, as sufferers tend to stop caring about others once they are immersed in their work. They take all tasks personally. They impose rules and detailed lists and get easily irritated when someone else disagrees. How is it treated? This personality disorder is very treatable. Supportive psychotherapy is an effective way of calming or even eliminating the disorder. Patients need to share their fears and suspicions with someone who is willing to listen. The psychotherapist's role will be to help them understand the negative effects that this obsession can have on people. Note that your OCD symptoms may actually seem to get worse when you start therapy. When you start cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), it's not unusual to feel more anxious at first than you did before you started. This is natural and results from the fact that you are finally confronted with a large number of dreaded thoughts, objects or behaviours that you were avoiding before. Don't let this worry you or stop you from continuing with your treatment. It's likely that you'll see an improvement in your symptoms as treatment continues, so don't give up. Make sure you talk openly and honestly with your therapist or mental health professional so that your treatment can be tailored as much as possible to your individual needs.