Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Although classified as an anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) differs from these disorders in significant ways. It is the one anxiety diagnosis that seems to have a clear biological cause. Unlike the other kinds of anxiety disorders, therapy alone isn't much help. Medication is also necessary. OCD is a disorder in which the mind is flooded with involuntary thoughts, or in which an individual feels compelled to repeat certain acts over and over again (for example, hand washing).

This disorder can interfere significantly with everyday living, and usually leads to concern and/or resentment among friends, family, and co-workers. A person who suffers from OCD doesn't want the thoughts and doesn't want to do the behaviors. Unfortunately, he or she really can't help it. About half the people with OCD report that it began in childhood; most others start in adolescence or early adulthood. OCD affects approximately two percent of the general population.

OCD Case Study Case Study: Bill is 40 years old and works on an assembly line in an automobile factory. He is terribly afraid of being contaminated by germs. He has to wipe down every piece of machinery he touches with antibacterial wipes. He thinks about germs constantly while he works. He avoids shaking hands with others. He won't eat in the cafeteria. Bill washes his hands more than a dozen times a day. He has trouble leaving the bathroom because he isn't sure he has washed his hands well enough. Bill is suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder.