OCD, think again?

It is probably fair to say that OCD is a mental disorder not often talked about. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say it is often talked about, but not as a serious and potentially disabling mental disorder. Taunts of 'stop being so OCD' or 'that's a bit OCD' are common amongst many groups of young people, especially when someone of a somewhat anxious or precise disposition is present.
So what is OCD really? Mind describe it as an anxiety disorder which combines 'obsession' - a repeated unwanted thought or urge, with 'compulsion' - a repetitive activity you feel you have to do. Common obsessions include fear of contamination, imagining doing harm and excessive doubts. Common compulsions include ordering and arranging, washing and focusing on a number. Far from being very clean or organised in the way you go about day to day life, OCD can be a frightening and intrusive disorder than controls day-to-day living.
The treatment? Well, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) has been seen to have significant positive effects, and some medication including particular antidepressants, but these can have unpleasant side-effects and withdrawal symptoms.

Here's an interesting article from our friends at the BPS on the condition:
http://www.bps.org.uk/news/dr-heather-sequeira-cpsychol-ocd

So far from being a playfully tossed around adjective describing the tidy, anxious or precise, OCD is a real and significant part of people's lives. From the fictional Emma Pillsbury on the programme Glee to the 2% of British people living with the condition - it's real and scary and something perhaps we should appreciate a little more before we retort 'stop being so OCD' quite so loudly...