Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by Emily Burdett

2025-02-24 15:33:14 UTC

The obsessions or compulsions cause marked distress, are time consuming (take more than 1 hour a day) or significantly interfere with the person's normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or usual social activities or relationships.
The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.

2025-02-24 15:33:26 UTC

The 12-month prevalence of OCD in the United States is 1.2%, with a similar prevalence internationally (1.1%—1.8%). Females are affected at a slightly higher rate than males in adulthood, although males are more commonly affected in childhood.

2025-02-24 15:34:46 UTC

Certain themes, or dimensions, are common, including those of cleaning (contamination obsessions and cleaning compulsions); symmetry (symmetry obsessions and repeating, ordering, and counting compulsions); forbidden or taboo thoughts (e.g., aggressive, sexual, or religious obsessions and related compulsions); and harm (e.g., fears of harm to oneself or others and checking compulsions). Some individuals also have difficulties discarding and accumulate (hoard) objects as a consequence of typical obsessions and compulsions, such as fears of harming others.

2025-02-24 15:35:53 UTC

In the United States, the mean age at onset of OCD is 19.5 years, and 25% of cases start by age 14 years. Onset after age 35 years is unusual but does occur. Males have an earlier age at onset than females: nearly 25% of males have onset before age 10 years. The onset of symptoms is typically gradual; however, acute onset has also been reported.

2025-02-24 15:37:01 UTC

Age at onset in OCD varies from preschool to elderly years, with two peaks occurring between 9–11 and 20–23 years. A juvenile onset may be seen in 30%–50% cases, whereas onset beyond the fourth decade occurs in <10% cases.

2025-02-24 15:52:55 UTC

In the UK, 1.2% of adults aged 16–64 have OCD.