OCD is characterized by repetitive, unwanted thoughts and behaviors that control one's life in a destructive way. It is caused by overly active serotonin levels in the brain. Medications like SSRIs help control OCD by preventing serotonin reabsorption in the brain. Various therapies can also help reduce OCD symptoms, which include repetitive thoughts and actions, anxiety, and fears about consequences of not performing certain actions. OCD affects around 2.2 million Americans at some point in their lives.

1. Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder
By Matthew Mohandiss

2. What is OCD?
OCD is characterized by
repetitive thoughts or actions,
called compulsions, that control
someone's life in a destructive
way.

3. Neurotransmitters
The problem is with the neurotransmitter, Serotonin,
which is overactive and causes obsessive
compulsive disorder.

4. Medication
SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) help
to control OCD by stopping the reuptake of serotonin
in the synaptic gaps of the brain.

5. Therapy
Various types of therapy can help to reduce the
effects of obsessive compulsive disorder. These
include group therapy and individual therapy.

6. Symptoms
Symptoms include:
• Repetitive unwanted thoughts
• Repetitive unwanted actions
• Other anxiety problems
• Fear that something is going terribly wrong unless
a certain action is preformed

7. OCD Cycle
People with obsessive compulsive disorder often get
into a repetitive cycle that reinforces
obsessive/compulsive behavior or thoughts

8. Societal Aspects
Many people think people with OCD are just neat
freaks, but OCD is a crippling mental disorder that
severely disrupts many peoples lives.

9. Who is at Risk
OCD has not been proven to run directly through
generations and should start by age 19. OCD affects
around 2.2 million Americans at some point during
their lifetime.

20. Sources
• http://whatculture.com/offbeat/20-pics-give-ocd-
nightmares.php/4
• http://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/expert-opinion-
glutamate/
• http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-
compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml#part4
• http://iocdf.org/about-ocd/
• http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/treating
-obsessive-compulsive-disorder.shtml