Josh Baker

 Anxiety disorder which causes unwanted thoughts (obsessions), and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).  Repetitive Behaviors include: hand washing, counting, checking, and cleaning in order to get rid of the bad feelings which build from these behaviors.  The repetitive behaviors are called “Rituals”  Repeating the Rituals only provides temporary help, increasing anxiety.

Everyday stress is taken to an extreme. The brain is unable to filter what is causing the most stress, from what is causing the least amount of stress, resulting in everything being considered as stressful. Without the body being able to classify stress levels the body is put into a constant state of uncertainty and fear.

 Psychiatrist Jeffrey Schwartz, author of Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior, offers the following four steps for dealing with OCD:  RELABEL – Recognize that the intrusive obsessive thoughts and urges are the RESulT OF OCD.  REATTRIBUTE – Realize that the intensity and intrusiveness of the thought or urge is CAUSED BY OCD; it is probably related to a biochemical imbalance in the brain.  REFOCUS – Work around the OCD thoughts by focusing your attention on something else, at least for a few minutes: DO ANOTHER BEHAVIOR.  REVALUE – Do not take the OCD thought at face value. It Is not significant in itself.  Source: Westwood Institute for Anxiety DisordersWestwood Institute for Anxiety Disorders

 Therapy  Self-help with medication  cognitive-behavioral therapy Therapy approach to solve problems with emotions and behavior by setting goals to reach in a systematic way.  Not curable, but is treatable

 Researchers are looking into why OCD affects humans.  OCD is a well known disease but not enough information about OCD is available to the public. For more information Visit  National Institute of Mental Health  International OCD foundation  OCD Online  The Mayo-Clinic  The OC foundation