The University of Florida
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Program
About OCD
What is OCD?
How common is it?
Who is affected and when does it start?
What causes OCD?
What is the course of OCD?
Are other conditions associated with OCD?
How do I know if I have OCD?
How do I know if my child has OCD?
What should I do if I think I have OCD?
How is OCD Treated?
CBT
Medication
Novel Non-Pharmacologic Treatments
A Personal Story: My name is Janis and I have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD as it is termed. I am rather open about my illness and often people ask me what it is like to have it.
How does one describe this chronic illness? Some often use the analogy of one's brain with hiccups. I prefer to think of my brain operating like a broken record: stuck and spinning the same portion of the same tune over and over again.-more…
OBSESSIONS are unwelcome and distressing ideas, thoughts, images or impulses that repeatedly enter your mind. They may seem to occur against your will. They may be repugnant to you, you may recognize them as senseless, and they may not fit your personality or value system.
COMPULSIONS are behaviors or acts that you feel driven to perform even though you may recognize them as senseless or excessive. At times, you may try to resist doing them but this may prove difficult. You may experience anxiety that does not diminish until the behavior is completed.
