behandlungsfeld zwangsstoerung 1

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obses­si­ve-com­pul­si­ve dis­or­der (OCD) is a dis­or­der that belongs to the cate­go­ry of men­tal dis­or­ders. It is cha­rac­te­ri­zed by repe­ti­ti­ve unp­lea­sant thoughts or rumi­na­ti­ons, impul­ses and/​or recur­ring com­pul­si­ve actions that last for at least two weeks on most days.

Sym­ptoms of obses­si­ve-com­pul­si­ve dis­or­der

Obses­si­ve thoughts and com­pul­si­ve actions are reco­gni­zed as pro­ducts of one’s own mind and are not con­side­red to have been inspi­red by peo­p­le or exter­nal influen­ces:

  • They occur repea­ted­ly.
  • They are expe­ri­en­ced as unp­lea­sant.
  • At least one obses­si­ve thought or action is reco­gni­zed as exces­si­ve or inap­pro­pria­te.
  • Howe­ver, at least one obses­si­ve thought or action can­not be suc­cessful­ly sup­pres­sed.
  • Per­forming the com­pul­si­ve action only leads to a brief reli­ef and a release of phy­si­cal ten­si­on.

The­se sym­ptoms and com­plaints may indi­ca­te obses­si­ve-com­pul­si­ve dis­or­der:

  • Obses­si­ve thoughts (thoughts, ide­as or images):
    Per­cei­ved dan­ger of con­ta­mi­na­ti­on, infec­tion, poi­so­ning, ill­ness, stri­ving for sym­me­try or order, etc.
  • Com­pul­si­ve actions (action pat­terns):
    Con­stant­ly repea­ting beha­vi­ors and pat­terns pro­mi­se reli­ef to tho­se affec­ted. The­se include washing, clea­ning and tidy­ing com­pul­si­ons, con­trol and order com­pul­si­ons.

An unt­rea­ted obses­si­ve-com­pul­si­ve dis­or­der can have a seve­re impact on the psy­che. The­re is a high risk of addic­tion to alco­hol and medi­ca­ti­on, loss of con­trol and depres­si­on — always asso­cia­ted with a high level of suf­fe­ring and social with­dra­wal.